The musealization of Loulé Islamic Baths will start «within days», with the consignment of the work to have been signed this Tuesday, March 3rd.
This intervention, in what constitutes the most complete building of its kind existing in the Iberian Peninsula and the only one in the country, aims to promote the patrimonial and touristic value of these Baths located in the heart of the Historic Centre, in Largo D. Pedro I.
It is a public bath complex from the end of the period of Islamic occupation of the Algarve (it must have functioned between the XNUMXth and XNUMXth centuries), having been occupied in the XNUMXth century as housing. Thus, this intervention also intends to enhance the archaeological remains of the noble house from the end of the XNUMXth century and the medieval and modern walls, even making the turret there visible on the Bicas Velhas side.
Like the Sul Informação did it work, at first hand, the functional organization of the spaces will include a reception/atrium, exhibition space, space for educational services and outdoor leisure area, in addition to the museum area, which will have information on the route of the visit.
Organized on the ground floor, the space for the baths should remain delimited by the structures that remain from the XNUMXth-century noble house.
The project will include four distinct areas: the entrance area, with a bench where visitors can have a break before or after visiting the nucleus, and the interior entrance that articulates the reception with three specific areas, respectively the museum spaces , the room for educational services and the center of restrooms.
There will also be a third area, consisting of the exhibition room, complemented with a set of information about the Islamic baths, the manor house, the wall-tower set and, finally, a fourth complementary space, consisting of the backyard, ie. , an outdoor area where movie screening is planned.
The musealization work of the Islamic Baths (or hamman) will have an innovative component: a 3D survey that will give the visitor the possibility of getting to know the complex as it was.
The work starts in the next few days and technicians from the Mértola Archaeological Field, which has carried out the archaeological excavations of the complex since 2016, will be accompanying the work, as well as from the University of the Algarve, which studied the XNUMXth-century palace.
The estimated cost of this contract is 1,3 million euros and the expected execution period is 730 days.
For the mayor Vítor Aleixo, this is an intervention of great relevance within the scope of what has been the policy of valuing cultural heritage carried out by the Municipality. On the other hand, it is also a catalyst for the dynamism that has marked the Historic Area of Loulé in recent years.
«There were times when the old town was removed from the whole experience of the city, but today, as a result of concerted work that includes, for example, the rehabilitation of heritage, enhancement of public space, holding of events with an emphasis on the MED Festival, in addition to the owners' initiative to rehabilitate their homes or the establishment of new businesses linked, for example, to the creative industries, we can say that this area is without a doubt the soul of the city», underlined the mayor.
Discovered in 2006, after the first archaeological interventions, the Islamic Baths of Loulé saw their importance recognized at the level of the scientific community and the general public.
In 2013, following the rehabilitation works of the Historic Center of Loulé, new divisions of these Islamic baths were discovered, with structures referring to cold tanks, latrines and vestibules being currently observed.
The musealization of the Islamic Baths of Loulé is «an important part of the integrated and structuring project for the historic center of the city of Loulé, which is the “Cultural Quarter”».
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