Hidden treasure: renovation of a mansion unintentionally reveals a 900-year-old archaeological relic A renovation of a mansion in the south of Portugal revealed an archaeological treasure that transformed the history of Loulé. Hidden beneath the building, an ancient hammam — a public bathhouse from the Islamic period — was identified after years of excavations and became the only medieval bath of its kind ever found in the country. Today, the monument is one of the city's main cultural attractions and was highlighted in Globo Repórter this Friday (24). See the video above. The discovery happened after the Loulé City Council purchased the property in 2006. Although archaeologists already suspected that the area hid important traces of the past, no one imagined finding a hammam preserved under the mansion. "It was really a great luck, a treasure that we had buried here under Loulé", says archaeologist Rui de Almeida, who participated in the excavations. Renovation in mansion unintentionally reveals archaeological relic from 900 years ago in Portugal Reproduction/TV Globo Archaeological work lasted years until confirming that the structure was an old public bathhouse, common during the period of Al-Andalus, when part of the Iberian Peninsula was under Muslim rule. In addition to their hygiene function, hammams were living spaces and played an important social role in cities. The discovery gave a new dimension to Loulé's historical heritage. In 2022, the space was transformed into a museum and, the following year, it received the title of National Monument. According to Rui de Almeida, the archaeological site has become the most important open to visitors in Portugal and has placed the city on the cultural tourism route. Renovation of a mansion unintentionally reveals an archaeological relic from 900 years ago in Portugal Reproduction/TV Globo With around 15 thousand inhabitants, Loulé preserves other marks of the Islamic presence, such as the 8th century castle and the municipal market inspired by Moorish architecture. The city's name itself derives from the Arabic Al-Ulyã, an expression that means "the superior", in reference to the region's elevated position. The report also shows that the Moorish influence remains alive in other Portuguese symbols. In Faro, William Bonner visits a studio where mother and son reproduce Spanish-Moorish tiles using traditional techniques. The art, which has become one of the greatest symbols of Portugal, originates from the period when the Iberian Peninsula was dominated by the Moors, and the word "azulejo" itself derives from the Arabic al-zulayj, which means "polished stone". Renovation in a mansion unintentionally reveals an archaeological relic from 900 years ago in Portugal Reproduction/TV Globo The episode is part of the special series in which Globo Repórter travels through Morocco, Spain and Portugal to reveal the historical, cultural and social connections that unite the three countries, hosts of the 2030 World Cup. From Morocco to Portugal: Globo Repórter shows historical connections between the countries of the 2030 World Cup Renovation in a mansion unintentionally reveals an archaeological relic 900 years ago in Portugal Reproduction/TV Globo Check out the latest reports from Globo Repórter: