Sights in Tarragona
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Fórum Romá
The northwest half of Fòrum Romà was occupied by a judicial basilica (where legal disputes were settled), from where the rest of the forum stretched downhill to the southwest. Linked to the site by a footbridge is another excavated area, which includes a stretch of Roman street. The discovery in 2006 of remains of the foundations of a temple to Jupiter, Juno and Minerva (the major triumvirate of gods at the time of the Roman republic) suggests the forum was much bigger and more important than had previously been assumed.
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Museu d’Història de Tarragona
The ‘museum’ title is somewhat misleading, as this is in fact four separate Roman sites (which since 2000 together have constituted a Unesco World Heritage site), including the museum.
Start exploring with the Pretori i Circ Romans, which includes part of the vaults of the Roman circus, where chariot races were once held, ending at the Pretori tower on Plaça de Rei. The circus, 300m long, stretched from here to beyond Plaça de la Font to the west. Nearby Plaça del Fòrum was the location of the provincial forum and political heart of Tarraconensis province.
Near the beach is the crown jewel of Tarragona’s Roman sites, the well-preserved Amfiteatre Romà, where…
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Catedral
Sitting grandly at the top of the old town, Tarragona’s cathedral is undergoing a major facelift and much of it is largely closed. However, the cloisters and museum are open and continue to demand a solid chunk of your time. Built between 1171 and 1331 on the site of a Roman temple, it combines Romanesque and Gothic features, as typified by the main facade on Pla de la Seu. The entrance is by the cloister on the northwestern flank of the building.
The cloister has Gothic vaulting and Romanesque carved capitals, one of which shows rats conducting what they imagine to be a cat’s funeral…until the cat comes back to life! The rooms off the cloister house the Museu Diocesà,…
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Aqüeducte Romà
Aqüeducte Romà sits, somewhat incongruously, in the leafy rough just off the AP7 freeway, which leads into Tarragona (near where it intersects with the N240). It is a fine stretch of two-tiered aqueduct (217m long and 27m high), along which you can totter to the other side. Bus 5 to Sant Salvador from Plaça Imperial de Tàrraco, running every 10 to 20 minutes, will take you to the vicinity, or park in one of the lay-bys marked on either side of the AP7, just outside the freeway toll gates.
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Museum
This carefully presented museum gives further insight into Roman Tarraco. Exhibits include part of the Roman city walls, frescoes, sculpture and pottery. A highlight is the large, almost complete Mosaic de Peixos de la Pineda, showing fish and sea creatures. In the section on everyday arts you can admire ancient fertility aids including an outsized stone penis, symbol of the god Priapus.
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Museu Nacional Arqueològic de Tarragona
This excellent museum does justice to the cultural and material wealth of Roman Tarraco. Well laid-out exhibits include part of the Roman city walls, frescoes, sculpture and pottery. The mosaic collection traces the changing trends – from the simple black-and-white designs to complex full-colour creations; a highlight is the large, almost complete Mosaic de Peixos de la Pineda, showing fish and sea creatures. In the section on everyday arts you can admire ancient fertility aids, including an outsized stone penis, symbol of the god Priapus.
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Cathedral
Tarragona's cathedral is a treasure house deserving 1½ hours or more of your time, if you're to do it justice. Built between 1171 and 1331 on the site of a Roman temple, it combines Romanesque and Gothic features, as typified by the main facade on Pla de la Seu. The entrance is by the cloister on the northwest flank of the building.
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Amfiteatre Romá
Near the beach is this well-preserved amphitheatre, where gladiators hacked away at each other, or wild animals, to the death. In its arena are the remains of 6th- and 12th-century churches built to commemorate the martyrdom of the Christian bishop Fructuosus and two deacons, believed to have been burnt alive here in AD 259. Much of amphitheatre was picked to bits, the stone used to build the port, so what you see now is a partial reconstruction.
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Museu del Port
Down by the waterfront, this curious museum is housed in a dockside shed. There’s not a lot to it; there are some displays tracing the history of the port from Roman times (in Catalan and Castilian only), a few model boats and one or two other seafaring items, but it will keep the children happy for a while.
