Segóbriga is a Celtic, Roman, and Visigoth town in central Spain. The ruins weren't uncovered until the late 19th century and featured some of the best preserved Roman structures in central Spain. The name means "City of Victory" in Celtic although this early period of the city isn't well documented. Burial sites have been found dating back to the 2nd millennium BC indicating the city's age.
Segóbriga was taken over after the Roman conquest of the Iberian peninsula and became an important administrative center. The city was sustained by both cisterns and by a first century BC aqueduct that ran from over five kilometers aways near Saelices. Water flowed by lead pipe in concrete, covered by roof tiles to keep the water from spoiling.
The best preserved ruins are the theatre and amphitheatre dug into the side of the town's hill. The forum, two baths, and a circus are still visible on top as is much of the nearly one mile (1,300m) long town wall. The main gate had two arches - one for pedestrians and one for drawn vehicles. The theater had a permanent two-story scenography richly decorated with statues, a colonnade, and three portals. The seating backed into the city walls in three tiers with audiences divided by social class.
Opposite of the theater, the amphiteater was built in an elliptical shape nearly 250 feet (75m) long. It could hold a crowd of 5,500 in stands 60 feet (18m) above a high podium for protection. Both were used into the third century, but served as a quarry for the nearby Ucles Monastery in the Renaissance.
After the decline of the Roman Empire, the city was taken over by the Visigoths who built a large church. The foundations are evident on the walk from the visitors center to the town. The former road is dotted with tombs as was common in Rome times, particularly after the rise of Christianity when cremation fell out of favor. When the Moors arrived, the city was finally abandoned, leaving what we see today.
The ruins are well-signed in Spanish and English and an audio guide is available. Start in the visitors center with a few of the more impressive artifacts recovered from the site before following the old Roman road into the city. The site is sparsely visited which means plenty of space (and peace) to explore. Come early or late to avoid the afternoon sun as there is little shade.
The Nitty-Gritty
The site is open Tuesday through Sunday (closed on Mondays) from 10 to 6 (October through March) and til 7:30 in the summer (April through September). Last entry an hour before closure. Audioguides are available in Spanish and English with brochures in Spanish, English, French, German, and Italian,
In the summer, concerts are still held at the site. There are also educational programs including curriculum downloads. There are no stated accessibility programs at the museum, but Castilla-La Mancha has set an accessibility initative for all sites in the area.
Tickets are €6 for adults, €3 reduced (students up to 25, over 65s, unemployed, disabled), free for children under 8 and on Tuesdays and Fridays after 4p except holidays.
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