Alcazaba of Merida

Behind these fortified walls lie the ruins of the Alcazaba of Merida. This square fortress was built in 835 by order of Abd al-Rahman II, the fourth Umayyad emir of Córdoba. If you're trying to place it, that's the early 9th century. He was considered the most cultured Muslim ruler of his time, and his court was the most refined in Europe. His reign was marked by peace and a flourishing of Andalusian culture. But peace doesn’t mean everything was smooth, far from it. He had this military fortress built to keep control over Merida, which had rebelled in 805. What you’re looking at is actually the oldest surviving Muslim citadel on the Iberian Peninsula. Each side of the square fortress measures about 130 meters, and it was large enough to house a sizable garrison. It was built using stones taken from earlier Roman and Visigothic monuments, something pretty common in Spain, where history layers itself like a cake: first the Romans, then the Visigoths, then the Arabs, and finally the Catholic Monarchs. Originally, each corner of the fortress had a tall square tower, and inside, you’d find the Arab governor’s residence and the offices of the Umayyad administration. There’s also a Roman cistern underneath, covered with a barrel-vaulted ceiling and fed by water from the Guadiana River. You can still go down to it today via a staircase. Back in the 9th century, the fortress was accessed via a barbican from the Roman bridge. A barbican, in case you’re wondering, is a small defensive outpost, connected to the main fortress by a protected passage. Think of it like a security vestibule. In Merida’s case, it controlled who and what could enter the city from the bridge and also served as a customs checkpoint. The main fortress was kept separate and secure, off-limits to civilians. When Christian forces retook the region in 1230, the Knights of the Order of Santiago took over the Alcazaba. Later, in the late 16th century, renovations were made to establish the Priory of San Marcos de León. That’s when the church and cloister were added, today they house the regional council of Extremadura. You might’ve seen that on the other side of the building, where the flags are. Inside the courtyard, you can see Roman remains, including part of the decumanus maximus, the city’s main road, as well as the foundations of the ancient Roman gate and traces of the original city wall from the 1st century BC, when Augusta Emerita was founded. The Alcazaba brings together centuries of history in one spot, from the Romans to the Visigoths, the Moors, and the Christians. You’ll need a ticket to enter, but it’s also included in the full monument pass if you’ve got that.