Tarragona Roman Circus & Praetorium – History, Tickets & Hours

About History of Tarragona Museum Roman Circus & Praetorium

The Roman Circus of Tarraco (Circo Romano de Tarraco) and the Roman Praetorium (Pretorio Romano de Tarraco) are two interconnected archaeological sites forming part of the monumental Roman complex in the heart of Tarragona. Located close to the Roman Amphitheatre, these structures once dominated the provincial capital of Hispania Citerior. During the Middle Ages, the Kings of Aragón adapted parts of the complex for use as a royal palace.

Tarragona Roman Circus History

The Roman circus was one of the most popular entertainment venues in the ancient world, hosting dramatic chariot races pulled by teams of two or four horses. Built at the end of the 1st century A.D. during the reign of Emperor Domitian, the circus formed the lower terrace of Tarraco’s vast provincial complex.

Measuring around 325 metres long and 100–115 metres wide, the circus was constructed on a network of powerful cement vaults. These vaults supported the seating tiers and upper platforms while also serving as internal corridors that allowed spectators to circulate throughout the building—much like a modern stadium. Three sides of the structure held the grandstands, while the fourth contained the starting gates for the racing chariots.

A protective wall over 2 metres high, the podium, separated the arena from the spectators. On the northern side, attached to the provincial forum buildings, stood the pulvinar, a ceremonial viewing box reserved for high‑ranking officials.

One of the short ends of the circus housed the dungeons and starting chambers, with twelve exit gates arranged around a central doorway. Archaeological excavations have identified these structures beneath the modern Tarragona City Council building. This sector, known as the oppidum, also included a tower and a terrace from which the organiser of the games could watch the races. Magistrates overseeing the competition occupied a dedicated tribune (tribunal iudicum).

By the 5th century, the circus had begun to lose its original function. Several of the vaults were repurposed as domestic rooms, marking the start of the site’s gradual transformation during late antiquity.

Tarragona Roman Circus Today

Much of the original arena now lies beneath the historic centre of modern Tarragona. What survives includes a substantial corner of the circus, the main gate area and a series of long underground vaults and corridors that visitors can explore.

Tarragona Roman Praetorium History

Around 73 A.D., under Emperor Vespasian, the Provincial Forum was constructed on the highest part of the city. This administrative complex served as the political and economic centre of the province, governed by the Consilium Provinciae Hispaniae Citerioris (Provincial Council).

The forum occupied a state‑owned area of roughly 7.5 hectares and was organised across two main terraces. The upper terrace housed the imperial cult temple, while the lower terrace contained the vast representation square. A third terrace, built slightly later, accommodated the circus, completing the monumental ensemble.

The representation square contained key administrative spaces such as the tabularium (state archive) and the aerarium (state treasury). Access between the terraces was provided by a series of side towers that functioned as stairwells.

The entire complex was aligned along a grand processional axis running northwest to southeast, linking the temple of the imperial cult with the circus pulvinar. Statues once lined this ceremonial route, though only their pedestals survive today.

The Provincial Forum began to decline in the early 5th century. Administrative functions contracted into smaller, now‑unknown areas, and many of the high‑imperial buildings were gradually dismantled. Their materials were reused in later Roman and medieval constructions throughout Tarraco.

Tarragona Roman Praetorium Today

The main surviving structure is a large tower containing an impressive internal staircase that once connected the different terrace levels of Roman Tarraco. Inside, visitors can see displays of statues, stone coffins and carved architectural fragments. The rooftop terrace offers excellent views over modern Tarragona, the Roman circus and the distant amphitheatre.

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