Ourense Provincial Archaeological Museum, Ourense, Spain

The Ourense Provincial Archaeological Museum occupies the building that was the Bishop’s Palace. It is one of the best preserved civil monumental ensembles in Romanesque style, and was declared a Historic-Artistic Monument in 1931. Its structure is a faithful testimony of the development of the city, with Roman, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and modern elements. Its construction began in the 12th century and played an important role in the medieval urban organization.

The site was already occupied in Roman times, as evidenced by the discovered building remains, and subsequently by a high-medieval necropolis.

The present building was built in the 12th century, and its main façade is now, after many reforms in the surroundings, a Romanesque courtyard. Over the centuries it underwent modifications and extensions that altered its general appearance. So, the added elements are Gothic (tower of Santa Maria), Renaissance (garden galleries), Baroque (the main entrance) and modern (arcades in Bispo Carrascosa street).

The Archaeological Museum, founded in 1895, finally settled in this building in 1951, undergoing a restoration, according to a project by Pons Sorolla in 1960-1968.

Museums in Spain

User Reviews

rosa martinez rodriguez (16 months ago)
Wonderful place, where we can see and learn something about the reason for the appearance of the Roman Baths.

_hugo __28 (23 months ago)
Hello good, I've gone with my cousins and I've seen father cris doing 5 still turkey I don't know how this event can be allowed in a cultural site and worst of all another day I still saw a guy groping in the supposed exhibition area very bad job of these guys ????

Nofx_Martir trikshot (23 months ago)
I'm at the police station filing a good complaint because you don't even open a day kid

Miguel Rodríguez (4 years ago)
Although it is not signposted in one of the doors, the museum can be seen from the back (next to the pools).

Elena Rodríguez García (4 years ago)
It was closed without explanation when, according to the established schedule, it should be open.

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Ourense Provincial Archaeological Museum

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