Roman Theatre of Cartagena

The Roman Theatre of Cartagena is an ancient amphitheater built into a hillside in the southeastern Spanish port city of Cartagena. The semicircular seating area uses natural terrain and artificial vaults, while the stage front displays rows of columns made from different marble types.

The theater was built under Emperor Augustus in the first years before the Common Era as part of Roman urban development. From the 3rd century onward, the building served as a marketplace before a cathedral was erected over the upper seating rows during medieval times.

The name reflects the Roman tradition of public performance that brought theatrical shows to this port city audience of several thousand. Visitors today see restored columns and marble seating that show how Roman citizens spent leisure time and expressed social rank through seating arrangements.

The museum complex with exhibition rooms sits beside the seating area and makes it easier to walk through different levels of the ancient structure. Guided tours are available in several languages and help visitors understand the construction methods and recovered objects.

For over a thousand years, the entire structure remained hidden beneath later buildings until excavations in the late 20th century uncovered it again. The discovery happened by chance during work in the historic city center and led to the removal of a medieval church that stood directly on the upper seating rows.