Centcelles

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The archaeological complex of Centcelles is the residue of a significant Villas complex north-northwest of Tarragona , the Roman provincial capital of Tarraco in today's Catalonia . Centcelles is known for its domed structure , a late antique mausoleum with splendid decoration of preserved wall and ceiling mosaics . Due to the importance of the facility obtained in large part it was established in 2000 as part of Archaeological Ensemble of Tarraco to the UNESCO World Heritage declared.

Exterior view of the mausoleum.
Remains of the thermal bath building.
General view of the dome mosaic.
Detail, mural painting below, hunting scene (A) and biblical scene (B) above
People group of the hunting scene.

location

Centcelles is located between the Francolí river and the village of Constantí on the Roman road that led from Tarraco into the interior of the province of Hispania Tarraconensis and connected the provincial capital with Ilerda . The distance to today's city center is about five kilometers.

History of the plant

Five construction phases are verifiable. It has been examined and restored by the Madrid Department of the German Archaeological Institute since 1956 . The least known is the republican phase of the building (2nd – 1st century BC). In the 1st or 2nd century AD, a large farm was built that included a living area and a floor space for dolia .

After the addition of another agricultural building in the 3rd century, the facility was completely restructured in the 4th century. It was now given an east-west orientation, which partially superimposed the old structures. This included a thermal area and two domed halls. Apparently the project was modified before it was even completed. One of the two domed halls (diameter 10.70 m; height 13.60 m) was converted into a mausoleum by installing a crypt . The thermal area remained unfinished and was later functionally replaced by a smaller extension. This octagonal domed hall to the east has been preserved. The outside of the dome is protected by a modern roof.

The mausoleum is one of the most important monuments of its time in Spain due to its large dome mosaic and the early Christian wall paintings. It is interpreted as a political monument that was designed based on the tomb of Constans , son of Emperor Constantine the Great , who was perhaps even murdered nearby in 350.

By chance, when the mosaics and wall paintings were uncovered in 1877, the building was recognized as Roman. It has been a listed building since 1931 and is now looked after by the Museu Nacional Arqueològic de Tarragona .

Decoration of the dome

Murals

Only small remains of the wall paintings have survived, including a hunting scene, a portrait of a woman and a fragment with houses, possibly an urban landscape.

mosaic

The mosaic is divided into four concentric strips, which are separated by geometric motifs. In the outermost zone (A) a hunting scene by a large landowner from the early imperial period is shown. Zone B shows sixteen different scenes from the Old and New Testament, including the good shepherd as the central scene . Zone C shows eight different scenes with people, including four very detailed scenes with throne scenes. Some of the enthroned figures wear gold and purple jewelry, which was reserved for the emperor. The zenith of the dome (D) is highlighted by spirals and an ornamental border against a gold background. Some heads and fragments of a green tunic have survived .

literature

  • Helmut Schlunk: The mosaic dome of Centcelles. 2 vol., Von Zabern, Mainz 1988, ISBN 3-8053-0921-X ( Madrid contributions 13).
  • Achim Arbeiter : The mosaic decoration of the tomb of Centcelles and the change of power from Constans to Magnentius. In: Madrider Mitteilungen 30, 1989, pp. 289-340.
  • Theodor Hauschild in: Walter Trillmich , Annette Nünnerich-Asmus (ed.): Hispania Antiqua - Monuments of the Roman Age. Zabern, Mainz 1993, ISBN 3-8053-1547-3 , pp. 423-425.
  • Xavier Aquilué, Xavier Dupré, Jaume Massó, Joaquín Ruiz de Arbulo: Tarraco. An archaeological guide . Médol Tarragona, 1992, ISBN 84-86542-54-5 , pp. 107-115.
  • Javier Arce (Ed.): Centcelles: el monumento tardoromano. iconografía y arquitectura. "L'Erma" di Bretschneider, Rome 2002, ISBN 88-8265-169-X ( Biblioteca italica 25 ).

Web links

Commons : Centcelles  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Coordinates: 41 ° 9 ′ 20.8 "  N , 1 ° 13 ′ 34.1"  E