Villa da Quinta da Fórnea

Belmonte

This villa was a self-sufficient dwelling, as demonstrated by a number of structures, such as a press for olives, grapes and grain, an iron works and stables. The whole unit is connected by gutters that supplied it with water. Roman baths were also uncovered with the traditional tanks for baths of different temperatures (frigidarium, tepidarium, caldarium). One of them has walls higher than 1.5 metres with traces of steps and covered with opus signinum. Excavations also discovered traces of a hippocaustus and apoditerium for the baths. Different rooms were also discovered - probably for the owners and their dependants. All these structures, the entrance to the villa and all the empty spaces would have been occupied by columns and gardens, which attest to the wealth of its owners.