Panel 4 - The Palatine complex
In this panel we can learn more about the palace complex of Reccopolis. This area of the city is composed of the palace, the basilica and the monumental gate through which access to the central square of these buildings. This part of the city was the administrative, political and religious center of the city.
For more information continue reading in the panel below.
1. The palace
Atop the highest part of the city and surrounding a large plaza, several buildings formed the palatine complex. In addition to housing the high dignitaries, it accommodated the administrative structure that governed the city and its territory.
The principal constructions boasted two floors, with the upper level featuring carefully laid pavements and ornate architectural decorations.
2. The Visigothic basilica
This temple, the most significant structure in Reccopolis, was one of the city’s most meticulously constructed buildings, as evidenced by the quality of its ashlars and varied decorative elements.
It featured a cruciform plan, with its division into distinct spaces responding to the functional needs of liturgical services. The apse, housing the altar, and the transept were reserved areas accessible only to the clergy, as was the north nave, which served as the sacristy. The central nave was the designated space for the faithful, the baptized individuals, while the narthex, the enclosure through which the interior and baptistery were accessed, was intended for catechumens. The baptistery itself was the chamber dedicated to baptismal ceremonies.
3. The monumental gate
A monumental arch, of which only the base remains, granted access to the palatine complex and marked the starting point of the city’s main street.
