ARCHIVED - Plans finalized to restore and open up large 2,000-year-old Roman house in Cartagena

The Domus Salvius contains mosaics and a central patio with water feature

Plans have been finalized in Cartagena for the restoration and opening up to visitors of the Domus Salvius, a Roman house with a floor area of around 1,000 square metres located in the Barrio Universitario, at the corner of Calle Cruce and Calle Alto.

The plans have been drawn up by architect Ricardo García, restoration expert Izaskun Martínez and archaeologist María Victoria García, and as a result now, 19 years after the site was excavated, all appears to be ready to make the most of this finding. As Cartagena makes more and more of its ancient history, work is also still ongoing at the sites of the Roman Amphitheatre, the portico of the Roman theatre, the Casa Museo de Isaac Peral and the remains on the Molinete hill in the centre of the city.

The Domus Salvius was built around a central garden area in which the tank which can be clearly seen proves that there was a pond. Surrounding the water feature was a portico which featured both ionic and Corinthian columns of differing heights, creating a very unusual effect in the context of the Roman city of Carthago Nova.

From this central area, the Salvius family accessed their living quarters via a corridor, and in one of the living rooms a black and white mosaic has been recovered: it is here that the word “Salvius” can be clearly seen, identifying the surname of either the family or the man who created the mosaic. A staircase led to the upper floor.

In another large room is a large multi-coloured mosaic, indicating that this was probably the dining room, where the owner entertained guests.

The house was probably abandoned in the second century AD, but within a few years, around 2,000 years after its construction, it will be possible for visitors of a very different kind to admire its sumptuous design!