We are renewing our support for the Molinete archaeological project

Reportaje

06/02/2019

The City Council of Cartagena and Fundación Repsol have signed an agreement to complete work in the Roman Forum, situated in the Molinete Archaeological Site.

The vice-president of Fundación Repsol, António Calçada de Sá, and the mayor of Cartagena, Ana Belén Castejón, during the signing of the new agreement for the recovery of the Roman Forum and Molinete Archaeological Site

Fundación Repsol and the City Council of Cartagena signed a new cooperation agreement this morning with the aim of finalising the work to restore the Roman Forum situated in the Molinete Archaeological Site, one of the largest in Europe and a symbol of the cultural heritage of the city.

The vice-president of Fundación Repsol, António Calçada de Sá, and the mayor of Cartagena, Ana Belén Castejón, have developed a new agreement that will, among other actions, turn the Colonial Forum into a museum and allow visitors to make the most of this monument. The new contribution of 600 000 euros will help consolidate the work that has already been completed at the Molinete Archaeological Site, a project that Fundación Repsol cooperates on since 2013 within the framework of its programme for cultural support.

During these years work to conserve and restore the archaeological site, have been carried out that allow the visitor to walk through the old lanes of Cartagho Nova and see how life was in the Capital of Roman Hispania during the 1st and 2nd centuries A.D. Additionally, important findings have been made, including the thermal springs, Atrium building, Isis Sanctuary, or the recent discovery of the MVSAS, four mural paintings of Apollo and the Muses that are currently being exhibited in the Archaeological Museum of Murcia until the 17th February 2019.

Currently, the construction work is being developed for the museographic centre that will display over 2000 years of history of the hill of Molinete and the main artefacts found these past few years, also including an exhibition of Byzantine and Late Roman pieces.

In the new stage, work to conserve and restore the Colonial Forum will take place, carrying out an immense reconstruction project of some of the structures, such as a connection with the Isis of Insula II Sanctuary. This will allow visitors to complete a circular route of the whole archaeological site, from the new Roman Forum Museum to the actual Forum.