The Roman circus of Mérida was used for chariot racing. It was modelled on the Circus Maximus in Rome and other circus buildings throughout the Empire. Measuring more than 400 m in length and 30 m of width, it is one of the best preserved examples of Roman circus. It could house up to 30,000 spectators.
There is no consensus about the circus' dating, as it was built and used for several years before its official dedication. It seems to have been built sometime around 20 BC and inaugurated some 30 years later. It was located far outside the city walls, but close to the road that connected the city to Toledo and Córdoba.
After the fall of the Western Roman Empire and the rise of Christianity in Spain, the circus saw more use than the other Roman structures of Mérida, since racing was considered less sinful than spectacles performed in the Theatre and the Amphitheatre.
Mérida's circus remains very well preserved with numerous structures, including the Porta Pompae ('main entrance'), the Porta Triumphalis ('triumph gate'), the spina (the longitudinal wall), the tribunal iudicium ('tribune of the judges'). A museum dedicated to the circus now sits near the middle edge of the circus grounds and it allows admittance into the fenced area around the circus remains.
References:The Château de Foix dominates the town of Foix. An important tourist site, it is known as a centre of the Cathars. Built on an older 7th-century fortification, the castle is known from 987. In 1002, it was mentioned in the will of Roger I, Count of Carcassonne, who bequeathed the fortress to his youngest child, Bernard. In effect, the family ruling over the region were installed here which allowed them to control access to the upper Ariège valley and to keep surveillance from this strategic point over the lower land, protected behind impregnable walls.
In 1034, the castle became capital of the County of Foix and played a decisive role in medieval military history. During the two following centuries, the castle was home to Counts with shining personalities who became the soul of the Occitan resistance during the crusade against the Albigensians.