Andelos, Remains of Roman-period human settlement in Mendigorria, Navarre, Spain

Andelos is a Roman archaeological site in Mendigorría showing the remains of an ancient city built on a hilltop with rectangular street patterns. The ruins preserve old streets, stone houses, shops, public baths with rooms for hot and cold water, heating systems, and an impressive water supply network with tanks and lead pipes that brought water from a distant source.

Andelos developed during the Roman period with its greatest expansion in the 1st and 2nd centuries as a strategic trading hub at the crossroads of major routes. The settlement remained inhabited through the Middle Ages before being abandoned, though a church dedicated to Andión still stands at the site today.

Andelos shows a blend of Roman and local cultures visible in its remains. The city served as a meeting point where people worshipped both Roman gods like Apollo and Bacchus alongside local deities, as shown by inscriptions and altars found throughout the site.

The site is accessible to visitors on foot with a small museum opened in 2003 offering guidance on the main discoveries. Information panels throughout the ruins explain what each structure was used for, making it easy to explore at your own pace and understand daily Roman life.

The water system features a dam locally known as Puente del Diablo, a striking example of Roman engineering that has survived remarkably well for nearly 2,000 years. The dam held about 20,000 cubic meters of water and fed an elaborate network of channels and pipes that distributed water throughout the city.

• Location: Mendigorria
• GPS coordinates: 42.59914,-1.85909
• Latest update: February 9, 2026 08:22