Al-Andalusian palatial complex and neighborhood of San Esteban

The Al-Andalusian palatial complex and neighborhood of San Esteban is an archaeological site that was in the Arrabal de la Arrixaca Nueva, now in the center of Murcia (Region of Murcia, Spain). This exceptional archaeological site of 10,143 square metres is located in the old Garden of San Esteban, next to the building Palacio de San Esteban. It is allowing archaeologists to document the evolution of this urban space from Islamic times to the present, although the excavation process is still unfinished and, as yet, missing archaeological data for its final evaluation. The site is the remains of large country residences, palaces, extensive gardens, and a religious sector with a necropolis and an oratory or small mosque.

The archaeological discovery relates mainly to the structure of the Islamic neighborhood of the 13th century, with some visible elements belonging to the 12th century, and possibly the late 11th century. Within the archaeological site is one of the medieval arrabals of the city, known as Arrabal of la Arrixaca Nueva (of the North). Arrabal can be variously translated as slum, outskirts, or outer suburb. The standard conception of this arrabal is that of a space occupied by almunias (country residences) located on the outskirts of the city. These farms were important agricultural holdings that produced substantial produce, and were surrounded by lush recreational gardens. With the Christian reconquest all this changed. In 1243, the Christian king Ferdinand III of Castile made Murcia a protectorate. Christian immigrants poured in from almost all parts of the Iberian Peninsula. Christian immigration was encouraged with the goal of establishing a loyal Christian base. These measures led to the Muslim population revolt in 1264, which was quelled by James I of Aragon in 1266, who brought more immigrants with him. The local Muslim population were quickly moved as the Christian population began to dominate the former medina.

The archaeological excavation has slightly changed this previous view. It now seems the onset of the demographic pressure in the arrabal of la Arrixaca Nueva goes back at least to the 12th century. There was a gradual spread from the walls of the medina (located in the street Santa Teresa) and from its main exit routes, and thus rose certain political or residential centers. Excavations in the past in the Palacio de San Esteban allowed under this intuit the existence of a palace of the Islamic era. This palace would generate the proliferation of urban spaces in their immediate environment, which are those that have come to light in the excavations of the garden of San Esteban. The urban layout of Murcia is well known by the excavations of the last two decades that have documented all the plots affected by urban renewal. What we find in San Esteban exists in the entire city of Murcia. Analyzed individually and from a purely architectural standpoint, the houses in the excavation show a level of medium-low quality construction, within the range usual for plots excavated in the urban area of Murcia. What gives greater significance to the remains found in this place is the possibility of having an overview of an urban space of large dimensions.

Archaeological site data from Wikidata (CC0). Summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).