Archaeologists visit the Cortijo de las Mezquitas. SUR

Renovation process starts on medieval building in danger of collapse in Campillos

The main building, which houses a ninth century mosque, is the remains of a farmhouse that was built in the 16th century

Tuesday, 12 July 2022, 19:17

Campillos town hall has launched a project for the renovation of the Cortijo de las Mezquitas, a medieval building that is in danger of collapsing due to its current state.

The main building, which houses a ninth century mosque, is the remains of a farmhouse that was built in the 16th century.

The site was declared an Asset of Cultural Interest in 2008 and, given its poor condition and the serious risk of collapse, the town hall has now begun the process for its recovery.

With the collaboration of the Culture delegation of the Junta de Andalucía in Malaga, maintenance work began in 2020: this included the replacement of the perimeter fencing and repair of the main entrance door to prevent vandalism.

A team of archaeologists and architects has now begun the process of analysing the stratigraphic sequence of the architecture of the mosque in order to carry out future investigations and excavations of the site.

The work is part of a project on Islamic landscapes in southern Andalucía led by Dr Angelo Castrorao Barba, an archaeologist from the Polish Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology-Academy of Sciences

Councillor for Town Planning, Diego Lozano, said, "We are looking at a historical heritage that is about to suffer irreversible deterioration if urgent action is not taken."