Benidorm participates in the European Archaeology Conference with guided tours of Tossal and Boca del Calvari museum collection

For another year, the fourth already, Benidorm will once again actively participate in the European Archaeology Days, which will take place this weekend in numerous countries at the initiative of the French National Institute for Preventive Research. This year, according to Ana Pellicer, Councillor for Historical and Cultural Heritage, the focus will be on the Tossal de La Cala castle and the Tossal museum collection housed in the Boca del Calvari Museum.

This activity will take place from Friday, June 13th to Sunday, June 15th and will consist primarily of guided tours of the Tossal de La Cala museum collection at the Boca del Calvari Museum and guided tours of the Roman Tossal castle. Pellicer emphasized that this year's activities "also focus on the Boca del Calvari for its 700th anniversary, and therefore there will be visits to the Museum's exhibition, where you can see the documents related to the Carta de Poblament (Town Charter) displayed in the "Luis Duart y Alabarta" Archaeology Room."

Regarding the first, the visits to the Boca del Calvari will take place on Saturday and Sunday at 7:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. They are open to the general public and are free of charge. Reservations must be made by emailing visitatossal@benidorm.org, Monday through Friday until 2:00 p.m.

Please note that accessibility is available for people with visual impairments. The visits will last approximately 45 minutes.

Guided tours of the castellum will take place at 5:00 PM, 6:00 PM, and 7:00 PM on Friday and at 10:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 12:00 PM, and 1:00 PM on Sunday. Reservations must be made by emailing visitatossal@benidorm.org from Monday to Friday until 2:00 PM. "Like the visits to the museum collection, the activity is open to the general public and will be free of charge. Accessibility is guaranteed for people with mobility difficulties, visual or hearing impairments, with two electric chairs, panels, and audio guides in Spanish, Valencian, and English," Pellicer stated. The Department also reminds visitors that general tours of the archaeological site are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM and Saturdays and Sundays from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM.

During guided tours of Tossal de la Cala, "an archaeologist will explain to visitors the history of the fort, how the Roman soldiers who inhabited it lived, and the most important materials found in the various excavation campaigns," said Ana Pellicer. The councillor emphasised that "Tossal de la Cala is one of the most emblematic places in our city, not only for its historical and archaeological heritage but also for its location, so experiencing the sunset from this enclave is a unique experience."

The Tossal de la Cala site was excavated in the 1940s by Father Belda and in 1965 by Professor M. Tarrradell, dating the archaeological remains between the 2nd and 1st centuries BC. Since 2013, excavations by the University of Alicante have revealed that it was a Roman settlement occupied by the armies of Quintus Sertorius during the Sertorian Wars.

The wall and the materials found confirm that El Tossal was a fort or castellum built around 77 BC as part of a fortification plan for the northern coast of Alicante. The site was part of a chain of coastal military enclaves in the navy, located on cliffs and in inaccessible coves, that controlled naval traffic.