Complutum in Alcala de Henares

The Roman invasion of Spain has left a legacy of old ruins and archaeological treasures. Not very far from the centre of Madrid, visitors have the opportunity to visit one of the most important sites in the whole region, Complutum.

The archaeological complex in Alcalá de Henares has two main sites that are open for visits, these two sites belong to the ancient Roman town that stood once where is Alcalá de Henares now.

Alcalá de Henares is a small town just outside Madrid, it can be accessed quickly by train from Atocha Renfe, not far from Sol. Once in Alcalá the centre is walking distance from the station.

Complutum can be accessed from Avenida de Madrid S/N. It is open from 10am till 2pm and at weekends it also opens from 4pm till 7pm in winter and until 8pm in summer.

Casa de Hyppolitus is one of the two buildings that can be visited, it was on the outskists of the old Roman town, and it was the House of the Youth. The current remains date back to the 4th century, when the house was refurbished.

Villa del Val is a mansion that belonged to a rich Hispanic-Roman owner, it was situated 5km away from the town of Complutum. The current remains correspond to the refurbishment the house went through in the 4th century. After Roman times, the Visigods used the area for their necropolis.

The museum also runs workshops to train young people from Madrid who are not working. They train them in theatre as well as in jobs and trades related to archaeology and thepreservation of monuments.

Categories: General