History
Romans in Fuengirola
As far as I know, there are four preserved sites from the Roman era in Fuengirola:
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Finca del Secretario in Los Boliches/Torreblanca
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Roman villa in Carvajal - Termas de Torreblanca
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The town of Suel in the Parque del Castillo
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A villa in the cemetery-area
Termas de Torreblanca
The site of the Carvajal baths was a private plot until december 2017 when the city finally bought it. It was cleared of vegetation in late 2018 (pic on left). I wonder what the bulldozer driver thought when he cut the 1800 years old narrow swimming pool to give room for widening the N-340 ?
The remains of a 2nd century Roman villa and bath in Carvajal. The site is beside the N-340 just uphill to the east of the Torreblanca roundabout.
Finca del Secretario
The partly excavated fish-salting factory, pottery workshop and baths in Finca del Secretario is the most prominent of Roman sites in Fuengirola. It is a public park and worth visiting even if Roman stones are not your hobby. The site was found during road construction in 1961.
The big bathtub in the Finca del Secretario-site in Los Boliches/Torreblanca
The site has been under open sky since its discovery. The slow decay is visible. Fortunately the Andalucían Junta has budgeted 310 000 € for the preservation of the site. It apparently includes covering the site against weather.
The fish-salting tubs in Finca del Secretario.
Suel
Not much was visible from the Roman town of Suel at the bottom of the El Castillo hill when I took these pics in 2009. The fish-salting tubs were excavated and apparently restored but then left to decay. The excavations of the town area were surrounded by fences but refilled with gravel.
Fish-salting tubs from the 3rd century are the remains of the Roman town of Suel in Parque del Castillo. Picture: 23.9.2009
One of the two excavated areas of Suel in 2009. These areas are now completely filled, fences and signs removed. Apparently to make room for the summer concerts.
In February 2019 I read a tweet from the City Hall that a goup of archaeologists are going to investigate the site of the Roman town of Suel. The project will take seven years. What excactly is going to be done remains to be seen. Very welcome activity from Ana Mula, the mayor.
There is more about this work in Patrick H. Meehan's book: "Fuengirola Revisited".
The ongoing excavations in the Suel-area. The European Union supports the works with 211 000 €'s and the Fuengirola town hall allocates 53 000 € in it. (From the sign erected at the site)