Calafell, Baix Penedès

About the place:

What do you think about visiting an Iberian village clothed as warriors? Or do you prefer to put on the tunic and to sit down near the grill? Or climbing up the assault tower, like the Romans did to attack the village? At the Ciudadela Ibérica of Calafell this is possible. In a few minutes you will go back to the Iron age. You just have to close your eyes: suddenly the smell of the oven and the noise of the sheep and goats will take you 2500 years back. We will discover how the Iberians constructed their houses, how the cereal was stored, honey, wine or beer was made and even how the funereal rituals of incineration were done.

With the reconstruction of big part of the village on the ruins excavated between 1983 and 1992, this open air museum approaches in a very visual way the visitor to the world of the Iberians. In the village houses you will find utensils that were used during this period. Everything can be touched and even used during the workshops that every second Sunday of the month are organized. And the third Saturday of the month, the Ciutadella organizes puppet shows or handy crafts at the artisans neighborhood for the little ones.  

A place that you should not miss if you want the children to get to know our Iberian past.

Timetable:

Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 14:00. Guided visits on Saturdays and Sundays at 12:00. Closed on 25 and 26/12, on 1/01 and on 6/01.

Price:

Adults: 4€. Children from 6 to 17 years: 2,5€. Minors of 6, accredited teachers and neighbors of Calafell: free.

More info:

The guided visits are adapted to the ages and last 90 minutes. In winter they are only in Catalan. In summer there are Spanish and English visits too. If there are children, they will be able to prick the wall, open and close the door of the assault tower or put the helmet of a warrior and disguise themselves as an Iberian.  

Every second Sunday of the month workshops are organized: the following workshop is organized on March 8 of 2009. The workshop which will demostrate how bread is made is for children from 6 years on.

Every the third Saturday of  the month: puppets, handy crafts or stories for children from 3 years on.

The citadel belongs to the EXARC net, an international archeologic organization of open air museums based on experimental archeology. Have a look at their web page. You will find many interesting places all over Europe.

Accessibility: for the time being, the citadel is not accessible for people on wheelchairs.

Photo: © Jose Carlos León, ExploraTgn.cat