Enclave Munigua

Located in the heart of the Sierra Morena, 8km from Villanueva del Río y Minas, Munigua is an archaeological complex discovered in 1765 by two researchers from the Academy of Letters in Seville. Even then it was correctly identified as a sanctuary, although popular tradition still calls it the “Castle of Mulva”. It was subsequently forgotten, until 1957 when it was once again studied by German Archaeology Institute in Madrid.

Unlike other settlements in the Baetica, Munigua was only occupied during two periods: one pre-Roman, from the 4th century B.C to the reign of Augustus; and then during the time of the full Roman occupation which lasted until the 6th century AD. There are remains of the work carried out by the inhabitants of the first settlement: iron smelting.

The design of the urban area which has been preserved began during the reign of Augustus (27 B.C. to 14 A.D.), and continued until the late 1st century and early 2nd century. Most of the civil and religious buildings, including the Sanctuary, correspond to the last third of the 1st century. This building boom is mainly attributed to a change in the municipality's legal status.

Emperor Vespasiano (69-79 A.D.) imposed Latin law and raised the status of the city to the condition of Municipality, with all that this implied from an administrative standpoint. This relationship with the Roman Empire is reflected in the bronze coin, the "tessera of hospitality", which the people of Munigua arranged with Augustus through the quaestor or financial overseer, Sextas Curvio Silvino. Thanks to this document and the place name mentioned therein, we now know the name of the City-Municipality of Flavio Muniguense.

The city had its heyday in the 2nd century. There is evidence of Moorish occupation until the 13th century. The highlights of the remains of what was Munigua, are the Sanctuary of Mulva which crowns this sacred hill, the forum and the basilica, the houses, the thermal baths and the necropolis.