The Roman Forum is an archaeological area in Mérida, Spain. It was the main public area of the Roman city of Emerita Augusta, founded in 25 BC by Emperor Augustus. The city had another forum, the Provincial Forum, built in 50 AD. Together with the other archaeological sites of the city, it was inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1993.
The most impressive sight in forum is Temple of Diana: Despite its name, wrongly assigned in its discovery, the building was dedicated to the imperial cult. Erected during Augustus' reign with local granite, later it was partly re-used for the palace of the Count of Corbos.
There is also a Temple of Mars, dedicated to the imperial cult, and portico which was built in the 1st century. It consists of a porticoed building with a wall housing several niches intended for statues found at this site. The portico was restored in the 20th century, and the discovered remains are on display at the National Museum of Roman Art.
References:The church of the former Franciscan monastery was built probably between 1515 and 1520. It is located in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Old Rauma. The church stands by the small stream of Raumanjoki (Rauma river).
The exact age of the Church of the Holy Cross is unknown, but it was built to serve as the monastery church of the Rauma Franciscan Friary. The monastery had been established in the early 15th century and a wooden church was built on this location around the year 1420.
The Church of the Holy Cross served the monastery until 1538, when it was abandoned for a hundred years as the Franciscan friary was disbanded in the Swedish Reformation. The church was re-established as a Lutheran church in 1640, when the nearby Church of the Holy Trinity was destroyed by fire.
The choir of the two-aisle grey granite church features medieval murals and frescoes. The white steeple of the church was built in 1816 and has served as a landmark for seafarers.