Museo de la Muralla (Orihuela)

Museo de la Muralla is an underground archaeological museum in Orihuela, tucked beneath a university building right in the heart of the city. It displays a stretch of the old city walls and the settlement that once stood around them, uncovered by chance during construction work.

Where exactly is the museum located?

The site sits in the basement of the Aulario de las Salesas, a building belonging to the Universidad Miguel Hernández in Orihuela, on Calle Togores 1, at a spot known as "Casa del Paso". The entrance takes visitors straight from street level down into the remains of the historic town, just a few metres below today's pavement.

How was the site discovered?

The remains came to light between 1998 and 2000, when the university demolished the old Casa del Paso to expand its facilities. The construction work exposed archaeological remains of exceptional historical value, forcing the city to rethink its original building plans. Rather than destroy the find, authorities chose to cover it with sand while construction continued, later opening it as a permanent exhibition open to the public.

What can visitors actually see inside?

The centrepiece of the exhibition is roughly an 80-metre stretch of the old city wall together with four towers dating from the Almohad period, when the Muslim Almohad dynasty ruled the city in the 12th century. This section of wall and its towers has been declared a Bien de Interés Cultural, Spain's designation for sites of cultural significance.

Beyond the walls themselves, the site preserves the remains of Arab baths, clearly marked street layouts, and the outlines of Islamic-era dwellings. Traces of a later Gothic palace are also visible, showing that the area kept being built over and reused across several historical periods, from the Muslim era through into the Christian Middle Ages.

How is the visit organised?

A walkway runs alongside the exposed section of wall, letting visitors examine the structure both close up and from an elevated viewpoint. Because the museum sits underground, the temperature stays fairly constant year-round, and the lighting is arranged to highlight the wall's construction and the surviving architectural details.

When is it open and how much does it cost?

The museum is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 2pm and again from 4pm to 7pm, and on Sundays from 10am to 2pm. Admission is free, making it an easy addition to a walk through Orihuela's historic centre.

Frequently asked questions

Is admission to the Museo de la Muralla free? Yes, entry to the museum is free of charge.

From which period do the walls date? The main wall and its four towers date from the Almohad period, in the 12th century, when the Muslim Almohad dynasty controlled the city.

Is there more to see besides the defensive walls? Yes. The site also includes the remains of Arab baths, old street layouts, the outlines of Islamic-era houses, and fragments of a later Gothic palace.

Where exactly should visitors look for the entrance? The entrance is in the basement of the Aulario de las Salesas building of the Universidad Miguel Hernández, at Calle Togores 1, in the area known as Casa del Paso.