He Board of Directors of Real Alcázar of Seville His project is very advanced to transform the basement of the Mudéjar Palace into an archaeological museum with three different rooms in which to exhibit various excavations from the Patio de Banderas and to the public. … as well as the royal palaces of the aforementioned monument. In order to preserve the heritage of a unique space and also to bring to citizens some of its most eminent treasures, the Mudéjar Palace basement renovation project is waiting to continue taking steps to make it a reality.
Currently, the Town Hall continues to prepare the necessary specifications to know both the investment that will be necessary to start this museum and the time in which the works will affect the daily life of this point of the Alcazar. In the description and justification of the project, costing 18,000 euros (VAT included) to which this newspaper had access, it is established that the museum proposal aims at the spatial organization of three rooms in this basement among a selection of rooms various belonging to the archaeological collection of the Alcazar, in particular those obtained as a result of research carried out between 1997 and 2025 by the Archeology Service of the Alcazar of Seville, which serve as a guide for the design of the elements of the scene itself.
Therefore, the rehabilitation of these rooms into permanent exhibition motivates the historical evolution of the city since the 9th century BC and the Alcazar itself in its foundation dates back to the 11th century AD. What is intended to be transmitted is the evolution of the city and, on the other hand, the progress of the heritage complex itself, developing a cultural dialogue that will allow in the future to serve as a showcase to continue promoting one of the most emblematic enclaves of the city such as the Alcazar.
Side view of the Alcazar Archaeological Museum according to the project presented
We are therefore looking for a neutral space which contributes to balance the already marked architecture by the natural materials of the walls and vaults and develop an exhibition discourse which gives meaning to the pieces on display. Although the first room contains architectural, symbolic and religious elements, the second will show the Almohad wall on its floor and present the evolution of different pottery works that coexisted over the centuries. Finally, the third room of this semi-basement of the Mudéjar Palace will include a display case in which exclusive smaller ceramics can be exhibited which will also be of interest to all those who love the archeology of Seville.
Distribution by rooms
The grouping of pieces into exhibition units obeys, as specified in the project for the oldest active palace in Europe, its typology and its historical affiliation. So from the west end, with access from the Kitchen garden— A first vision will be oriented towards a selection of architectural elements — capitals, bases, cymacio, element which goes on the capital — which will be located in the first part of the first room. Arranged in chronological order and located on an axis with the passage of the garden, we are looking for a first scenographic effect which demands the attention of the visitor who walks in the gardens of the Alcazar.
In the museum project, a person sees capitals in Room I; Below, on the left, the axonometry of the exhibition proposal; On the right, the second of the spaces, completed by jars
The visitor who arrives in these first rooms will find architectural pieces which have marked the evolution of the Alcazar, occupying its four vaulted spaces. Dresses and bases They will be perfected in the transverse arrangement of their bases and supports, introducing specific variations in the linearity of the layout. Likewise, in the third vault there will be an exhibition stand of treasures such as the altar of Minerva, Roman goddess of wisdom, arts, poetry and letters; or a border of the Islamic well from the caliphate era. From the Roman period to the late Middle Ages, pieces of different sizes and materials, such as marble and ceramics, will also be displayed in another display case.
The last two cases
Smaller in size, the second and third rooms will bring together other ceramic pieces, trousseaus and elements with a chronological sense. In the second room, the Almohad wall will be exposed on its floor as an archaeological tasting, and we will see the progress of pottery, with amphorae, jars and jugs of great valuewhich will have mirrors to be able to see every detail. Continuing all this, the third and final instance will have a unique display case in which you will find small ceramic pieces classified by theme and age, with treasures from prehistory to the early Middle Ages.
The lighting in each room will become more important, oriented towards the walls and vaultswho will look for a unique treatment in this archaeological museum of the Alcazar that helps to highlight the main characteristics. There will be the installation of electrified rails on which reduced spotlights will be placed. All exhibit supports, as reflected in the museum project, were individually designed taking into account their geometric characteristics, weight and main viewing areas. At all times, the general recommendations transmitted by the Technical Assistance Service and emergency interventions as well as conservation and preventive maintenance for the restorations of the Alcazar were followed.
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