Da vedere a Tarragona

CASA CASTELLARNAU (30 minutes)

Built between the XIV-XVIIC., it has all the architectural characteristics of the noble houses of that time. Inciden tally, it was the Emperor Carlos'V residence during his stay in Tarragona in 1542. At the end of the XVIIIC., Mrs. Maria Castellarnau bought it and made a series of reforms which include the façade and the inner distribution; both of them can be seen nowadays.
 

PLAÇA DEL PALLOL (exterior)

In this square, a splendid Roman doorway of the Provincial Forum is preserved among other medieval constructions.

 

PASSEIG ARQUELÒGIC (25 minutes)

(Roman Walls). Nowadays, there are three towers (the ones called "Torre de l'Arquebisbe", "Torre del Cabiscol" and "Torre de Minerva"), a big gate which is the only ancient entry preserved and five openings; that is all which is left of the Roman Walls and their 4 kms. The walls are now 12 m high and about 4-6 m wide. They were built with megalithic blocks of stone.

 

PORTAL DE SANT ANTONI (exterior)

The entry to the Old Town from the east side, which is decorated with reproductions of classical statues.

 

THE OLD HOSPITAL OF SANTA TECLA (exterior)

Romanic and gothic building (XII-XIVc); we know its use as Hospital Santa Tecla. Nowadays, it is the central office of the "Consell Comarcal del Tarragonès".
 
THE CATHEDRAL (1 hour)

It is considered to be a mixture of the romanesque and gothic styles. It was begun during the second half of the XIIC and consecrated in 1331. This building takes the form of a Roman cross with three semicircular apses and a transept with a dome. The main façade - which is unfinished - is of particular interest: "La Verge del Mainell" (a virgin) and the central rose window. Inside, there are the side chapels which belong to different styles (gothic, renaissance and baroque) and an outstanding reredos above the main altar made of coloured alabaster and which was the work of Pere Joan

 

THE GOTHIC ARCADES (exterior)

The ancient market zone of the medieval town with gorhic arcades.

 

THE PROVINCIAL FORUM WALLS (exterior)

Remains of the Roman wall of the Provincial Forum. In ancient times, it was the see of the public administration of the Roman province of Tarraco (Ic a.C.)

 

MUSEUM OF MODERN ART (30 minutes)

It occupies the space of three noble houses of the Old Town. It has a neogothic oratory and a dome in the main room. During the XIXc, it was the paternal residence of the Martí de Ardenyas family. After a remarkable restoration, this museum, this museum exhibits the collections of the sculptors Julio Antonio, Salvador Martorell, Santiago Costa and the one of the paiter Josep Sancho.

 

THE JEW AREA (exterior)

Area occupied by this ancient community in medieval times and where some gothic archs are preserved.

 

NATIONAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM (1 hour)

It is a newly-constructed building where one can see in its basement the exact structure of the city walls. It reunites an important collection of objects found in the city and in its outskirts: sculptural, architectonical and epigrammatic remains belonging to the temples and the public buildings like pottery, glass, metals and numismatics.

 

MUSEU DE LA ROMANITAT (Pretori romà) (30 minutes)

It was a Roman tower that has had different uses along its history. It was first the building used that the Provincial Administration during the Roman domination, then castle of the king during the Middle-Ages, barracks after the "Sucesión War" and prision in the XIXc. Finally, it was opened as a museum in 1968.

 

MUSEU DE LA ROMANITAT (The roman Circus) (30 minutes)

It is a long building located between the Provincial Forum and the city. built in the Ist C., the horse races took place there as well as other performances. it is one of the best preserved buildings of its time.

 

THE ROMAN AMPHITHEATRE (30 minutes)

The Amphitheatre dates from the 2nd c. it was where the Romans held their public spectacles including combats between gladiators. In the centre of the amphitheatre, a visigothic basilica was built during the 6th c. and during the 12th c. the Romanesque church of Santa Maria del Miracle was built over it.

 

THE LOCAL FORUM (15 minutes)

Complex which includes several buildings, the most important one is the Forum basilica; beside it, there is a square and part of a block of Roman houses with a street that delimits them.
NECROPOLIS MUSEUM (30 minutes)

It was discovered in the 20's outside the city walls. It contains some interesting sarcophagi, a beautiful ivory doll, and Optimo's mosaic. There are also preserved lots of tombs - some modest ones in amphoraes - tiles, china, sacrophagi and mausoleums.

 

THE "CENTCELLES" MAUSOLEUM (15 minutes) (Constantí - 7 Km.)

The big villa of Constantí was completely rebuilt in the 4th c., when the great Mausoleum was built (it is believed to be the funeral monument of Constantino I). It has a big vault decorated with exceptional mosaics representing biblical scenes, hunting scenes, etc. They were all of them discovered in 1877.

 

AQÜEDUCTE ROMÀ (20 minutes) (4 Km.)

It dates from the 1rst. C.B.D. it is an aqueduct Known as "El Pont del Diable" or "Aqüeducte de les Ferreres" (The devil's bridge) which brought water into the city. It is composed of a double series of archs. It has a length of 217 m. and it is 27 m. high.

 

THE ESCIPIONS TOWER (10 minutes) (5 Km.).

It is a funeral monument dating from the 1rst C. and a tower which was built in three quadrangular sections. Nowadays there are only 9 m high left. There are also two sculpted figures of Atis, a funeral God.

 

PEDRERA DEL MÈDOL (15 minutes) (7 Km.).

Near Tarragona, there is "El Mèdol", a quarry from where the stone used in constructions was extracted. There is a monolith of 16 m. high that marks the original stone level of extraction.

 

ELS MUNTS (25 minuts) (12 Km.).

It is located in the town of Altafulla on a hill that slopes gently down towards the sea. There are three thermal baths. This villa was built in the 1st c. and inhabitated until the 5th c. The main rooms were decorated with mosaics, marble and fresh paintings.

 

 
ARC DE BERÀ  (10 minutes) (20 Km.).

It was built along the Via Augusta in the 1st C.B.D. It has a good state of preservation. It is a 10,5 m. high arch; both sides are framed with false fluted colums of the corinthial order. There is still and inscription named after Lucius Licinius Jura, consul and legate of the Empire.