Archaeological work on the site where the future Santa Infancia de Elda kindergarten will be built has brought to light one of the most important discoveries in the history of the city in recent years: The crypt of the monastery of Our Lady of the Angelsa building of the Franciscan Fathers who ordered construction in the mid-sixteenth century Don Juan Perez Calvillo de Coloma.
Technicians conducting the archaeological tests are working with the hypothesis that this crypt may be the burial place of some members of the Coloma family. During the studies, different bone remains as well as some pottery and mold fragments. All of these were documented and transferred to the institution. Elda Archaeological Museum for further research and development.
This research work will determine whether the bone remains found correspond to members of the Coloma Family and thus are the tombs of the Counts of Elda, or whether they are the remains of some. Franciscan priests who lived for centuries monastery.
The cellar that was unearthed is about ten square meters of underground space that is part of a monumental building. old images From Elda, there was some 40 meters long and about 50 meters wideIts 2,000 square meters would make it one of the largest buildings of the time, next to the castle. Moreover catacombsArchaeological studies have brought to light different parts of the monastery’s walls, as well as different rooms.
The mayor of Elda, Rubén Alfaro, “This find brings to light one of our city’s archaeological landmarks and can undoubtedly be a before and after in the study of our past and the recovery of Elda’s historical heritage. These discoveries also occur when celebrating the holiday. Year of Colomaan event that aims to highlight the importance of the Coloma Family and its historical heritage in a time of immense glory for our city”.
It should be noted that the archaeological excavations are part of the construction process of the new Santa Infancia kindergarten, which is included in the Edificant Plan and financed with funds from the Ministry of Education. Although initially these findings do not imply any delay in the construction process, Elda City Council will request a meeting to decide in partnership with the Generalitat Valenciana, given the relevance of the discovery. degree of protection This should take the architectural remains and their subsequent improvements brought to light.
Spanish Monarchy
official historian of Elda, Gabriel Seguraannounced at one of the events held on the occasion of the Year of Coloma “The Kolomas are little known in our city, but the truth is that their importance as a noble family goes beyond the Kingdom of Valencia. Throughout all of Austria they played a leading role in the Hispanic Monarchy and played a very important role in the Wars of Flanders. It is essential that this family be recognized from school,” he said. Segura also emphasized “I stay with the founder of the whole saga, Mosen Juan Coloma, who bought the lordship of Elda to escape his Jewish past in Borja.”
For his part, local archivist and historian Fernando Matallana remembered in the same act of the noble Coloma “They left a material work, there is a documentary work that has been lost but is in the archives, and there are authors who researched and left us a legacy. The Coloma legacy was one of the most important legacies of the Kingdom of Valencia. Despite his Jewish background, Mosen Juan Coloma is the King’s secretary and has an enormous legacy. He was a banker who lent money to kings, and without him the gentrification of the family would not have been possible”.
Source: Informacion
