Roman Forum, Archaeological site in Mérida, Spain

The Roman Forum of Mérida lies between San José and Los Maestros streets, from the Temple of Diana to Viñeros street. It was the municipal forum of Augusta Emerita, built on the city's highest point like an acropolis, where the Cardo Maximus and Decumanus Maximus began. It held the Temple of Diana, the Temple of Mars, a portico with statue niches, a basilica and baths.

The forum was founded in the 1st century BCE under Augustus as the center of the Roman city Augusta Emerita. It took its final form over several generations as the city grew and expanded.

The forum served as the heart of Roman community life, where people gathered to trade, debate, and manage their city. Today visitors can walk through the remains and imagine how citizens once used this central gathering place.

Access to the forum is well suited for visitors with limited mobility through paved pathways and gentle slopes. It is advisable to wear comfortable shoes since the surfaces are uneven and shade is minimal throughout the site.

The Temple of Diana owes its name to a mistaken identification at the time of its discovery; it was actually dedicated to the imperial cult. Erected under Augustus in local granite, it was later partly reused as the palace of the Count of Corbos, so the Roman structure served as a noble residence.