It was in 2015 that a curious stele, a ramp, and a dock from the Iron Age were there found. A burial site from the ancient Neolithic period (6th to 4th millennia BCE) was identified, along with traces of Roman and imperial occupations, late Antiquity, Islamic and Christian Medieval eras, and the modern and contemporary times. A mosaic was also discovered, which a previous team had already deciphered: an ancient Roman cultural myth depicting Venus unfastening her sandal!
The results of these astonishing excavations were integrated into the hotel project, now known as the Áurea Museum. Here, the history of the past is celebrated, with many of these discoveries and artifacts on display, taking visitors on a journey through Lisbon from the past to the present.
A Hotel-Museum in Alfama, at the Former Sommer Warehouses
When the news broke that the former Sommer warehouses, located in the Coculim Palace on Cais de Santarém Street, would be transformed into a hotel, a team of archaeologists embarked on excavations, uncovering fascinating secrets!