Despite surviving two millennia, being scavenged by Moorish settlers and lying underground for 500 years, this preserved Roman ruin still hosts performances.
Visit Málaga in the summer to catch an open-air performance in this Roman amphitheatre. Known as El Teatro Romano by Málaga residents, the magnificent ruin had laid hidden underground for around 500 years until construction workers uncovered it in 1951. Dating back to the first century B.C., the Málaga Amphitheatre is Málaga’s oldest structure and one of the only Roman ruins that has survived in Andalusia to this day.
After serving as an auditorium during the reign of Emperor Augustus, the Málaga Amphitheatre eventually went into disuse. Over the centuries, the amphitheatre was gradually buried as a result of quarrying in the area, and it was eventually forgotten until its rediscovery in the 20th century.
Tour the nearby Alcazaba, a fortress on a hilltop overlooking the city, to see a remarkable repurposing of some of the Málaga Amphitheatre’s materials. Back in the eighth century, when the amphitheatre was still above ground, Moorish settlers took several of its marble columns to incorporate them into the foundation of the Alcazaba.
Today, the refurbished amphitheatre seats 220 people on its semicircular steps, or Cavea. Many visitors come simply to tour its preserved architecture. Step onto the stage, called the Proscaenium, and imagine that you are an ancient Roman orator. Find the area at the front of the Cavea where musicians were supposed to sit.
Learn the story behind the amphitheatre’s rediscovery and see some archaeological finds at the Interpretation Centre next door. The long and involved excavation and restoration process is also on display.
Located west of the Alcazaba in the Old Town, the Málaga Amphitheatre can be reached on foot from Calle Alcazabilla. If arriving at the Paseo del Parque bus station, walk 5 minutes along the Plaza Aduana to reach the amphitheatre. It is open daily and free to visit, but you must pay an entrance fee to see a performance.
