Area: 41,634 km²
Population: 1.06 million
Capital: Merida
Extremadura features such historic cities as Cáceres, Trujillo and Merida, the
latter boasting some of the Iberian Peninsula’s most important Roman
ruins. Founded as Emerita Augusta in the 1st century B.C., the city was a
major political centre. The monuments still standing today include
temples, aqueducts, bridges, and a beautiful amphitheatre, one of the best
preserved in the Roman world. Today, this venue hosts such notable
cultural events as the celebrated Classical Theatre Festival.
The National Museum of Roman Art, also in Merida, a spacious building designed
by the architect Rafael Moneo, houses the many archaeological findings from
this city. The entire region, which borders on Portugal, has a dry
climate, which has left its historical mark in the shady, narrow streets of the
city centres of Cáceres and Trujillo, the legacy of urban planning from
the Arab period. The high artistic value of its buildings has earned the
Old Town of Cáceres its status as UNESCO World Heritage site.
For more information:
Extremadura tourism website