Teatro Romano - Málaga, Spain
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N 36° 43.276 W 004° 25.027
30S E 373447 N 4064888
The Teatro Romano is situated in the cultural heart of Málaga, at the foot of the Alcazaba fortress. It is the oldest monument in Málaga.
Waymark Code: WMKN8H
Location: Andalucía, Spain
Date Posted: 05/05/2014
Views: 15
"The theatre was built in the first century BC, under Emperor Augustus, and was used until the third century AD. Subsequently it was left to ruin for centuries, until the Moors settled in Andalucía. In 756-780AD the amphitheatre was used as a quarry by the Moorish settlers , to excavate the stone used to build the Alcazaba fortress - you can see some Roman columns and capitals in the fortress. Over time it became buried under dirt and rubble, and remained hidden there for almost five centuries.
The theatre was rediscovered in 1951, when the construction of Casa de Cultura uncovered the first archaeological clues. The construction of the gardens was abandoned, and instead excavations began. In 1995 a polemic decision was made to demolish the Casa de la Cultura, which stood over a third of the site. Once the site had been fully excavated, a large scale restoration project began, which proved more difficult than anticipated, as many of the missing pieces are now part of the foundations of the neighbouring Alcazaba.
On 15 September 2011, 27 years after reconstruction began, El Teatro Romano reopened to the public, and held its first stage performances for millenia, with performances from Andrés Mérida, Daniel Casares, and Carlos Álvarez, reading from Juvenal Soto and the poetry of Pablo Picasso and Manuel Alcántara. The amphitheatre is now open throughout the year for visitors, and in summer, it will be used for open-air performances. It seats 220 spectators.
The theatre is divided into three sections: the Cavea (general seats), the Orchestra (VIP seats) , and the Proscaenium (stage). The Cavea is the spectators' circle: 31m in radius and 16m high, it is a semi-circular shape divided by aisles into three sections - Inma Cávea, Media Cávea, and Sunma Cávea - which can all be accessed by separate Vomitoria (exit passageways, literally "spew forth").
The Orchestra is situated between the Cávea and the Proscaenium. This is the area where the more important citizens sat. The Proscaenium is the stage area. It is raised slightly above the Orchestra area, to give the best view, and would ordinarily have a wooden floor."
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