An archaeological excavation of the Eras de la Sal in Torrevieja has revealed what could be part of the original structure, which dates back to the 1770s. A study of the subsoil of the historical site has uncovered elements that experts believe could be part of the old salt works.
Archaeologists have discovered numerous remains of buildings – walls, structures and paving – belonging to the industrial salt storage and transport facility that gave rise to the creation of the city that is now Torrevieja at the end of the 18th century. The company Arpa Patrimonio, hired by the town hall, began to undertake archaeological excavation work more than a month ago, during which it has found significant remains in practically all the areas they searched. The firm, specialized in field research, has not disclosed the full details of what it has discovered but at a later stage, the town hall will reveal the full characteristics of the findings.
So far it is believed that the original flooring of the ancient salt works appears to be still intact. Another striking element is found under the area where the local buses usually stop – here, several walls appear to converge at the base of a polygonal structure which could be an old tower or a deposit.
It is not yet known if the findings will interfere with the planned works to reform the Eras de la Sal into an open air auditorium for the celebration of the world famous Habaneras singing contest and a Sea and Salt Museum. Local government, with the support of the Provincial Council (Planifica program) and the Generalitat Valenciana, plans to invest 7 million euros in the transformation of the site.
The Eras de la Sal has undergone substantial changes throughout its history. The 1829 earthquake caused serious damage to the site. Then, between 1955 and 1970 many other parts of the facility disappeared due to abandonment.
The local government has allocated 122,000 euros to this archaeological study – by far, the largest expenditure by the public treasury in an archaeological excavation in the history of the city. The excavation and future integration of the archaeological site is a requirement of the Ministry of Culture if the municipality wants to receive the funds necessary to build the future Museum of the Sea and Salt on this historic site.