World Heritage The Late Roman Times

Many villas were built around the grand Roman city of Tarraco to farm the surrounding land and as residences for the rest and relaxation of their wealthy owners. One of these was the villa of Els Munts, built in the 1st century AD close to Altafulla beach. It was the residence of Valerius Avitus Caius, the governor of Tarraco, and his wife Faustina. In 1967 the National Archaeological Museum of Tarragona took charge of the site and began excavating it. It now cares for most of the valuable finds made there. The National Archaeological Museum of Tarragona organises guided and dramatised tours of the villa during the summer. The Roman Villa of Els Munts is part of the Roman Tarraco archaeological complex declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000.