The City Museum in Barcelona has remodeled its exhibition devoted to the period from Late Antiquity and into the 8th century: the Visigothic period
One of the more inspiring exhibitions in Barcelona is found in the underground of the City Museum in Barcelona. Here the visitor is invited to walk through Barcino or Roman Barcelona and further into the remains of the Visgothic Cathedral and bishops palace from the 4th to the 7th centuries. Until now part of this has unfortunately been closed off to the public.
However, March 2015 the Museum has unveiled a renovated exhibition space complete with new interactive features and with artifacts on display showing Christian funerary inscriptions and every day items. Exhibited are oil lamps, coins, belts, brooches etc as well as important liturgical implements. Through 3D-models the visitor is now able to explore the Episcopal Hall, the private residence of the bishop, the baptistery and the remains of the early cross-shaped church, which lies beneath the present Cathedral.
Of special interest is the baptistery from the 4th century, which retains parts of the octagonal pool with stairs placed in the form of a cross and with a ceiling with a geometrical floral decoration from the 6th century.
The exhibition has been mounted in an area covering 310m2, which has hitherto been closed off to the public. It thus presents the visitor with a better understanding of the physical remains of Early Christian (Visigothic) Barcelona. This is very important, since traditional Spanish history tends to overlook the formative period between the End of Antiquity and the Islamic occupation – a period covering more than 300 years.
The new exhibition is part of a general overhaul of the City Museum in Barcelona.
VISIT:
MUHBA – Museo d’Historia de Barcelona
Plaça del Rei
08002 Barcelona
PRESS RELEASE:
Barcelona a l’antigitat tardana. El christianisme els visigoths I la ciutat
Photos are from this press release and copyright of MUHBA
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The Museum has published a small guide which can be acquired for €5
