If you are history lover and looking for architectural sites than Spain is a must to visit destination.  The country has an ancient landscape where you can explore historical sites dating back to prehistory. The Moorish empire as well the roman invasion lasted for hundreds years and the legacy of their time in Spain is still much visible today. In the followings we have collected for you the most impressing archaeological sites across Spain.

1.Hispalis – Sevilla

According to the legend of Seville the mythical founder of the city was Heracles (Hercules). During the Roman Empire the city was named Hispalis and it was a significant port on the river Guadalquivir. During the Muslim times, it was Ishbiliya and became the most powerful city of the Moor Empire in the Iberian Peninsula. During these times several important buildings, such as the Alcazar of Seville has been built. In 1248 the Moorish Empire collapsed and Seville fell to Fernando III of Castilla. By the 14^th century Seville was the most important Castillan city in Spain and became one of the richest cities on earth after the great discoveries. However, most of the today known historical sites correspond to the Roman era the city’s most famous architectural sites has been built during the Moorish Empire.

Ruins of hte Antiquarium de Sevilla

Alcázar of Sevilla

2. Corduba – Córdoba

According to the history of Cordoba, the city has been founded in the 2^nd century BC by the Roman consul Marco Claudio Marcellus. The city has been sacked and destroyed during the war between Caesar and Pompey in 45 BC and later became a a Roman Province.  In the time of Caesar, Cordoba was the capital of Hispania Baetica and during these times many temples and provincial forums has been built, the city started to grow. The city was under the Roman Empire until the 6^th century AC, when the Visigoths conquered the province. In 711 Córdoba was captured by the Umayyad army and again became a provincial capital in the Caliphate of Damascus. For more than 700 years the city was under the Moorish empire and in 1236 was captured by King Ferdinand III. In that time the city was divided into 14 districts, and numerous new churches an buildings were built. The centre of the mosque was converted into a large Catholic cathedral. During the history Cordoba was under several empires and religions and thanks to this nowadays visitors can find numerous archaeological and historical sites in the city and the surrounding. One of the most famous is the great mosque of Cordoba which is UNESCO world heritage site since 1984 together with the ancient city Medina Azahara, an ancient Moorish city.

Medina Azahara

Great Mosque of Córdoba

3. Valentia – Valencia

Valencia was founded as a Roman colony by the consul Junius Brutus in 138 BC and originally called Valentina Edetanorum. During the Sertorian war the city was destroyed by Pompey (75 BC) and rebuilt in the years 20-15. The city reached its most glorious times during the Flavia and Antonina dynasties. Thanks to this time numerous of Roman remains can be found under the Plaza de la Almoina in Valencia, where you can see the horreum, the republican baths, the nymphaeum, the curia, the basilica and tombs from the 5^th  century. In the 8^th century the moors conquer most of the Iberian Peninsula and as well occupied the city of Valencia. During this time the language, religion and costumes changed in the city and most of the remains of the Roman Empire has disappeared.

Horreum Valencia

Plaza de la Almoina

4. Qadis – Cádiz

According to the Roman historian Veleyo Patérculo, the city has been founded in 1104 BC as Gadir by Phoenicians from Tyre and nowadays Cadiz is one of the most ancient city still standing in Western Europe. The city subsequently became a naval base for the Romans before fading into obscurity until 1262 when it was taken from the Muslims by Alfonso X. The city started to grow in the time of the great discoveries, when it became a main port town after Columbus sailed from this port for his 2^nd and 4^th voyages. From this time it grew into one of the wealthiest and most cosmopolitan cities in Spain and most of the city’s fine buildings date from this time.

Cadiz Cathedral

Cadiz

5. Cauca – Segovia

Segovia is located in the centre of Spain, about 100 km away from Madrid in the autonomous community of Castile y Leon.  The old town of Segovia and its aqueduct is part of the UNESCO World Heritage sites since 1985. The Roman aqueduct of Segovia, probably built around the 1^st century and it is held together only by gravity. Via this edifice the water got to the city from the River Frio which is 17 km away from the city. This impressive construction, with its two tiers of arches, forms part of the setting of the magnificent historic city of Segovia. Other important monuments include the Alcázar, which built around the 11th century, and the 16th-century Gothic cathedral.

Aqueduct

Gothic cathedral of Segovia

If you get interested about the ancient architecture of Spain and would like to discover historic sites around the country than contact us and we will take you to the best places surrounded by ancient history.

Map marking the cities mentioned above