Culture still has to decide what to do with the medieval remains, but everything indicates that they will not be preserved
The demolition of a three-story building next to Calle de Correos, to erect a new residential building, reveals another sign of Murcia’s past. The archaeological excavation carried out on this plot – between Montijo and San Lorenzo streets – has brought to light the plan of a house from the Andalusian period. The medieval remains (walls, floors, entrances and porches) show advanced deterioration due to the historical evolution of the site, which adds another difficulty when interpreting it. The study and documentation work, carried out by the archaeologist Mario Ruiz and supervised by the City Council, is already in the final phase, in the absence of writing the corresponding report to send it to the regional Historical Heritage service. It will be the technicians of this department, belonging to the Ministry of Culture, who will say the last word about the site, but according to “the entity of the discovery” it seems that “it is not likely to be preserved”, according to the first estimates. At the moment, all activity has ceased on the plot.
The excavation has reached the lower level of the future foundation, as established by the work methodology in these cases. It is planned to build a residential building on the site, but without a garage, due to the size of the plot, so the investigation work has not delved deeper into the land. What is in the lower levels will remain as an “archaeological deposit” and the foundations will be built on top of it.
another loss
Before the rooms from the Andalusian era emerged, archaeologists found the sewers – brick construction with which the pipes are covered to protect them – of the 19th century house that occupied the site. Precisely, the Platform in defense of cultural heritage regrets the disappearance of that property, because it was “one of the few traditional houses that remained in the old town, with an interesting railing on the balconies.”
This group requested its inclusion in the municipal inventory to ensure its conservation, although without success. The platform has spent years claiming that the catalog of the urban plan be expanded with 87 buildings, but for now the request has not been answered by the City Council. Eight of these properties have already fallen due to the action of the pickaxe.
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