Mérida

Town in the province of Badajoz, western Spain, the capital of Extremadura autonomous community; population (1991) 48,000. Situated on the River Guadiana, it was founded by the Romans in 25 BC, and soon became one of the finest cities in the empire, and capital of Lusitania. It is a market centre for the surrounding agricultural area and has food-processing industries.

During the reign of the Roman emperor Trajan (AD 98-117), a granite bridge of 81 arches (785 m/2,575 ft long) was built over the Guadiana; other Roman remains include part of the city wall, a triumphal arch, an aqueduct, and a theatre. There are also Moorish remains, including an alcázar and a 13th-century church.