The story of a botanical concert hall, a Roman obelisk & photographic negatives

What a strange and fantastical place! Unassuming yet grand. A polar opposite of its extremely mundane surroundings. Looking at the Roman fortifications of Tarragona, I asked myself many times: where did they get the construction materials from to build this gigantic monument? And the answer is: from local quarries, up to 24 of them, the most important and spectacular of which was the quarry of El Mèdol, six kilometres east of the city, near La Mora-Tamarit.

There you´ll find a man-made crater, a treasure trove of limestone, more than 200 metres long, 50 metres wide and 15 to 20 metres deep. It is thought that more than 50,000 cubic metres of stone were extracted from this site in Roman times in order to build Tarraco´s walls and probably also many of its major public buildings as well as some of the city´s private residences. It also provided the raw material handled by artisans and artists to decorate those buildings and to create epigraphic monuments (like pedestals and altars) and a range of artefacts. This quarry - the birthmother of Tarraco - was possibly still in use in the Middle Ages when a new generation of quarrymen, builders and engineers set out to construct the cathedral of Tarragona. The tools that were used to cut and extract stone from the rocks were wooden wedges (which were driven into holes cut into the rock and were moistened so that the expanding wood would crack the rock) and iron implements such as saws, chisels and hammers. The standard measure of a block of stone was 1,65 - 0,83 - 0,75m. The stones were then transported by sea or on carts along the nearby Via Augusta to Tarraco where they received the finishing touches.

At the heart this quarry stands a spectacular stone spire, known as the "aguja de El Mèdol" ("the needle of El Mèdol"), which was left unexcavated as the surrounding stones were being extracted. In short, the point of departure for this quarry. The height of this bimillenial Roman obelisk gives you an idea of the depth dug down from the original ground level. What the Romans of Tarraco excavated here was a type of limestone of a golden-sandy colour - just check out the colour scheme of Tarragona´s Roman walls. Marks left in the rocks by Roman quarrymen are still visible and are testament to the immense work that was carried out on this site. The almost vertical rock walls with their indentures and incensions are like negative-space casts of the blocks of stone that were carried off to build Tarraco, something that reminds me of the hypermodern art of Rachel Whiteread. An old quarry transformed by time and nature into austere, silent, fantastical and nameless monumental art. Earthy and ethereal at the same time. The erosion eating away at the rock walls adds to the artistic quality of this place.

Not only is this an enclave of 2200-year-old history-cum-archeology and a monumental man-made crater with an artistic feel, its micro-climate has also created a botanical garden of sorts with pine trees and cypresses as the protagonists. Cypresses were planted here in the early 20th century by garden enthusiasts. And, last but not least, I haven´t mentioned El Mèdol´s superb acoustic qualities. In the 1930s, it was used as an open-air concert hall. Just imagine! At the time it was known as Catalonia´s "auditorium natural". The concert held on the 29th of June 1932 was the climax of its musical history: 500 people attended, among whom Francesc Macià, then president of the Catalan government.

The quarry of El Mèdol is located next to a service station along the A7 motorway and is owned by the motorway licensee, Abertis. How come this World Heritage site isn´t public property, I wonder? Still, I have to admit that they´re not doing a bad job maintaining the site. So, is it worth visiting this place? Let me just say that this Roman stone workshop is not just one of Tarragona not-to-miss places - visiting the quarry of El Mèdol is essential stuff and for Tarraco aficionados a close-to-sacred experience.

Tarragona´s Heritage Watchdog speaks out

Under the title ´The defence of our heritage is no obstacle to development´, a local weekly newspaper of Tarragona (noticiestgn) published an interview on 11 November with the chairman of the Royal Archeological Society of Tarragona, a venerable institution which for decades now has defended the city´s Roman legacy and has often found itself in the position of having to police and keep a watchful eye out for archeological predators of different kinds. I am translating the interview with its chairman, Rafael Gabriel, here in full.

"Q. One of the aims of your organization is the preservation of the city´s heritage. What does that entail?

A. Keeping an eye on our heritage, promoting research and disseminating research. Our organization was established in 1844 at a critical moment for our heritage. This was the age of the ecclesiastical confiscations of Mendizabal, the construction of the port and the uninterrupted plunder of the port´s quarry. People from across Europe came here to carry off part of our heritage. It was then that a group of local citizens decided to establish an organization whose aim was to defend our history and to set up an archeological museum.

Q. Our forefathers were clearly concerned about the city´s heritage. Do we nowadays still have that same spirit of fighting for our culture?

A. I think so. A sign is the membership of our organization: there are more than 550 members, many of whom young people. Some have joined us out of love for the city, others because they concerned about heritage issues. The big problem is that people lose hope, think that nothing can be done. And it doesn´t have to be that way: we can always fight to try to improve things.

Q. Your organization is often critical of the role of public institutions. Just by looking at your website (www.arqueologica.org), one can find a whole catalogue of complaints...and not just one or two.

A. Correct. Someone has to play this role and that´s why we are here. Irrespective of our politicians´ political orientation, our organization will denounce whatever we think causes harm to our heritage. Of course, being critical in the good sense of the word: nobody has a monopoly on the truth. So, what we provide is constructive criticism.

A CITY WITHOUT AN ARCHEOLOGICAL PROTECTION PLAN

Q. Does the fact that there is a long list of criticisms mean that things are not being done well?

A. Absolutely. Since 1993, when the Catalan government introduced the Heritage Law (Llei de Patrimoni), cities which are recognized as heritage sites are under an obligation to develop an archeological protection plan, something which the city council has never been willing to do. Such a plan is absolutely essential in order to lay down the basic guidelines and for everyone to know what rules to follow. An entirely unlogical situation is that builders are responsible for the cost of the archeological excavations on building sites. It is the builder himself who pays the archeologists.

