Unclaimed Tickets - Find Travel Bargains.
Ultimate Conversions - Ultimate Revenue!

Author: martin lambert

Article source: http://www.articlealley.com/. Used with author's permission.

Spain has had a varied history with both conquests and invasions being a regular part of its evolution. Most visitors to this country are however unaware of all but the hot sun, inviting beaches and cheap alcohol, but there is another side to Spain and perhaps the best place to see it is in the country's more northern cities.

Like many parts of Europe, Spain was invaded and conquered by the Romans and many cities still have structures dating back to these times. In Britain a famous Roman wall encircles the historic (and once capitol) city of York, but Galicia also has a similar wall in the provincial capitol of Lugo.

Lugo is situated in Spain's north western corner in one of the country's autonomous regions known as Galicia. The wall in question is 1700 years old and remains a complete example of the invader's efforts to enclose and fortify the original town. At over 2 km in length, 12 metres thick at its widest point and a maximum of 12 metres in height, the wall is one of the best remaining examples of its kind. Even today it surrounds the original settlement and visitors can walk on top of it and appreciate the security that it must once have offered to its inhabitants. The wall is interspersed with turrets and gates, some of which are later alterations, but the greater part of the structure remains Roman in origin.

If you would like further information about Lugo, visit www.galiciaguide.com/Lugo-index where you will find 15 pages about this Galician province.

Lugo is not alone in having a Roman wall, although the completeness of its example makes it especially important. Still staying in Spain's north, another of Galicia's cities, this time la Coruna, also has sections of a once great wall.

La Coruna, unlike Lugo, is a port town and faces the sea making it even more susceptible to past invasions and attack. The history of this city includes battles against the French and British and its neighbour, Ferrol, was the launching point for the Spanish Armada. The wall at la Coruna is not complete in the same way as that of Lugo, but some large sections of it still remain and those facing the harbour are particularly impressive. Also in la Coruna is the coast side castle of Saint Anton and the walls of the former fort of Saint Carlos, both from a post Roman period.

To find out more about the city and province of A Coruna, take a look at www.galiciaguide.com/A-Coruna-index and see our 17 page guide to all that this area has to offer.

Walls are not the only remaining Roman structures that can be found in the Iberian Peninsula. Bridges also exist that, in part at least, date back to this era. Perhaps one of the most famous examples of this is the massive bridge that spans the river Mino, again in the country's north. This bridge can be found on the edge of the city of Ourense and although rebuilt and repaired many times, still possesses some of the original Roman footings and abutments.

Many smaller Roman bridges are scattered throughout Spain's towns and villages and, with the appreciation of heritage being a relatively new concept, many are often taken for granted and their history ignored or undiscovered. Regrettably this can still result in ancient remains being left to decay or even being destroyed. In the historic port town of Noia, a bridge with a Roman ancestry is currently being considered for demolition in order to make way for a wider replacement. Hopefully this bridge, along with others facing similar threats, will escape to become staple parts of Spain's historic heritage.