Forming part of Mérida’s Archaeological Ensemble – one of Extremadura’s three UNESCO World Heritage Sites – Alcazaba de Mérida is an unmissable sight in the region’s capital. There’s more to this mighty Moorish fortification than initially meets the eye; stepping into the Alcazaba is like walking through the history of Mérida from its Roman origins to the modern times.
This article includes a general overview, practical info, personal thoughts and tips to help you plan and make the most of your visit to Alcazaba de Mérida.
Built in the ninth century, Alcazaba de Mérida is the oldest Moorish fortification in the Iberian Peninsula. In a city constantly revolting against Muslim rulers, this fortification was commissioned in 835 CE by emir Abd ar-Rahman II of Córdoba, who set his residence here, to hold administrative offices and some two thousand troops.
An old Roman gate and part of the Roman city wall were dismantled and the materials used in the construction of the Alcazaba. Originally, the walls were up to ten metres high and twenty five towers evenly distributed along the walls protected the fortification. The economic power started shifting from the then-called Mārida to Batalyaws (current Badajoz) in the tenth century, but Alcazaba retained its military purpose and new towers were added to protected it from sieges. Mérida was later reconquered by Christian troops in the thirteenth century.
Visiting Alcazaba de Mérida
Location
Located in Paseo de Roma by the Roman Bridge, Alcazaba is reachable on foot from most attractions in Mérida: Templo de Diana is five minutes away, the Roman Theatre and Amphitheatre are twelve minutes away, and Acueducto de los Milagros is seventeen minutes away. Moreover, both the bus station and the train station are under fifteen minutes away on foot.
Visits and tickets
Alcazaba de Mérida is to be explored on a self-guided basis, but night guided tours in Spanish are available during the summer months; please double-check the details at the on-site ticket office or contact Turismo de Mérida ahead of your trip.
Entry tickets can be purchased online. A standard single ticket to Alcazaba de Mérida costs €6.20. If you plan to visit all the main Mérida sights, buy a Conjunto Monumental combined ticket instead (€17.50). Combined tickets allow you to visit the sights on different days. Alternatively, you can buy tickets at the on-site ticket office. Card payments accepted.
Opening times
From 1 October to 31 March, Alcazaba de Mérida opens from 9am to 6.30pm; from 1 April to 30 September, it opens every day from 9am to 9pm. Closed on 25 December, 1 January, and 6 January.
There is an access ramp at the entrance, but please note that only the main area is accessible. The cistern and the top of the wall, for example, can only be reached via stairs.
Alcazaba de Mérida: highlights
Alcazarejo
The Alcazaba is accessed via a small enclosure known as Alcazarejo, its original purpose being to control the access to the city from the Roman Bridge over the river Guadiana. The gateway on the right led to the restricted military area (the Alcazaba).
Aljibe
For me, the main highlight within the Alcazaba is the aljibe – a Moorish cistern built in the ninth century using Roman and Visigoth architectural remains. It was a multifunctional four-storey construction with a communications tower at the top, a mosque occupying the first floor, and a ground-floor hall leading to the underground cistern.
On the exterior you’ll see a marble shell sculpture above two columns, which served as a reminder of the obligation to pray facing Mecca.
The underground cistern, built with repurposed marble and huge stone labs, was designed to collect and filter water from the river. Today, a bunch of goldfish placidly swim in the water.
Roman remains
Roman traces can be found everywhere in the Alcazaba. Repurposed Roman materials make up a good part of the Moorish fortification; other remains have been unearthed during excavation works; and a selection of archaeological pieces (some of them Roman) are also displayed in the so-called ‘garden of antiques’.
The main highlights include part of the main Roman road, a Roman house with visible renovation works, part of the original Roman city wall and a monumental gate. As a visitor, you can walk along the Roman road and contemplate the details of the Roman house from a dedicated viewing platform.
Jardín de Antigüedades
The ‘garden of antiquities’ is a sort of outdoor exhibition area displaying a selection of archaeological pieces from different historical periods. Here, you can see from mill stones, to clay jars, to funerary objects and a decent collection of capitals of different styles and periods.
Portico
The northern corner of the Alcazaba was originally occupied by the residence of the Moorish ruler, then transformed in the sixteenth century by the Christian Order of Santiago into a convent (Conventual Santiaguista); currently, it’s home to the regional president’s offices. Built against it within the Alcazaba enclosure is a nineteenth-century portico commissioned by a local individual and built with (surprise!) repurposed Roman and Visigoth columns and capitals.
The view
Built over a Roman dyke, the Alcazaba walls along the river Guadiana, offer a fantastic 180-degree view of the riverside. Climb up the stairs and walk along to find the perfect spot to photograph the Roman Bridge (Puente Romano), with the newer Puente Lusitania in the background.
Other things to see and do in Mérida:
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Irene Corchado Resmella
Hi! I’m Irene (/ee-REH-neh/). Long since settled in the UK, I explore my Spanish home region of Extremadura with an inquisitive mind, a sharp eye, and the duality that comes with being both a local and a visitor. Then I write about it here to help you discover this beautiful yet overlooked part of Spain. If you have any questions after reading this article, submit a comment below! Read more about me.
