Mérida, Spain

Mérida is the capital of the autonomous community of Extremadura, Spain. It is situated in the province of Badajoz and has a population of 50,780 (2002).

It was an important city, Emerita Augusta in Roman Lusitania, and has important ancient Roman monuments, more than any other city in Spain. Because of this, it is a World Heritage site.

Among the remaining Roman monuments monuments are the Puente Romano, a bridge over the Guadiana river that remained in use until the 1990s; the Temple of Diana; the remains of the Forum, including the Arch of Trajan; the remains of the Circus Maximus; the Acueducto de los Milagros (aqueduct); a villa called the Mitreo; the Embalse de Proserpina reservoir; and the Roman Theatre and Amphitheatre, where a summer festival of Classical theatre is presented, usually with versions of Greco-Roman classics or modern plays located in ancient times. One can also visit the Morerías archaeological site and watch digging in progress, as well as the Museo Nacional de Arte Romano.

The city of Mérida in Yucatán, Mexico, was named after Mérida in Spain.\n