Rare 12th-Century Islamic Bath with Complete Decor Uncovered in Seville Bar

"We have verified that the Moorish bath was entirely painted, from top to bottom, and with a geometric decoration of high quality. It is the only Moorish bath from the Islamic period preserved with a complete decoration," says archaeologist Álvaro Jiménez to El País.

The establishment, located on Mateos Gago Street in Seville, in the heart of the Andalusian capital, has become a real museum of Arab history in recent months. After the renovations, an old Almohad Hammam that had been protected was discovered. A previous rehabilitation of the building, carried out at the beginning of the 20th century to transform it into a hotel, had "hidden" this marvel.

The discovery is important because it reveals "the appearance that the baths had during the Almohad period, particularly in Seville, which was one of the capitals of the empire, and in Marrakech," explains archaeologist Fernando Amores, who gives an overview of the building’s former architecture. "What is now the entrance to the bar was once the Hammam room; next to it, you have a cold room 4.10 meters wide and 13 meters long, and another room that now serves as the establishment’s kitchen," he adds.

Also, a total of 88 lamps of different shapes and sizes have been discovered. "They are integrated into the decor and are surrounded by red geometric lace paintings that follow a regular pattern," says Fernando Amores.