Spain and Portugal for Visitors

Cartagena was founded by the Carthaginians as Cartago Nova, New Carthage, in the third century B.C. and when taken by the Romans only twenty years later was one of the richest cities in the world. This is an exemplary municipal website, though note that there is considerably more content in Spanish than in English.

The new ARQVA - Museo Nacional de Arqueología Subacuática - is expected to open in June, 2008, in a futuristic building overlooking the port of Cartagena. The link goes to its official website, which is not very informative at the time of writing but has a cute video.

Founded by the Carthaginians and captured by the Romans less than twenty years later, in 209 BC, Cartago Nova was one of the richest cities in the world. It is not surprising then that its theatre was magnificent, but it is hard to believe that it disappeared so completely that it was only rediscovered in 1988, for the Roman Theatre of Cartagena occupies an area equivalent to several city blocks, just behind the harbour.