Visting Conímbriga

Conímbriga is situated in a privileged point where it crossed the route that linked Olisipo (Lisboa) to Bracara Augusta (Braga).

The house of the fountains is an exceptional work of architecture.
The main axis of the house consists of a large entrance hall, aligned with the axis of the central peristyle (peristylum) and with a large room of receptions (triclinium) that opened a large window to the garden that existed in the back of the house.

The most salient aspects of the house are the fountains, that give it the name, and the mosaics, which are one of the largest figurative ensembles known in our country.
In addition to the formidable aesthetic effect, the fountains had a climate control function. It is also known that the owners of the house associated to it with a religious belief.

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The mosaics of the house of the fountains, of great decorative effect, date from the middle of the second century. The themes represented are mainly three: the heroic myths, the cycle of Bacchus and hunting.

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One of the blocks of this city was divided in two distinct houses: house of the swastika and house of the skeletons. Both residences have central peristyle occupied by a landscaped tank, but beyond this common characteristic the houses are very different.
The mosaics of the house of the swastika, dating back to the second half of the third century AD, are of great chromatic effect and use the swastika very often, for the Romans a symbol of good fortune.

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The skeleton house is a modest residence. The great triclinium, the small garden tank in the center of the peristyle and the entrance were ruled by a single axis of symmetry.
The mosaic of the large cubicle is one of the most decorative effect of Conímbriga.

It is also possible to find in Conímbriga a bathing establishment (Thermae) destined to serve the southeastern part of the city, although these baths were modest in size.

In the entrance room three different paths were opened for the user. There was a room with a raised floor that could correspond to a caldary (caldarium) reserved for women, being the water heating in hypocaust (hypocaustum).
In the central zone the buildings in brick correspond to the supports of the heated floors of the tepidário (tepidarium), caldário and tank reserved for the men.

Common areas were the laconic, very hot and humid room, with a round and stepped central tank, now interpreted as a sauna, and the large pool of cold water for swimming (frigidarium).

The Forum was the center of the Roman city. The most evident part of the Conímbriga's forum is its central square that was surrounded by a portico, of which three columns were rebuilt.
To the north stood a temple, of which only survived the foundations, whose pediment was raised almost eighteen meters.
The temple was, in turn, surrounded, at some distance, by a double portico built on a large cryptoporticus.

The ruins of Conímbriga are the main Portuguese archaeological station, being considered an important point of reference of our culture and scientific investigation.
With this little book, we intend to make known a little of the Roman civilization in our territory. However, a visit to Conímbriga is indispensable.