The Roman past of Alcalá de Henares is an indissoluble part of its identity and is something that the city of Alcalá de Henares does not hesitate to boast about, in the same way that it holds the title of birthplace of Cervantes. The traces of that past can be seen when visiting, for example, the Complutum archaeological site, but they will be more visible than ever with the arrival of a large Roman market this month.
The historic center of the city will host this market, where artisans and merchants will offer visitors a selection of products that have been made using ancient techniques. Browsing through the stalls you will see everything from pottery workshops to samples of gastronomy.
Once again this year, the event Complutum Renacida is responsible for the city of Complutense to take this leap back in time, which on this occasion will be held from April 30 to May 4, 2025.
Activities beyond the Roman market
The great Roman market will not be, far from it, the only element of the city’s past that will be recovered during these days. One of the biggest attractions of these days is the Great Circus Maximus, in which historical recreations will be carried out with chariot races or gladiator fights that “display their martial expertise in fights choreographed with historical accuracy,” according to the organization.
Tickets for the Gran Circus Maximus can be purchased from 13 € and the functions, lasting approximately one hour, will be the following days:
- April 30 (19:30h)
- May 1st (13h and 18:30h)
- May 2nd (13h and 18:30h)
- May 3rd (1pm and 6:30pm) and May 4th (1pm and 5pm).
An exhibition on gladiators
To extend the experience without leaving Alcalá de Henares, you can visit the Archaeological and Paleontological Museum of the region (MARPA) in the plaza de las Bernardas. There, 170 pieces are exhibited to learn more about the reality of the gladiators with archaeological rigor, some of them from Pompeii.