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- Identity: the
building blocks of
2. Literature
and philosophy
3. Art and
architecture
4. Performing
arts
5. Cinema
and fashion
6. Media and
communications
7. Food and drink 8. Living culture:
the details of
Burgos in northern Castile y León.Towns, especially,
developed radically after the Romans’ arrival, the grid-
based urbanisation humbling Celtiberian settlements
and establishing the location for many of Spain’s modern
day cities.
Segovia Aqueduct
Can it really be that old? The well-preserved wonder of Castile y León probably
dates from Trajan’s reign early in the Second Century AD.
Alcántara Bridge
The finest surviving bridge of the Roman Empire is another Trajan-era masterpiece,
its high six-span arcade crowned by a smaller triumphal arch.
Mérida Theatre
The six thousand-seater centrepiece of a well preserved Extremaduran Roman town
still hosts classical drama. A large amphitheatre resides next door.
Super structures: three sublime pieces
of Roman architecture in Spain
Vitruvius’ Latino legacy
The writings of Ancient
Rome’s famous architect
and engineer Vitruvius
were carefully studied in
16 thcentury Spain in the
colonial office of Felipe
II. Virtruvius’ thoughts on
urban design were then
incorporated into New
World cities.
Creative flow
The water system that
supplied Segovia with
the good stuff until the
19 thcentury was built by
Roman engineers to flow
along a 15km course
from nearby mountains.
The network reaches its
28m-high apogee on the
two-tiered aqueduct in
the centre of town. Built
from more than 20,000
granite blocks, the 167-
arch structure runs for
728m. And the cocky
beggars didn’t even use
mortar.