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Museum
Down by the waterfront, this curious museum is housed in a dockside shed. There's not a lot to it; there are some displays tracing the history of the port from Roman times (in Catalan and Castilian only), a few model boats and one or two other seafaring items.
reviewed
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Pretori i Circ Romans
Explore the Pretori I Circ Romans, which includes part of the vaults of the Roman circus, where chariot races were once held. The circus, 300m long, stretched from here to beyond Plaça de la Font to the west.
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Necrópolis Paleocristians
Only found in 1923 during the construction of the tobacco factory, this vast Roman-Christian city of the dead consists of over 2000 elaborate tombs. It’s estimated that this burial ground on Passeig de la Independéncia, on the western edge of town, was used from the 3rd century AD onwards, thus attesting to Rome’s conversion to Christianity. While you can only look at the tombs through the fence, the museum features curious funereal objects and sarcophagi. Entry is free if you have already purchased a ticket to the Museu Nacional Arqueològic de Tarragona.
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Platja Llarga
Platja Llarga stretches for about 3km. Buses 1 and 9 from the Balcó stop on Via Augusta go to both. You can get the same buses from along Rambla Vella and Rambla Nova.
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Museu d'Art Modern
This modest art gallery has some interesting temporary exhibitions as well as an impressive display of sculptures, bronzes and modern art.
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Museum
This museum comprises four separate Roman sites (which since 2000 together have constituted a Unesco World Heritage site).
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Art Gallery
This modest art gallery is at its most interesting when temporary exhibitions take place.
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Museu Casa Castellarnau
A 14th-century noble mansion,now serves as the Museu Casa Castellarnau.
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Platja del Miracle
The town beach, Platja del Miracle, is reasonably clean but can get terribly crowded.
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Platja Arrabassada
Platja Arrabassada, 1km northeast across the headland, is longer.
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Passeig Arqueológic Muralles
The Passeig Arqueològic is a peaceful walk around part of the perimeter of the old town between two lines of city walls; the inner ones are mainly Roman and date back to the 3rd century BC, while the outer ones were put up by the British in 1709 during the War of the Spanish Succession. Prepare to be awed by the vast gateways built by the Iberians and clamber up onto the battlements from the doorway to the right of the entrance for all-encompassing views of the city. The walk starts from the Portal del Roser on Avenida Catalunya.
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Gaudí Centre
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Catedral
Sitting grandly at the top of the old town, Tarragona’s cathedral has been undergoing a major facelift for some time (although it’s scheduled to be finished in 2012), though the cloisters and museum alone are a worth a peek. Built on the site of a Roman temple, the length of its construction (between 1171 and 1331) has endowed it with both Romanesque and Gothic features, as typified by the main facade on Pla de la Seu, and its fortress-like exterior betrays fears of the Moors.
The cloister has Gothic vaulting and Romanesque carved capitals, one of which shows rats conducting what they imagine to be a cat’s funeral…until the cat comes back to life! It’s a lesson about…
reviewed
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Pont del Diable
The so-called Devil’s Bridge is actually the Aqüeducte de les Ferreres, a marvel left by the Romans and an irrigation engineer’s wet dream. Its most intact section sits 4km away from the centre, in the leafy rough just off the AP7 freeway, which leads into Tarragona. It is a fine stretch of a two-tiered aqueduct (217m long and 27m high); in its glory days, it delivered water to over 200,000 people from the Ríu Gayo, 32km away. Bus 5 to Sant Salvador from Plaça Imperial de Tàrraco, running every 20 minutes until 10.45pm, will take you to the vicinity, or park in one of the lay-bys marked on either side of the AP7, just outside the freeway toll gates.
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Museu del Port Maritime Museum
Down by the waterfront, this curious museum is housed in a dockside shed. There's not a lot to it; there are some displays tracing the history of the port from Roman times (in Catalan and Castilian only), a few model boats and one or two other seafaring items, but it will keep the children happy for a while.
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Beaches
The town beach, Platja del Miracle, is reasonably clean but can get terribly crowded. Platja Arrabassada, 1km northeast across the headland, is longer, and Platja Llarga, beginning 2km further out, stretches for about 3km. Buses 1 and 9 from the Balcó stop on Via Augusta go to both(€1.10).You can get the same buses from along Rambla Vella and Rambla Nova.
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