MAUSOLEO DE LAS VEGAS DE SAN ANTONIO

Mausoleum formed by two concentric octagonal bodies of different heights, separated by an ambulatory, which is considered as one of the most interesting funerary monuments of its time in Hispania. It was discovered in 1885, when a stone sarcophagus attached to the wall of a crypt appeared during the demolition work of a mine. Forgotten for almost a century, in 1968 the German Archaeological Institute dedicated several campaigns to its excavation and analysis that allowed us to know the floor plan of the building and those of other nearby constructions, but since 1976 the site was once again abandoned and dedicated to agricultural work, with the consequent deterioration, until in 2016, based on a “Recovery and Enhancement Plan for the remains of the mausoleum” presented by the Tagus Foundation, several cleaning, clearing and clearing campaigns were carried out in the mausoleum enclosure, in whose surroundings New graves were discovered, followed by an archaeological intervention in the mausoleum and its surroundings. Since then, work has been underway on musealization and partial enhancement to make the mausoleum visitable.

The mausoleum, intended to house the remains of several members of a family in the surroundings of an important town, is built inside a circle 24m in diameter, formed by two octagonal bodies separated by an ambulatory, of which the exterior It was made of two-leaf masonry reinforced by pieces of granite in the corners.

Its covering system is not known, although it is considered more likely that the ambulatory had longitudinal vaults that would serve to support a central vault. No remains of pillars or materials that could have belonged to said vault have been found, although the greater width of the interior walls than that of the exterior seems to indicate the existence of a complete vault, and plinths have appeared inside the octagon that They can belong to a perimeter arch.

Highlightsr the crypt, where the sarcophagi were kept, has a length of 11.92 m. and a maximum width of 4.65, with a wall height of 1.95, ending in a molding to support the base of the vault of which some remains are preserved. Its access is through a curved staircase from the side of the upper floor.

A set of graves of different types and periods has appeared both inside and outside.

At a later time, two walls, separated by about 5 m from each other, were added, made of river edge with cement, whose foundations have been found, configuring an elongated space, to which an extension and an annex space were later added, forming a new room. They are a porticoed structure on one side, which could have been a narthex. These changes, dated between the 6th and 7th centuries, seem to indicate that they were due to the conversion of the mausoleum into a place of Christian worship.

The foundation of a small apse has also appeared in the S-SE sector, also later, which could be a small Mihrab to use the building as a small mosque after the Muslim conquest.

All of the above seems to indicate that this 4th century mausoleum was converted into a place of Christian worship at the end of the 6th century and two hundred years later into a small mosque.

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Mausoleo hispano-romano de Las Vegas de San Antonio

Mausoleo de las Vegas

Mausoleo hispano-romano de Las Vegas de San Antonio