Enhancement of the Tower and Arab wall surfaces on “Cerro de las Torres”

The Cerro de las Torres (Hill of the Towers) had important archaeological vestiges related to the third wall belt of the Arab Castle (15th century). The most important ones are a piece of its wall and a tower inside an ancient dwelling. The intervention has been done in some phases: firstly, they have been released from the surrounding elements, then, they have been refurbished and, finally, we have worked on their surroundings. The two pieces are presented in dialogue thanks to a new promenade along the hill.

Cerro de las Torres threshold. Tower and “garden of times”.
Once it was demolished the house that surrounded it, the tower is the new milestone of the space that receive the travellers as an entrance to the Cerro de las Torres.
The tower is an addition of textures and geometries that shows its constructive evolution. Its top is a rammed earth cube made ex novo. It is placed on the stone lining built during the Cristian period which covers an earth heart. The stone lining shows its material without coverings in order to show its difference with the dwelling walls, which are whitewashed with lime mortar.
The visitor gets in the threshold-space across a threshold-piece to a “garden of times”, a void full of suggestions. The garden shows different historical values. Ordered in strips, it illustrates the historical dwelling typology created during the Cristian “repartición” (distribution). A floating concrete carpet guide our steps to perceive the domestic spaces: An ancient ceramic pavement still occupies inner rooms. Then, a small garden and a resting area close to a fountain and under two almond trees, occupies the ancient patio. On the left side some horse prints and two rings show its ancient use as a stable.
The party walls, proud of their white textures, frame the space. The northern one, new, made in bricks, covers the adjacent building. The southern one, original, shows a vertical strip in stone making visible the thickness of the Arab closing wall, hidden inside the next building.

Landscape regeneration around the ancient wall.
Once some warehouse buildings were demolished, and the wall surfaces were consolidated, the ancient wall was the main piece on the hill in dialogue with the tower and the castle. The excavation of its surroundings shows some small walls of 15th century dwellings, a section of an Iberian wall and large stone ashlars from the roman period.
The paths that cross the hill lead onto the wall. A carpet made of metallic bars leave the visitors contemplate its main southern surface. Some stone steps show the way for perceiving it in relationship with the castle.
The northern surface could be contemplated thanks to an interpretation viewpoint. An informative veranda, thanks to aerial and perforated texts and a map, helps the visitor to understand the archaeological site. Close to the viewpoint, a resting place is a stone memorial. pointing the north, guides our body and soul.

We have tried interpreting Alora’s cultural landscape, to show its constructive evolution and transmit its message thanks to subtle elements that enrich the space. The project and material decisions follow didactic aims relevant for the traveller.