The protection and enhancement worksr of deposit Torreparedoneswhich are subsidized at 1.5% cultural, continue and now focus on the curia, the government building from Roman times. Although it is one of the best preserved constructions of the site, actions were necessary for its consolidation and protection. The project includes actions on walls and sidewalks, reconstitution partially the walls of the classroom or meeting following the plant of square opus existing with large bone-set calcarenite ashlars (from the Hellín quarries), although the south wall which was missing due to ancient looting will be completely restored to a height of two meters to allow at the same time to contain the slope of land that separates it from the annexed temple.
The municipal archaeologist and director of the archaeological park, José Antonio Morena, points out that in general, in all cases where the walls are raised in the original remains, a sheet of lead three millimeters thick will be interposed to allow a clear differentiation between the pre-existing elements with those of new invoice.
On the other hand, in the atrium which precedes the meeting room The three-column wells will be raised to a height of 2.40 meters. In this sector, the existing drain that used to evacuate rainwater to the peripheral sewer of the Place du Forum will be recovered and put into service. Both on the facings of the original walls and on those rebuilt, a biocide protection layer will be applied against the implantation and subsequent growth of micro-organisms, as well as a consolidation and surface fixing treatment using of resins.
In the case of sidewalks It is planned to act on the marble of the meeting room, applying a new surface treatment for its consolidation and fixing with vinyl resins, while in areas where some marble slabs had been lost, new pieces of marble with similar characteristics and exploded views will be placed with the existing ones. In the atrium there will be a sidewalk of the type opus signinum on an anti-pollution geotextile sheet, respecting the areas of sign which have been preserved. All this work is carried out under strict archaeological control by qualified technicians.
As José Antonio Morena recalls, the Curia was one of the most important buildings in any Roman city, because the local senate met there. That of Torreparedones is one of the best preserved in the Iberian Peninsula and consists of access by stairs from the forum square, a small patio or atrium with its catchment areaa room to the north which was to serve as erariumwhere the arca ferrata was used to store public money, while on the opposite wall, to the south, a large wooden cabinet (not preserved) served as an archive.
To the west of the patio is the large assembly hall where the decurions and the two senior magistrates transacted matters of public interest in the assemblies; This large room ended with an apse which was to house a statue. To the north of the room, a corridor leads to a small room behind the apse which originally served as aerorium, but this was written off some time later due to structural issues in the building. And it was there that several fragments of a gladiator’s helmet and coins of Emperor Nero minted in the years 66-67 AD were recovered.
Extensive intervention project
These restoration works of the curia as well as those which are currently planned in the temple, with a grant from the Provincial Council, will notably improve the visualization and understanding of this western sector of the monumental center of the Roman city, without a doubt, one of the most attractive sectors of the Archaeological Park of Torreparedones. The works are carried out by the joint venture formed by the companies Salmer SL and González Soto SA, with the project management corresponding to the architect Eduardo Martínez Moya, a work that is part of a larger project that includes the castle medieval and oriental baths , as well as the forum square, the aedicule of Concordia and part of the temple Last May, the Delegation of Culture and Historical Heritage of the Junta de Andalucía authorized the project of archaeological activity and consolidation of the furnace room of the Roman baths.
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