Spain 3.0: Pretori i Circ of Tarragona

Aside from the amphitheatre, there are several other Roman sites in Tarragona. This time, I am covering the Pretorium (or Tower) and Circus of Tarragona. The Pretorium is a tall structure overlooking the amphitheatre, and right next to it is the ancient Roman circus, or a track where horse and chariot races were held. Nowadays they lie in ruins, but nevertheless they are impressive.



The complex is rather large, and there are plenty of things to explore. The circus is not there anymore, but the vault still exists, which is one of the longest ones of its type. It is 300 meters long, and a video visualization of the whole complex aids the visitor to see how everything fell into place back then. Nowadays, there's plenty of modern buildings co-existing with the ruins.



The pictures above show you the interior of the vault.



And of course there are remains of the ancient Roman culture, in the form of statues, pillars, and other items with Latin inscriptions on them.

Tarragona isn't probably the most known Roman site, but there's plenty to see for those who visit. There's more things to show, so stay tuned for my next post.