Circus of Tarragona

The circuses in the Roman times were always elongated in shape, as you can see on this illustration. The one in the old Roman city of Tarraco, built in the 1st century, was used to organize horse and chariot races.

Pretty odd fact for the time, the circus was strangely built inside the murals. It is leaning against the forum that you just discovered at the previous point of interest.

The Tarraco circus measured 325 meters long and 115 meters wide. It is considered one of the best-preserved circuses of the West, even though serveral parts stayed buried until the 19th century.

The presence of a circus in Tarraco confirms the power of this city. The establishment of such a monument requires a certain amount of wealth. The organization of races was not cheap either.
Back then, the reason why those races were hosted is simple. These events were very popular and attracted many viewers. The organized races in the Roman circuses were really enjoyed, even more than the gladiator fights arranged in the amphitheatres.
This also explains why the circuses' stands could accommodate twice as much people as the ones in the amphitheatres. Here, the carrying capacity of the stands was approximately 30 000 people.
If those shows were so popular, it was mostly because of the accidents that were quite frequent, even causing deaths. They were also an opportunity to make bets.

Here you can see part of the remains of the circus of Tarraco. When walking in the city streets, you will be able to notice the remains of the circus's structures in different places.

Other remains of the Roman circus in Tarraco.