Tarragona Roman Colonial Forum | Fòrum colonial de Tarraco

About Tarragona Roman Colonial Forum (MHT)

The Colonial forum was the religious, social and political center of the Roman Tàrraco city. It was an open square enclosure surrounded by adminastrative buildings and a temple dedicated to the capital triad (Jupiter, Juno and Minerva). The forum dates from the Republican era (510-31 BC) and is believed to be from 30BC.

The Colonial Forum in was the adminastrative centre for the city of Tàrraco whereas the Provintial Forum in the part Alta was the adminastrative centre for the whole Roman province covering an area greater than what is today Catalonia. The Provintial Forum can be thought of as a parliament and Colonial Forum can be thought of as townhall.

The Colonial Forum is located at what was the centre of the residential part of Tàrraco, halfway between the provincial administrative space and the port. All the main streets in the residential area lead to the Colonial Forum because all public activity of the city was concentrated there. It became a meeting point for the local elites where all administrative activity took place. The heart of the social and political life of the colony.

It is believed that the Colonial Forum space was surrounded by porticoes. In the Augustan era (27 BC to 14 AD), with the construction of the theater, the square underwent a transformation, opening up to the enclosure wall of the bleachers or cavea.

Finally, in the Tiberian era (14 BC to 37 AD), a new annexed public square (forum adiectum) was built, raised above the first square. This new forum was presided over by a basilica with three naves, one of which opened onto a new porticoed square on three of its sides. The portico on the south side rested on a cryptoportico documented in recent excavations carried out on Carrer de Gasòmetre.

Today the Colonial Forum archaeological site is constrained by Carrer del Cardenal Cervantes, carrer de Lleida and Carrer de Gasòmetre.

Image Gallery for Tarragona Roman Colonial Forum (MHT)

Click on any of the 41 images to open full screen gallery player

❮ ❯

Visiting Tarragona Roman Colonial Forum (MHT)

There is a ticket office cabin at the entrance in Carrer de Lleida. You can buy a single ticket or a combined ticket for all MHT attractions. Discounts are available for over 65's, children and students.

Roman Tarragona Colonial Forum opening hours

Summer: 1st April to 30 September

• Tuesday to Friday: 09:30h to 21:00h
• Saturday: 10:00h to 21:00h
• Sunday and Holiday's: 10:00h to 15:00h
• Closed: Monday's and 5th April
• Open mornings only: 1st May, 24th June, 19th August, 11th September and 23rd September

Winter: 1st October to 31 March

• Tuesday to Friday: 09:00h to 15:00h
• Saturday: 09:30h to 14:30h
• Sunday and Holiday's: 09:30h to 14:30h
• Closed: Monday's, 24th December, 25th December, 26th December, 31st December, 1st January, 6th January, 1st November
• Open mornings only: 12th October, 6th December, 8th December

Free Entry:International museum day in May, 19th August, 18th September, 23rd September, 8,8 and 10th October. The last Tuesday of January, February, march, May, October, November and December.

Access closes 30 minutes before final closing time.

MHT ticket PricesMHT Opening times

Getting to Tarragona Roman Colonial Forum (MHT)

Address: Carrer de Lleida s/n, Tarragona. 43001

Where to stay overnight in the Tarragona Roman Colonial Forum (MHT)