Category: Archaeology > Villa
The ruins are located in Estói, in the municipality of Faro, Portugal. They are situated on Cerro do Guelhim, on the left bank of the Rio Seco, near the Serra de Monte Figo.
Access is via the secondary road between Faro and São Brás de Alportel.
The ruins represent a significant archaeological complex in Portugal, primarily composed of the rich Roman villa of Sambada or Sambata, with associated baths, in addition to temples, mausoleums, and commercial and industrial structures.
The baths are famous both in Portugal and abroad, with the temple and the mosaic panels found in the ruins also being noteworthy.
The villa was inhabited from the 1st century and underwent various modifications over the centuries. The pagan temple, built in the 4th century, was later used by Christian and Muslim religions.
The ruins were classified as a National Monument in 1910 due to their archaeological and historical importance.
The complex includes an urban villa with baths and a temple, as well as agricultural structures such as a winery, an olive press, and servants' quarters. The buildings were constructed on terraces due to the sloping terrain.
The complex follows a plan common in Roman villas, with the main villa surrounded by support buildings, such as workshops and ground-floor residences. The complex was crossed by a road paved with irregular flagstones, following the Roman concept of the Decumanus.
The archaeological complex has an interpretation center that offers information and support to visitors.
The Milreu villa consisted of a large residential house for a wealthy Roman family, along with a thermal building. The house featured a central atrium, a peristyle with columns and colorful mosaics, and rooms designated as bedrooms, living areas, and a triclinium.
The ruins reveal the architecture, lifestyle, and cultural influences of the Roman era in Portugal, providing visitors with a unique insight into the region's historical past.
The highlight of the ruins is the temple, which has a peripteral structure common in buildings of the late Roman Empire. It measures approximately 32.50 meters in length and 25 meters in width, with a height of over 10 meters. The temple was dedicated to pagan gods and had a sanctuary in the apse, which was considered the most important area of the temple.
The temple was built with bricks and baked clay, decorated with ovolos, bead-and-reel mouldings (or cords), and dentils. The temple's podium features polychrome mosaic panels, being the only significant example in the Iberian Peninsula of an outdoor mosaic. Mosaics covered the walls and floor of the temple, the house, and the baths, primarily depicting maritime motifs.
The temple had two cloisters, an upper and a lower one, which were decorated with mosaics. In the lower cloister, bases of three columns and organized graves were found. In the upper cloister, Muslim inscriptions dating from the 9th century were discovered, asking for mercy for deceased family members.
Inside the temple, there was a room with a hexagonal pool or baptistery, lined with white marble and polished marble slabs. Near the pool, a tomb containing human bones was discovered. An ossuary was also found in the apse, separated by a wall, which contained the bones of at least two bodies.
In front of the temple entrance, there is a semicircular basin, identified as a lavacrum. This basin was decorated with marine mosaics on its internal walls, depicting sea urchins, fish, and other elements.
The mosaic panels in the Milreu ruins are known for their beauty and attention to detail. They primarily represent maritime motifs, such as dolphins, mussels, groupers (cherne), squid, and sea urchins. Some mosaics depict scenes of combat between fantastical sea creatures.
Roman rule in the Iberian Peninsula and the importance of the Algarve region.
Construction and expansion of the Roman ruins of Milreu.
Phases of modification and expansion over the centuries.
The high cultural, social, and economic level in the province of Lusitania.
Located in the locality of Estói, municipality of Faro, Portugal.
Access via the secondary road between Faro and São Brás de Alportel.
Part of the 21st Antonine Itinerary, an important Roman communication route.
Large architectural complex with remains of Roman mansions.
Highlighting the baths, the temple, the central peristyle with columns, and the courtyard with a garden and water tank.
Colorful mosaics with marine motifs.
Presence of busts representing members of the Roman imperial family.
Decline of Roman civilization in the 4th century.
Germanic and Visigothic invasions in the Iberian Peninsula.
Muslim occupation and subsequent abandonment of the complex.
Occupation after the Christian Reconquista of the Algarve, 13th to 15th centuries.
Construction of the rural house over the Roman ruins.
Ruins known since the 16th century.
Excavations in 1877 by Estácio da Veiga.
Erroneous identification as the ancient city of Ossonoba.
Considered one of the most important archaeological sites of Roman culture in Portugal.
Some artifacts and mosaics preserved in the Museum of Faro.
Some structures disappeared or were covered up after the original excavations.
Importance of protecting and preserving historical and archaeological heritage.
Sources: https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ru%C3%ADnas_romanas_de_Milreu
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 37.095346,-7.904044
Coordinates DMS: 37°05'43.2"N 07°54'14.6"W
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