From Recópolis to Zorita

Visigoth Recópolis

The Visigothic city was built in 578 by King Leovigildo to commemorate the consolidation of the royal power and the state of the Visigothic kingdom, received the name of Recópolis in honor of his son and future King Recaredo.

The discovery of the ruins of Recópolis is due to the archaeologist, historian and official chronicler of Guadalajara, Juan Catalina García López, in 1893.

The archaeologist, Juan Cabré, made the first excavations in 1949. After several interventions in the 90s, in 2005 the Archaeological Park of Recópolis was created according to the project of the professor of archeology, Lauro Olmo Enciso.

Recópolis is located on a hill at whose feet the Tagus River runs smoothly in the municipality of Zorita de los Canes in the heart of Alcarria.

At the site, currently in the process of excavation, the remains of the palace, church, monumental gate, streets, commercial buildings, houses, wall, aqueduct, access roads, all musealized and valued for public visit are preserved .

Part of the construction elements of the city, ashlars, decorative sculpture, etc., were used at the beginning of the Andalusian era, in the ninth century, to build the new city that replaced Recópolis in the control of the territory, the Arab medina of Zorita, the current Zorita de los Canes.

Andalusian city

The citadel of Zorita de los Canes was built at the beginning of the 9th century using as quarry part of the remains of the Visigoth city of Recópolis.

The cultures, Arabic, Christian and feudal left their mark on the stones of Zorita de los Canes.

Do you want to know more?

The Interpretation Center is located on the road up the hill where the site is located.

It contains the necessary information to understand the history and social context in which the archaeological site is developed.

The Interpretation Center has an exhibition area, projection room, rest area, boutique shop and picnic area.

This center offers in an interactive way and for all types of public, the archaeological wealth of the Visigoth city of Recópolis, the latest scientific advances that the different systematic excavation campaigns of the last decade have thrown on the ancient city and the different cultures that the they inhabited.