Short Spanish trips, Sun, 16 Aug 2020 | written by Simon
Jemma and Simon at a City, Ruins/Excavation, Temple, UNESCO site in Europe, Spain

  • Cenral Market
  • Forum
  • Forum
  • Theatre
  • Circus
  • Circus
  • Amphitheatre

The Baron is just small enough to fit into the underground car parks, but sometimes it is really ‘just’. This time, poor Baron got his back scratched a little, and was not happy.

Parked, we moved to town and chanced upon a little show as the clock on the Central Market showed noon and a bunch of figures emerged to dance around it. Quite like those we’ve seen for Santa Eulalia festival!

We walked towards the Roman Forum, or the remains thereof, as Spaniards worked hard to destroy all ancient monuments here to make space for their fish stalls. I always find this whole thing where cities boast their ancient ruins a bit of a double edged sword. Because they’re both saying: ‘Look what amazing things the Romans built here!’ and at the same time: ‘Check out how our ancestors mindlessly tore it all down!’

The forum has a road going through the middle of it, built quite recently. Then we moved to the Theatre, which has all sorts of things built on it – apparently there was some factory built on top of it even after they were well aware that there is a monument in need of protecting there, just because someone conveniently ‘forgot’ and didn’t prevent the construction. Pathetic. I find that it is much easier to be a socialist when the opponents of ‘the people’ are the rich, then when it’s architecture and art. Also, how did they think it’s OK to build such horrible multis around the Forum? How aesthetically challenged do you need to be to allow that?!

The story is similar with the Circus and Amphitheatre, but different when it comes to the Roman temple complex – that was just annexed by Christians who built a cathedral here. To be fair, this one is at least really impressive.

But closed. Fortunately, it opened after 4pm, unlike everything else. Apparently in Tarragona, Sundays are not tourist days. All museums close at 14:30. Though admittedly, walking the streets was wonderful itself, not least because Tarragona also has a lot of old walls left which have been even more incorporated, with inventively built houses that just made it their walls.

Thankfully the cathedral did open, and what a sight it was! Not only is it architecturally fantastic, it also allows you to do much that you can’t do elsewhere – like get really close to the altar, which is just fantastic. The Romanesque sculptures of St Thecla are amazing, especially as she escapes fire and baptises herself in a river of snakes. And other sculptures all over the place – I have a new found appreciation for Romanesque art here. But the cloisters of the cathedral… I thought it would be hard to top the ones we saw at Poblet Monastery, but Tarragona managed easily. This is very much a little paradise on earth, with perfect trees, quiet fountains, flowers and turtles.

After some more strolling, we retrieved the Baron and headed back, stopping on the way in Casteldefells for a swim in the sea. How different it is from the last time we were there! Then, there was nobody, now it’s packed! Although we were impressed – it’s by far not as packed as we’ve seen on pictures from the UK – people do seem to respect social distancing generally, groups do sit a few metres apart, and people do wear masks as they leave their groups. Good job, Spain!