The Pla d’Almatà in Balaguer appears as a vast, desolate wasteland at first glance. Yet beneath these 27 hectares at Pla d’Almatà lie the remains of Madina Balagí, Catalunya’s largest and most significant Muslim archaeological site from the 8th to 11th centuries.
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After decades of advocacy from the Museu de la Noguera, a €6.1 million three-year restoration project called “El Renaixement del Pla d’Almatà” (The Rebirth of Pla d’Almatà) has been approved. The initiative aims to protect, excavate and showcase this hidden chapter of Catalan history.
Madina Balagí: A Lost City at Pla d’Almatà
Only 2% of the archaeological site has been excavated since work began 40 years ago. However, what’s been uncovered at Pla d’Almatà reveals an organised urban settlement with mosques, baths, markets, houses and streets following a planned layout. Researchers have found remains of four 10th-century houses and portions of a deteriorating wall with 27 towers.
“It’s the largest preserved Andalusian site in Catalunya,” explains Carme Alòs, director of the Museu de la Noguera. The city’s origins trace back to the 8th century when settlers from Arabia and North Africa established a military camp, seeking to conquer Europe whilst using the River Segre as a strategic communication route.
Multi-Faith Community Thrived for Centuries
Written sources confirm Christians, Muslims and Jews lived together peacefully within Madina Balagí. In 863, records describe Christian residents gathering to witness the transfer of Saint Vincent’s remains from Zaragoza to France, with one woman reportedly regaining her sight. Jewish citizens’ names also appear in historical documents, demonstrating the city’s religious diversity.
“Loving Catalunya isn’t about denying its Muslim past, but recognising it,” states Culture Minister Sònia Hernández. Pla d’Almatà represents crucial evidence of Catalunya’s Andalusian roots, a history often obscured by traditional narratives.
What Lies Beneath: Archaeological Mysteries
The city fell in 1105 after repeated sieges by the Counts of Urgell. Remarkably, inhabitants never returned to the plateau, instead settling in the Torrent neighbourhood (now Balaguer’s historic centre). This abandonment preserved purely Muslim ruins without later construction at Pla d’Almatà.
Major mysteries remain unsolved. Archaeologists haven’t located the entrance gates, which would reveal how the city was configured and evolved. Furthermore, no bath remains have been found, though they might exist outside the walls. One mosque, Avimoni’s, was completely destroyed when the church of Sant Salvador was built over it.
A new ground-penetrating radar survey will map the entire urban layout at Pla d’Almatà. “We don’t rule out finding surprises,” says Alòs. Recent cemetery excavations within the walls have exhumed 82 individuals buried according to Muslim rites, including victims of violent deaths and pregnant women.
Daily Life in Medieval Muslim Catalunya
Excavated houses demonstrate careful urban planning. Each dwelling measured 120-150 square metres with ground floors, courtyards, latrines and designs preventing prying eyes. Residents enjoyed a rich diet including vegetables, fruits, cereals, meat and fish. The Andalusians introduced numerous new plant species to Catalunya.
Pla d’Almatà narrowly escaped destruction twice. In the 1980s, a sports complex was planned until an excavator struck ancient pottery from an industrial ceramics area. In 2006, developers proposed 400 terraced houses before citizen pressure halted the project.
The three-year project will create interpretation spaces, work areas, study facilities and archaeological laboratories whilst restoring the wall and towers. For the first time, Pla d’Almatà will receive the recognition and protection it deserves.
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