Controversial car park project halted to protect Murcia Moorish remains

Controversial car park project halted to protect Murcia Moorish remains
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By m.p. - Dec 10, 2009 - 12:13 PM
The find of a 13th Century Moorish district is described as a cultural gold mine

EFE

Construction of a new underground car park in the centre of Murcia City have finally been shelved after weeks of protests against City Hall’s plans to remove important archaeological remains discovered at the site and reposition them above the car park once construction was completed.

The find beneath the 17th Century Palacio de San Esteban has been described as a cultural gold mine: the remains of more than 50 houses, 7 palaces and even a small mosque, believed to date from the 13th Century, during the time Murcia was occupied by the Moors.

Workmen were at the site on Wednesday morning to start the job of removing the remains, as protesters gathered there in an attempt to stop them going ahead. The work was halted that afternoon by order of the duty judge, and then, on Wednesday night, came the official announcement from the Regional President, Ramón Luis Valcárcel: ‘The magnitude of the remains found makes construction of a car park impossible’.

He announced that the site will be preserved as it is.

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