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Date Published: 07/03/2024

Roman and Civil War ruins discovered at 2 different Alicante building sites

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One of the remarkable archaeological sites will be transformed into a tourist attraction by Alicante City Council

Roman and Civil War ruins discovered at 2 different Alicante building sites

It’s been an exciting couple of weeks for Alicante archaeologists and historians with the completely unexpected discovery of not one, but two, ancient ruins.

The first, a hidden tunnel dating back to the Spanish Civil War, was unearthed while builders were digging the foundations for a new housing complex.

The second remarkable find was in the Benalúa Sur neighbourhood, a district which has absorbed much of Alicante city’s urban sprawl in recent years. It was here, during the survey of a site for another residential development, that a cluster of Roman ruins was found.

Between Avenida Elche and Calle Arturo Tresáncoras, archaeological excavations during the construction of 46 homes have uncovered the remains of a series of Roman structures that date back to the 6th and 7th centuries, a period marking the transition from the Ancient Ages to the Middle Ages.

Experts believe that the buildings could have been erected during this timeframe, making them nearly 1,500 years old.

Archaeologists are currently working at the site to gather more information about the discovery and determine the purpose of the buildings. They aim to identify the specific type of structure, the period of its construction, and the intended use by its original owners. The team is carefully examining the artefacts and analysing historical records to piece together the story behind these ancient buildings.

In another surprising turn of events, the construction of another urbanisation very close by has revealed a previously unknown anti-aircraft shelter from the Civil War. This latest finding marks the seventh defensive infrastructure to be integrated into the municipal network and will be open to the public in the coming weeks.

The shelter, located on Avenida Elche, was discovered during archaeological explorations conducted by AEDAS Homes, the developer responsible for building a complex of 35 homes on the site.

Following the discovery, the construction company collaborated with the local government to restore the space and facilitate its eventual transfer to the City Council. The remarkably preserved Civil War tunnel has now been designated as an Asset of Local Relevance and will be included in Alicante city's Protection Catalogue alongside other similar shelters.

Pablo Rosser, an expert in the field, described the shelter as a typical gallery shelter with a vaulted tunnel featuring a brick roof. According to Rosser, the facility was an essential component of the infrastructure supporting industries in the surrounding area during war times, which housed employees from various sectors such as refineries, power plants and canning factories.

In other news: Alicante ITV strikes flood Murcia test centres with appointments

Image: Ayuntamiento de Alicante

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