Basílica de Torre de Palma

The early Christian basilica, built on a Roman temple and subject to several restructurings between the end of the 4th century and the 7th century, documents the effort and consolidation of Christianity in this region. Its importance lasted until the Middle Ages, with the reuse of parts of the walls of the old basilica to build the chapel of Santo Domingo.

Torre de Palma is an organized space designed for rural life. Well structured for agricultural exploration, it was also a meeting and relaxation place for the owner. Around a large patio, which was accessed through a main door, the buildings linked to the agricultural operation were organized, such as the large granary, the oil mill, the agricultural implement warehouses and the stables. It was followed by a porticoed patio, smaller and more reserved, flanked by the service quarters and a residence that it could have belonged to the villicus (supervisor). The north side was occupied by an exquisite residence inhabited by the owners. The town itself arose during the 1st century AD, giving way, in the 2nd century, to the classic peristyle villa, occupied until the 5th century.

Excavated in 1947, the study of the Roman villa of Torre de Palma was especially privileged for its profusely decorated mosaics. Among them, we cannot fail to mention the mosaics of the victorious horses and the Muses, created by an itinerant African workshop. All the mosaics in the villa are attributed to the end of the 3rd century or the beginning of the 4th century AD.

The basilica consists of a building divided into two parts, each with two opposing apses, one with three naves and the other with a single nave that covers the entire width, in which There is also a rectangular baptistery with attached compartments attached to the north side. Obviously designed and built as a homogeneous whole.

Virgilio Lopes for URBS REGIA

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LANCHA, J. e ANDRE, P (2000). Corpus dos mosaicos romanos de Portugal. II Conventvs Pacensis. 1 A villa de Torre de Palma. 2 volumes.
JORGE, Ana Maria C. M. (2002). L’épiscopat de Lusitanie pendant l’Antiquité tardive (IIIe VIIe siècles). Lisboa : Instituto Português de Arqueologia (Trabalhos de Arqueologia ; 21), p. 198.
MALONEY, Stephanie J. (1995) – The early christian basilican complex of Torre de Palma (Monforte, Alto Alentejo, Portugal). In 4ª Reunião de Arqueologia Cristã Hispânica. Barcelona: Institut d’Estudis Catalans, (Monografies de la Secció HistòricoArqueològica), p. 449458.
WOLFRAM, Mélanie (2011). Uma síntese sobre a cristianização do mundo rural no sul da Lusitânia: Arqueologia Arquitectura Epigrafia.

Ruínas de Torre de Palma (Monforte)

Torre de Palma

Villa Lusitano-Romana de Torre de Palma