Merida`s Ampitheatre opened in the 1st Century BC and it has been estimated that it could hold up to 14,000 spectators. Gladitorial contests were held here and a wall protected the spectators from the wild beasts. There were also chariot races and imitation sea battles for which the ampitheatre was flooded. Most of the tiers have gone, but some steps remain. Gardens now surround the ampitheatre and the nearby Roman theatre.