An archeological protection plan would lay down the overall guidelines and uniformize the criteria. The administrative work would be optimalized and would even be more cost-effective, something very important at a time when resources are squeezed and are having to be allocated to other essential services like health, education... The city council tries to sell us other products such as a Development Plan for the Parte Alta...but don´t be fooled: they are no archeological protection plan.

Q. Why do you think heritage issues are always so controversial?

A. There is a dichotomy between the future and the preservation of the past and there is no reason why that should be so. They are not incompatible. We don´t seem to be able to appreciate the true greatness of the historical legacy of our city.

Q. Has there been any councillor with responsibility in this field who had this spirit of preservation and promotion of the city´s historical legacy?

A. No, never. All of them have clung to that false dichotomy, believing that heritage is an obstacle to development. One of them had even been a member of the Archeological Society. The aim should be to convert the historical remnants that we have into a monumental complex.

SEVEN ARCADES OF THE FACADE OF THE ROMAN CIRCUS DISMANTLED TO MAKE WAY FOR A CINEMA

Q. What kind of outrageous things have happened to the city´s heritage?

A. I´ll give you a few examples. I could talk about a well-known cinema which up to some years ago existed on the Rambla Vella. To build the cinema, seven arcades of the facade of the circus were dismantled. The Royal Archeological Society denounced this but we were told that there was no way to go against the decision because the cinema was very important to the growth of the city. Priority was given to a cinema - which has only lasted 20 years (and has since been turned into an English pub)- over a 2000-year old legacy.

Another case is Eroski (the location of an Early Christian basilica): the site could have been left intact if the mall had been constructed just five metres further. Instead the finds were removed and replanted somewhere else. What was most important, the connection with the Early Christian Necropolis, was lost.

And let´s not forget the famous monumental fountain found in Carrer Eivissa, a unique piece in the Iberian peninsula. It wasn´t destroyed but now it lies underneath a house. What are we playing at?

Q. At the present time, which renovation works are you most concerned about?

A. The aqueduct (Pont del Diable); the restoration of the Roman walls and its patrol path. We also want the underground tunnel of the circus - which attracts most of our visitors - back in condition: it has been closed recently due to a problem with the sewers and now it´s closed again due to leakages.

WE WANT THE TABACALERA TO BECOME A LITTLE LOUVRE

Q. We have talked about current renovation works. Now, are there any other deficiencies heritagewise?

A. Tarragona ought to have a City History Museum. The current archeological museum should move to the Tabacalera building. Take into consideration that 30% of the Tabacalera complex is built on top of the Necropolis. We are in favour of the idea of building a small Louvre on that site rather than just using the Tabacalera for exhibitions. All of the archeological finds which are now kept in different storage rooms - because of lack of exhibition space - should be on display there. One could even reconstruct the Roman theatre at the Tabacalera. The Praetorian Tower can then be used to house the City History Museum, with displays of the different epochs of our city. We have done something great with our folkloric history: every child knows about our festivals and folk traditions, but if you ask them about the War of Independence against Napoleon, the significance of the wine industry or the medieval period, there is little they know. We have to explain to them the period of the Enlightenment, the construction of the port and what it meant for the city. We cannot loose our identity."

The virtual reality of Tarraco

A three-part, Spanish-language documentary (21 minutes) on Roman Tarraco which offers a virtual trip through the city and its major monuments (the aqueduct, the fortifications, the theatre, the circus, the amphitheatre, the provincial and colonial forums, the Via Augusta, the triumphal arch of Barà, the tower of the Scipios). An illuminating introduction for anyone keen on making sense of the Roman remains of Tarragona. As always with virtual recreations, there is a great dosis of hypothesis and speculation based on the findings of other Roman cities, with Pompey of course being the greatest fountain of our knowledge of the urbs romana. Technology as a true eductional tool, not as a gimmick. This is the first part; for the second and third parts just click on at the end of the first piece.

To the roots of Tarraco

These are the ´murallas´ or in plain English the ´city walls´. What´s been preserved of Tarraco´s Roman fortifications - and in an excellent state - are the kilometre-long walls surrounding the oldest part of the city. This is definitely the most fabulous monument of the city, especially at nighttime. The best preserved section of the walls is part of what is called the Archeological Promenade: an arcadia of tranquillity, greenery and ancient history. Really ancient history because here one finds not just the city´s but one of Spain´s oldest Roman monument: the oldest stretch of the fortifications dates back to the years 217-197BC, the very origins of Tarraco. The place is a lesson in military history: the first tower, the ´Archbishop´s Tower´, has Roman foundations, was rebuilt in the 14th century - by then part of the compound of the archbishop of Tarragona and his staff - and lies alongside low ramparts fitted with cannons that were constructed in the 1700s. Marks by Roman quarrymen sculpted into blocks of masonry can be seen all along the walls. Apart from the three towers along the itinerary, with the Minerva Tower best maintaining its original Roman appearance, there are also a number of ´cyclopean gates´ where huge, rough boulders were used to create an entry into the city.

This walk along columns, cypress trees, blazing bougainvilleas and fountains will hopefully in the near future come with two extras: (1) in the past you used to be able to climb up the patrol path atop the wall between the entry to the Archeological Promenade and a 16th-century bastion - once the current restoration works are over, this will be all the more spectacular; and (2) work is now also underway (and expected to be completed by the end of 2009) on the one authentic, entirely preserved larger gate in the wall at the end of the Promenade (known as the ´Porta dels Socors´ and hardly known even among locals), which would not only provide a second access to the wall´s upper corridor but also open up two rooms located between the inner and outer wall which in Roman times were probably used by the guards of the gate.