Zaragoza’s Story in 10 Buildings: 2,000 Years of History, Zaragoza, Spain

Zaragoza wears its history – over two thousand years of it – out in the open, if you know where to look. And yet Spain’s fifth biggest city is so often skipped by visitors. This is a shame, but it gives it an authentic atmosphere, with many of its cultural highlights often relatively quiet.

On the main square alone, you can see Roman foundations, a Muslim tower, a Mudéjar cathedral, a Baroque basilica the size of an entire village. Layer after layer, empire after empire – conflict, trauma, wealth and reinvention, all compressed into a compact, walkable old town.

Although Iberians had lived on the land that is now Zaragoza for centuries, the city’s real development began when a Roman colony was founded here around 14BC by Emperor Augustus. It was originally founded as a home for veterans from the Cantabrian Wars – the wars by which the Romans finally conquered all of Hispania.

Over time it became a major Roman outpost, in part because of the River Ebro, which made it an important trading centre. People moved to the city from all over the region in search of wealth. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).