This map, surveyed and lithographed by José López Alegría, was funded by Rafael Pulido and published in the city of Mérida in 1878. The original is held in the map library of the National Geographic Institute of Spain.
The map shows the urban layout of Mérida in the second half of the 19th century, with north at the top and the entire city situated between the Guadiana River to the west and the Albarregas River to the north, both shown in a greenish colour. The author creates a striking contrast between the modern city, shown in red, and all the Roman ruins, depicted in shades of grey.
The most striking feature of this work is the 14 panoramic illustrations depicting the main Roman ruins of ancient Augusta Emerita and some of the most notable modern buildings. Starting from the top left-hand corner and proceeding clockwise:
- The Roman amphitheatre.
- A panoramic view taken from the Roman bridge over the Guadiana.
- The Roman theatre.
- The Roman Aqueduct of Los Milagros and the Roman bridge over the River Albarregas.
- The Roman aqueduct at San Lázaro.
- The Obelisk of Santa Eulalia.
- Church and House of Fools.
- View of the little oven and the Basilica of Santa Eulalia.
- Roman bridge over the River Guadiana.
- Plaza de la Constitución.
- Arabic cistern in the Alcazaba.
- Palacio de los Corbos.
- Columns from the ancient Temple of Diana.
- Trajan’s Arch.
The top right-hand corner contains a section on the city’s history, whilst the bottom right-hand corner contains statistical data on services, wealth and production.
The top right-hand corner contains a historical overview of the city; the bottom right-hand corner, statistical data on services, wealth and production. The subtitle accompanying the map, «featuring all the notable monuments of antiquity», is not merely a decorative flourish. It is the main reason behind the creation of this map.
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