Conímbriga

7-Oct-23

The Roman ruins at Conímbriga were the original Roman settlement in the region (of course the Celts were there first) before it was moved to present-day Coimbra. The oldest ruins (streets, homes, baths) date to the 1st century CE, through the middle & on top of which was built a defensive wall in the 3rd century. Apparently, building a town over another town beautifully preserved the 200 year old mosaic tile floors for another right 2000 years!

Roman Road (from Lisbon to Braga (c. 305 C.E.)

Mosaic floors (c. early 3rd century) of Roman houses buried until 1899 excavations 

Remains of defensive wall over ruins of ancient homes

Remains of Roman baths

A Nobel's house

Viaduct built into the wall

The House of the Fountains was an Aristocrat's house built in the 1st century but demolished in the 3rd to make room for the wall. It was uncovered in the 1930s and the intricate and massive mosaic floors restored with working fountains to show off what it most likely looked like.