Villa Lusitano Romana de Torre de Palma

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Villa Romana
Baptistery

The Villa Lusitano-Romana de Torre de Palma is a Roman villa near Monforte in Portugal , in Roman times part of the province of Lusitania . It is considered to be one of the largest plants on the Iberian Peninsula and an excellent example of development in late antiquity . The prosperity of these latifundia is often evidenced in the region by sanctuaries in the courtyard area ( e.g. in Milreu ). In addition to the extensive living areas, a basilica and a seven-room baptistery have been uncovered in Torre de Palma .

location

The villa of Torre de Palma is located approx. 5 km northwest of Monforte on the main road to Vaiamonte . A signposted, unpaved path leads from the Herdade da Palma estate to the fenced area.

Excavations

The remains of the villa were discovered in 1947 and excavations were carried out until 1956 under the direction of the Portuguese archaeologist Manuel Heleno. Among other things, several well-preserved geometric mosaics were found in the portico and the so-called star mosaic as well as numerous wall paintings.

In the Archaeological Museum of Monforte, originals and reproductions of the mosaics are on display. The best preserved mosaics are in the Museu Nacional de Arqueologia in Lisbon .

investment

The chronology of the different time periods of the villa ranges from the 1st to the 5th century, with increased building activity from the 3rd century and a heyday of the complex in the 4th century. In addition to a large residential complex, a thermal spa complex was discovered to the east , and a building to the north of the main building may also have been used for residential purposes. An indication of early Christianity is the construction of a basilica and a baptistery in the northern part of the complex, where there were also two associated grave fields.

Villa rustica

The main building of the plant alone took up an area of ​​10,000 m². It was laid out around a square courtyard. In the center there was a water basin with an adjoining porch supported on columns and mosaic floors. The tablinum and the exedra are adjacent to the inner courtyard and used to be a kind of music and social space. The famous mosaics depicting muses and horses were found here. The dining room, the triclinium , is decorated with frescoes on the walls and a mosaic with floral motifs on the floor.

basilica

Right next to the entrance are the ruins of the early Christian 26 m long basilica with a cross-shaped baptistery. Strong remains of the foundation under the basilica suggest that another building was there before. The discovery of nine coins at the east end of the nave suggests a date for the basilica after the middle of the 4th century, as the minting dates are between 335 and 357. The basilica was renovated in the 6th century, in the Visigothic period . It received an apse at both ends , a type of building that is documented five times in Hispania between the 6th and 7th centuries. In the 7th century extensions were added.

Baptistery

In the 7th century a seven-room baptistery was added to the basilica. The associated piscina is one of the most impressive on the Iberian Peninsula and still has parts of its marble cladding . In its complicated training and the deepening in the ground it is structurally identical to that of Idanha-a-Velha . It also has a differentiation for adult and child baptisms. Due to a little church built after the Reconquista , the building structure in the western part of the villa became confusing. The baptismal room now has a modern shelter.

literature

in alphabetical order by authors / editors

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Untermann: Architecture in the Early Middle Ages , p. 29f.
  2. ↑ Untermann: Architecture in the Early Middle Ages , p. 29f.

Coordinates: 39 ° 4 ′  N , 7 ° 29 ′  W