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Roman Walls of Lugo - Spain
This circuit of ancient walls is still intact, and the finest example of late Roman fortifications in western Europe.
We may not be able to travel during the Covid-19 pandemic, but we can still experience aspects of ancient Rome.
Inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2000, the Roman Walls of Lugo, a city in north-western Spain, are an exceptional architectural and archaeological legacy of Roman engineering. Dating from the 3rd and 4th centuries AD, the walls were constructed to defend the Roman town of Lucus.
Built of slate and granite, the walls extend over 2,000 metres and vary in height between 8 and 10 m, and are 4.2 to 7 metres wide. The walls still contain 85 external towers, 10 gates (five of which are original and five created in modern times), four staircases and two ramps providing access to the walkway along the top of the walls. Each tower contained access stairs leading to the walk along the top of the wall.
The defenses of Lugo are the most complete and best preserved example of Roman military architecture in the Western Roman Empire. Despite renovation work carried out, the walls still have their original layout and defensive features including battlements, towers, fortifications, gates and stairways, and a moat.
Local inhabitants and visitors have used them as an area for enjoyment and as a part of urban life for centuries.
Experience the Roman Walls of Lugo through an online exhibit with the technical support of Google Arts & Culture.
Site manager Ignacio López de Rego Lage reports from Lugo to explain how the city is coping with the Covid-19 pandemic.
See a video about the Roman Walls of Lugo (UNESCO/NHK Videos on Heritage)
UNESCO World Heritage Site Virtual Tours See all
We may not be able to travel during the Covid-19 pandemic, but we can still experience aspects of ancient Rome.
Inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2000, the Roman Walls of Lugo, a city in north-western Spain, are an exceptional architectural and archaeological legacy of Roman engineering. Dating from the 3rd and 4th centuries AD, the walls were constructed to defend the Roman town of Lucus.
Built of slate and granite, the walls extend over 2,000 metres and vary in height between 8 and 10 m, and are 4.2 to 7 metres wide. The walls still contain 85 external towers, 10 gates (five of which are original and five created in modern times), four staircases and two ramps providing access to the walkway along the top of the walls. Each tower contained access stairs leading to the walk along the top of the wall.
The defenses of Lugo are the most complete and best preserved example of Roman military architecture in the Western Roman Empire. Despite renovation work carried out, the walls still have their original layout and defensive features including battlements, towers, fortifications, gates and stairways, and a moat.
Local inhabitants and visitors have used them as an area for enjoyment and as a part of urban life for centuries.
Experience the Roman Walls of Lugo through an online exhibit with the technical support of Google Arts & Culture.
Site manager Ignacio López de Rego Lage reports from Lugo to explain how the city is coping with the Covid-19 pandemic.
See a video about the Roman Walls of Lugo (UNESCO/NHK Videos on Heritage)
UNESCO World Heritage Site Virtual Tours See all
13 May 2020
Last update:20 April 2023
