Cáceres - Museo de Cáceres

Cáceres goes back to the Roman fortress Castra Caecilia, which was built in 79 BC. A Celtiberian settlement that dates back to around 35 BC. In the 6th century, large parts of the city were destroyed by the invading Visigoths and only later rebuilt by the Moors. The Arabs rebuilt the city, including a wall, palaces, and various towers.
Cáceres was reconquered by the Christians in 1229. During this period the city had an important Jewish quarter. In the 15th century when the total population was 2,000, nearly 140 Jewish families lived in Cáceres. The Jewish population was expelled by Queen Isabella and Ferdinand of Aragon in 1492.

Cáceres flourished during the Discovery of the Americas, as influential Spanish families and nobles built homes and small palaces there, and many members of families from Extremadura participated in the voyages where they made their fortunes.

Today Cáceres is a city with a population of about 100.000.

The museum is located in the historic town of the city and is housed in two historic buildings, the “Palacio de las Veletas” and the “Casa de los Caballos”.
The "aljibe" (cistern) under the museum is an example of Islamic architecture. It was once part of an Arab palace, that no longer exists, but was used as a public water supply until the early 20th century. The Arabian horseshoe arches rest on Roman and Visogothic columns taken from demolished buildings.