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The Museum of the Wall allows visitors a glimpse of Orihuela as it was around AD 1,300. To gain that insight, those interested must go underground. This possibility exists because archaeological discoveries were made during work at Miguel Hernández University in 1998, which made it clear that a wealth of information was hidden there. Information that would shed new light on the layout of urban Orihuela at the time.
The free museum can be reached via a staircase in the corner of the small Plaza just behind the Santas Justa and Rufina church. Before wandering through the 2,200 m² underground floor space, it makes sense to take an insightful look at the entrance at the entrance where various finds such as ceramics, oil lamps and utensils can be seen. An audio-visual presentation provides insight into the various phases of development of the area. Of course, ruins and remains of walls give only a limited impression of what something used to look like. But what is displayed in the underground museum does give a good idea of the scale of the settlement. Information panels in English help to further strengthen that insight during a tour. Moreover, this explains what exactly the excavations have yielded.
In the catacombs one gets a fairly clear idea of the street pattern and how the Christian and Moorish houses were built at the time. The excavations have also uncovered a complete complex of Moorish baths with various spaces and part of the area's wall. In addition, it has been established that the medieval palace of Fernando of Aragón was built on the foundations of the original Moorish settlement in the 14th century. This palace no longer exists, but it is interesting that archaeologists have been able to trace its origins.
Miniature interpretations of the structures help visitors visualize what was hundreds of years ago a little better. For an even better understanding of what has been hidden underground in Orihuela for centuries, and how big the settlement must have been, there are also several clues above ground. At the nearby Ociopea shopping center a part of the ground protrudes and further, up the hills to the ruins of the old castle, you can also find evidence of Orihuela's distant past.
