Provincial Forum of Tarraco

The Provincial Forum of Tarraco is a Roman archaeological complex in Tarragona, Catalonia, covering 18 hectares. Built from 73 AD by order of Emperor Vespasian, it served as the administrative and religious center of Hispania Tarraconensis until the 5th century. Its plaza, measuring 175m by 318m, was the largest public square ever constructed in the Roman Empire. Three sides featured a raised podium with a porticoed space resting on pilaster walls, behind which ran long vaults, several sections of which survive. The site forms part of the Archaeological Ensemble of Tarraco, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000 for its exceptional importance in Roman urban planning.