The Archiepiscopal Towers Interpretation Centre (CITA) ''(Centro de Interpretación das Torres Arcebispais (CITA))'' is a museum in

Pontevedra Pontevedra (, ) is a city in the autonomous community of Galicia (Spain), Galicia, in northwestern Spain. It is the capital of both the ''Pontevedra (comarca), Comarca'' and Province of Pontevedra, and the capital of the Rías Baixas. It is als ...

, Spain created in 2010 in the former

moat A moat is a deep, broad ditch dug around a castle, fortification, building, or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. Moats can be dry or filled with water. In some places, moats evolved into more extensive water d ...

of the Archiepiscopal Towers fortress-palace in the

old town In a city or town, the old town is its historic or original core. Although the city is usually larger in its present form, many cities have redesignated this part of the city to commemorate its origins. In some cases, newer developments on t ...

. The museum focuses on the interpretation of what was one of the most important monuments and defensive structures of the city, the Archbishop's Towers, which were part of the Ramparts of Pontevedra.

History

During the archaeological excavations prior to the redevelopment of Santa Maria Avenue, which began in 2008, well-preserved walls were discovered that formed the defensive ditch of the former medieval fortress of the archbishops of Santiago de Compostela, built in the 12th century and demolished at the end of the 19th century. The city council decided to build an underground museum, as the find was about 5 metres below the current street level. The museum was named CITA and was opened on 13 August 2010.

The Archiepiscopal Towers

The first buildings date from 1180. Ferdinand II donated the town and the fortress to the Archbishopric of Santiago de Compostela. During the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...

, the number of buildings increased. A large fortress was therefore built facing the sea with a large defensive ditch and its

drawbridge A drawbridge or draw-bridge is a type of moveable bridge typically at the entrance to a castle or tower surrounded by a moat. In some forms of English, including American English, the word ''drawbridge'' commonly refers to all types of moveable b ...

on the opposite side. This

fortress A fortification (also called a fort, fortress, fastness, or stronghold) is a military construction designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from L ...

was the residence of the archbishops of Santiago de Compostela when they visited Pontevedra and of the kings of

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...

. It consisted of two large towers, one of which was crenellated, and a third body in which large rooms predominated. The archiepiscopal prison was located in its basement. The fortress suffered its first damage between 1474 and 1477 as a result of the war between Alonso II de Fonseca, archbishop of Santiago de Compostela, and Pedro Álvarez de Sotomayor, better known as

Pedro Madruga {{Infobox noble, type , name = Pedro Álvarez de Soutomaior , title = Count of CaminhaViscount of Tuy , image = Castelo de Soutomaior, San Salvador de Soutomaior.jpg , caption = Castle of Soutomaior ...

. In 1719, the fortress was almost destroyed by the English during their attack on Pontevedra, leaving only the large Homage Tower, which later became the city's prison. In 1872 and 1873, at a council meeting held to try to open up new spaces in the city, the authorities decided to demolish the ramparts and towers that were still standing. The remains of the archbishop's palace were demolished in 1873.

Description

Pontevedra_Capital_Entrada_al_Museo_CITA

The museum is run by the municipality and covers an area of 715 square metres. On the sides of the museum, the inner and outer walls of the fortress are presented in calculated darkness. The structure includes the pillars of a drawbridge for access to the fortress and archaeological remains. The CITA has only one access point above ground, in the form of a glazed metro entrance.

Exhibitions

The museum is divided into three parts: At the entrance, touch screens provide information on the medieval and modern fortress of

, as well as on the construction of the palace-fortress, which has been reconstructed on a tactile model. The central part is devoted to the appreciation of the scarp and the

counterscarp A scarp and a counterscarp are the inner and outer sides, respectively, of a ditch or moat used in fortifications. Attackers (if they have not bridged the ditch) must descend the counterscarp and ascend the scarp. In permanent fortifications, the ...

and the defensive features of the building. This part shows interactive screens with maps of the city and the drawbridge and some

catapult A catapult is a ballistics, ballistic device used to launch a projectile at a great distance without the aid of gunpowder or other propellants – particularly various types of ancient and medieval siege engines. A catapult uses the sudden rel ...

stone balls and ceramic pieces found in the excavations. A map of the city in the 15th century is recreated behind which the moat with the scarp of the 16th century palace and the outer counterscarp can be seen, as well as the pillars that supported the 12th century drawbridge. Finally, a projection showing a three-dimensional audiovisual is projected in the background.

History

The Archiepiscopal Towers

Description

Exhibitions

References

Bibliography

See also

Related articles

External links