THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL COMPLEX
Declared a Site of Cultural Interest in 2018
The complex, located on the banks of the As Conchas reservoir in Porto Quintela (municipality of Bande), consists of a Roman military camp and a mansion that served travelers along the Via Nova. The former was occupied from the end of the 1st century AD to the middle of the 2nd century AD, while the latter remained in operation for several more centuries.
THE VIA NOVA
Origin of the Aquis Querquennis archaeological complex
The Via Nova, inaugurated almost two thousand years ago, was a Roman road that connected the cities of Bracara Augusta (Braga) and Asturica Augusta (Astorga). In times of peace, much of the workforce was made up of soldiers, and the unit responsible for its construction was established at mile marker LII. This was the origin of Aquis Querquennis.
Once the work was completed, the remains of the abandoned camp were reused to build a large number of buildings adjacent to the Via Nova, among which the roadside mansion, which is part of the archaeological complex, stands out.