Archaeologists have discovered the remains of a 12th century bathhouse in a popular bar in the city of Seville, southern Spain.
Cerveceria Giralda has been operating in the heart of the city since 1923, but the bar is in a building with a much longer history.
Although the vaulted ceilings suggest it could have been a bathhouse, and historical records say there was one in the area, no one found any concrete evidence of its existence, Seville University archaeologist Fernando Amores told CNN on Thursday.
Now skylights and red geometric paintings dating from the 12th century have been discovered during a recent renovation.
Restoration of skylights and paintings found under the decoration installed in the 1920s. Credit: Fernando loves
In the 12th century, Seville was ruled by the Almohad caliphate, a Berber Muslim empire in North Africa, which controlled much of the Iberian peninsula – now Spain and Portugal – at the time.
Amores was part of a team of experts who collaborated in the restoration of what he called a “very unusual” discovery.
The skylights are made in the form of eight-pointed stars, and the paintings in red ocher make up interconnected geometric patterns.
There are four types of skylights in different sizes. Credit: Fernando loves
The star-shaped windows are typical of hammams, and there are four different types in different sizes, said Amores. However, the fact that the paintings completely cover the walls and ceiling is unusual, he added.
“It forms a beautiful sky,” said Amores, with light streaming through the windows reminiscent of the stars at night.
The complicated craftwork shows the importance of the spa, which was close to the city’s main mosque when it was built, he said.
There is more restoration work to be done, Amores said, but additional funding will be needed.
Archaeologists are also performing carbon dating of stucco – a thin plaster – to get a more accurate construction date, added Amores.
The star-shaped windows are typical of hammams. Credit: Alvaro Jiménez
The project has been a collaboration between the owners of the building, the owners of the bar and the team of archaeologists, said Amores, explaining that the whole process was a triumph of cooperation.
“We are very happy,” he said.
The owners decided to carry out some renovations last summer, a bar spokesman told CNN. Until then, the original features were covered by a layer of decoration installed at the beginning of the 20th century.
As the work revealed evidence from the bathhouse, archaeologists were brought in to supervise, added the spokesman. The bathrooms had at least three bedrooms, they said, which are now used as a kitchen and two dining rooms.
Architect Francisco Diaz told local TV station Canal Sur that archaeologists initially found nothing interesting, but then a skylight was found on the ceiling. “From there it was like pulling on a veil and all the skylights started to appear,” said Diaz.
Cerveceria Giralda serves tapas and beer and is well known in Seville.
“We think (the bar) could open to the public in a month, combining the operation of the restaurant with possible visits at certain times,” said the spokesman.