Museo de Palencia

* Prehistory: Achelense, Musteriense and Eneolithic materials, and Bronze-Age weapons.

* Celtiberian objects, ceramics and precious-metal work.

* Roman world: funeral steles, domestic objects, numismatic collections and bronze sculptures.

* Visigoth remains, graves from the 13th century and an altarpiece from the 14th century.


ROOMS IN MUSEUM

# BASEMENT 1, BOTTOM AND FIRST:

Devoted to the permanent exhibition on Prehistory, Romanisation and Medieval Archaeology, respectively.

# SECOND FLOOR:

Administrative offices and specialised Library.

# THIRD FLOOR:

Photographic Laboratory, Department of Cultural Action, Drawing Studio and Restoration and Classification Workshops.


PERIODS REPRESENTED IN MUSEUM:

# PREHISTORY:

Three areas with different functions: audio-visual, permanent exhibition and central round area, with an interactive map of the province, with the main archaeological places of each era.

In this floor a sequence of the first manifestations that man left showing in the Palencia area, from the most primitive utensils of the Homo Erectus to the culture of the pre-Roman people.

Places with findings from prehistory in the Palencia province: "The Plains", in San Quirce de Río Pisuerga"; "La Velilla", in Osorno; "La Huelga", in Dueñas; "Los Barahones", in Valdegama, Palencia, Paredes de Nava, Castromocho, Tariego, "Monte Bernorio", Palenzuela, etc.

Prehistory section: objects grouped according to chronological cultural criteria: Palaeolithic, Neolithic, Chalcolithic, Bronze-Age and Early Iron-Age.

Celtiberian world until Romanisation.

# CELTIBERIAN CULTURE:

During the last three centuries of our Era, three different peoples had the Palencia land shared out amongst them: most of it belonged to the Vacceos, and their most significant settlements were found in Palencia, Tariego and Paredes de Nava.

The mountainous northern area was dominated by the Cantabrians.

Lastly, a small enclave in the south belonged to the Arévacos, whose most important city is located in Palenzuela.

Such places have provided a large number of objects of domestic usage, weapons, jewels and different utensils.

The Palenzuela necropolis has provided the largest amount of objects showing pre-Roman culture.

The miniature objects of this necropolis are attractive.

Scenographic representation of the necropolis, in which three successive phases of the excavation process for several tombs are reflected.

# ROMANISATION:

The Ground floor is devoted to Roman civilisation.

Different aspects of Roman life.

The family ambit is represented in the crockery for domestic use, with different types of ceramics, glass cups, lamps and a series of bronze objects.

Objects for personal adornment and surgery.

Funeral steles, cinerary urns and offering objects.

There is some sculpture represented in the Museum, among which stands out, due to its artistic quality, two portraits from the Anthonian era and a series of small bronze figures.

# MEDIEVAL ERA:

First floor, and distributed in three different chronological cultural areas.

The first deals with the Visigoth era, with architectural pieces belonging to the Basílica de San Juan de los Baños (Basilisk of Saint John the Baptist).

From the excavations performed in Herrera de Pisuerga, Villajimena and Aguilar de Campo, several objects have emerged such as waist clasps, rings, brooches and earrings.

Coins from the kingdoms of Sisebuto, Recesvinto, Wamba, Witiza, Liuva, Gundemaro and Egica.

Medieval Archaeology, corresponding to the 11th - 14th centuries with architectural remains from Frómista, Támara and Quintanaluengos, the sarcophaguses of Abadía de Benevívere and Santa María de la Vega, and a set of objects illustrating the different aspects of domestic life and a wide numismatic section.

A small room presided over by an altarpiece from the late 14th century from the old Hospital de San Millán de los Palmeros (Amusco): different objects of a lithurgic sacred character found during different excavations.



HISTORY OF MUSEUM

During the second half of the 19th century two archaeological collections were created: that of the Provincial Commission of Monuments and the Ayuntamiento (Town Hall).

The two were joined, forming the first Museum of an institutional kind, installed in the offices of the Diputación Provincial (County Council) and opened on 9 July 1921.

A fire destroyed much of the Palacio Provincial (Provincial Palace) in December 1966 and forced a hasty removal of the archaeological resources.

Once the reconstruction work on the Palace was completed, the Museum was again installed in the lower floors of the building, opened to the public on 9 December 1970.


DESCRIPTION OF THE CASA DEL CORDON BUILDING:

The "Casa del Cordón" was commissioned by the Sarmientos family at the beginning of the 16th century.
The architectural project was carried out by Mr. Luis Arranz Algueró.

Ground-floor reception service, bathrooms, cloakroom, etc. leaving the upper part converted into an assembly-hall.


FEES
* General: 1.2 euros
* Groups (> 15 persons): 0.6 euros
* Free: Saturdays and Sundays, under 18 years, over 65 years, young peoples' or student card.

Museum information

Timetable

* From 1th October to 30th June

Of Tuesday to Saturday of 10,00-14,00 and 16,00-19,00
Saturday, Sunday and festive: 10,00-14,00

* From 1th July to 30th September

Of Tuesday to Saturday of 10,00-14,00 and 17,00-20,00
Saturday, Sunday and festive: 10,00-14,00

Address

Address:

  CASA DEL CORDON. PZA. DEL CORDON, 1

Province:

  Palencia

Town:

  PALENCIA

Zipcode:

  34001

Phone:

  979 752 328

Fax:

  979-700599

E-mail:

 museo.palencia@jcyl.es

Place:

  Located in the Casa del Cordon (house).