Circ Romà Spain

Legendary

A 325-meter track built for racing chariots.

Photo by Carole Raddato

Walk through parts of Tarragona's old town and you're standing on top of a Roman racetrack. Most of the Circ Romà is still buried under 19th-century houses and shops, hidden but not gone.

The Romans built the circus at the end of the 1st century AD, in a city they called Tarraco. It was a racetrack for chariots, the fastest and most dangerous sport in the Roman world.

The track stretched 325 meters long and 115 meters wide. Around 30,000 people could squeeze into the seats, which was roughly the entire population of the city at the time.

Most Roman circuses were built outside the city walls, since they needed so much space. Tarraco squeezed its circus inside the walls instead, which forced the builders to get creative.

Down the middle of the track ran a long stone barrier called the spina. Chariots raced around it in laps, usually seven per race.

The spina wasn't just a wall. Romans decorated it with statues, fountains, and tall stone obelisks so the crowd had something spectacular to look at.

Drivers raced chariots pulled by two horses or four. Crashes were common, and the turns at each end were the most dangerous part of the track.

Races kept going here until the 5th century AD. Later, in the 1100s, the kings of Aragon turned part of the site into a palace. After that, it became a prison.

Today, the Circ Romà is part of the Roman ruins of Tarraco, named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. It's considered one of the best-preserved Roman circuses in the western world.

Head underground to explore the vaulted stone tunnels that once held up the seating. Climb the Praetorium tower at one end for views across the city and out to the sea. Look for the starting gates, where charioteers once waited for the race to begin.