Cristina Hodgson
THE Roman Villa de la Estacion, a large palatial villa with thermal baths located to the northwest of the present-day town of Antequera, will finally be open to the public this summer.
The Roman villa was first discovered in 1998, during the construction of the Antequera northern ring road, which forced the ring road to be rerouted due to the archaeological importance of the unearthed Roman ruins.
Over two decades later, following years of laborious work and an investment of €1,200,000 the villa has been returned to its past glory (almost!) and it’s expected to open to the public at the start of this summer.
The villa, believed to be the most important Roman house in the Subbetica region from the 1st century AD, has rooms arranged around a large peristyle paved with mosaics (about 430 m2).
Additionally, forming a kind of islet within the thermal baths that also form part of the villa, the remains of four large flowerbeds, each measuring 4.2 m in diameter, are visible.
With the forthcoming opening, the site will become the only suburban Villa of the Baetica that can be visited.
Entrance to the site will be free, via appointment at the Museo de la Ciudad de Antequera (Museum of Antequera).
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