 |
| The Roman Amphitheatre, Italica |
The Roman ruins and remarkable mosaics of Italica
are located less than 9 kilometres to the north of the city, just
outside the village of Santiponce. There is also a well preserved
Roman theatre in Santiponce which is signposted from the main road.
Italica was the birthplace of three emperors and
one of the earliest Roman settlements in Spain founded in 206 BC.
It rose to considerable military importance in the 2nd and 3rd centuries
AD. Throughout the Middle Ages, the ruins were used as a source
of stone for Seville, but fortunately the amphitheatre has survived,
although these days it is crumbling perilously. Beyond this are
about twenty mosaics, including an excellent coloured floor with
birds, Neptune and the Seasons.
The 27km-long Vía
Verde of Itálica is a footpath along a former railway
line used for transporting pyrite from the Aznalcóllar mines
northwest of Seville to the city's port on the Guadalquivir river.
From Itálica, you can join the vía verde 4km south
at Santiponce, via the N630. From Santiponce, you can either head
south to Seville or northwest to Gerena along the vía verde.
Back to top
|
