The Roman Empire quarry of El Medol

You don’t need to be genuinely fascinated in Ancient Roman history, or history at all, to comprehend the greatness of The Roman Empire quarry of El Medol and its thematic surroundings. Anyway, a little bit of knowledge of history will help you grasp its real importance.

Today we are going to take you a few millennia back. We will tell you a bit more about the magnificence of Tarraco – a capital of Hispania Citerior, the oldest Roman establishment on the Iberian Peninsula, and currently known as the city of Tarragona, Spain.

So, here is a brief summary of what you need to know:

• The Roman Empire quarry of El Medol is the biggest one of the dozen Roman mines found around the ancient settlement of Tarraco. It is about 200 m wide and 40 deep. Some recent studies suggest that it was used as far back as the Middle Ages.
  
  
• El Medol was a source of a pinky-yellowish milestone, utilized in building the most remarkable architectural constructions of Tarraco. The quarry was estimated to have provided over 50,000 cubic meters of stone for the local buildings.
• The quarry is a vital part of the prominent Archaeological Ensemble of Tárraco, named a UNESCO World Heritage site back in 2000. The Tarragona Museum of History is currently managing the place, yet the access to the quarry is free.
  
  
• El Medol’s most symbolic detail is its “needle” – a column that rises 16 meters above the ground and indicates the original level of the rocky massif before the quarrying took place.
• The quarry is nowadays known not merely for its culturally-historical importance, but also its characteristic microclimate. It attracts many ecologists and nature lovers, as well as off-beat tourists that enjoy a combination of nature and culture.
• Another set of fascinating locations nearby that are also a part of the Archaeological Ensemble of Tárraco include The Wall of Tarragona, The Provincial and the Colonial forums of Tarraco, the local Roman Theatre, Arc de Berà, and tens of others.
  
  

Planning a trip to The Roman Empire quarry of El Medol means taking the time to design an extended sightseeing route among the Roman remains in and around the city.

You can easily do this by yourself with a little prior research, or simply stop by the Tarragona Museum of History to get expert advice by the local historians.