The Visigothic style villa of the Pla de Nadal, located in Riba-Roja de Túria, Spain is an almost unique example in Valencia of a residential architectural complex, paradigmatic of the noble estate of Late Antiquity. This exceptional enclosure with its towered façade and perimeter porticoes, like a Roman villa with advanced towers typical of Roman Germania, must have had at least two floors that would reach twelve meters in height; an upper floor, a Sunday classroom, where the numerous friezes and sculptural elements carved on bevels would be installed, which constitute the most specific singular feature of this site, and a rustic ground floor designed for the storage of grain, wine or oil in large barrels.
One of the peculiarities of the Pla de Nadal building is its great sculptural-architectural wealth, having recovered some 800 pieces of carved stone, of which 400 correspond to the factories of the same and many others to ornamental elements. Some of these pieces are currently on display at the MUPLA.
Among the unique pieces is a small medallion with an anagram embellished with vegetal scrolls similar to those of the friezes and decorative plates. The central part is occupied by a cross anagram in which the letters T, E, B can be identified on the vertical arm, D, E, M on the horizontal and again on the vertical I and R, which could be transcribed as TEBDEMIR. A name similar to the epigraph TEVDINIR graphed on the back of a scallop and which could be understood as referring to the same personage, the founder or owner of this magnificent palace estate. This name could link this palace building to the historical character Teodomiro de Orihuela, who signed the famous pact of submission to the Arabs at the beginning of the 8th century.
*If you would like to learn more about this Pla de Nadal, you can take a dramatized tour of the “Discover the Visigothic Secret” offered by the Tourist Info office of Riba-Roja del Túria in collaboration with the Arca Cultural company by calling 96 277 21 84 or by sending an e-mail to riba_roja@touristinfo.net
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