Stadiums Built Over Ancient Ruins and Historic Landmarks

15. Estádio do Dragão – Porto, Portugal

Estádio do Dragão, home to FC Porto and one of the most iconic stadiums in Portugal, represents cutting-edge design and modern European football culture. But beneath its sleek exterior lies a far older story—one that dates back to the Roman Empire. During the early 2000s, as construction crews began breaking ground for the new stadium, archaeologists made a series of discoveries that shed light on Porto’s ancient past. They uncovered Roman ceramics, amphorae used for transporting wine and olive oil, and coins bearing the faces of emperors long gone. These artifacts confirmed that the area was part of a Roman trade corridor, likely a rest stop or minor hub connecting larger cities across Lusitania, the Roman province that once covered much of modern-day Portugal. The finds suggest this land saw centuries of continuous human activity, trade, and cultural exchange. While today’s fans come to cheer Porto’s blue and white, they do so atop a site that once thrummed with the movement of Roman goods, travelers, and perhaps even soldiers. Built Over: Roman-era trade routes and settlements.