The megalithic burial mound of Seró to be protected and preserved with a new building already under construction

Artesa de Segre (ACN).- The town of Artesa de Segre, in Western Catalonia, has started the construction of the 400m² building which is to house the Seró megalithic burial mound. The tomb, which is 5,000 years old and is the only one of its kind on the Iberian Peninsula, is especially famous for its decorative design on both its front and side stone slabs. The burial mound was discovered in early 2007 during the construction of the Segarra-Garrigues canal. The new building is being constructed to protect and preserve the tomb at a cost of 480,260 euros. Artesa Town Hall has estimated that the work will finish later this year and the tomb will be open to the public in 2012 although this depends on the progress at the site in Seró.

The building will have one floor but will incorporate multiple levels. The entrance has been designed as a multipurpose space that can function both as a social hall for the town and a place to host events related to the archeological exhibition. On the ground level, it is also possible to find a projection room for educational presentations and a shop. It has already been decided that one product that will be on sale is typical wine from the region, indeed, one of the walls will host a bottle rack.

From this location, visitors will enter a labyrinth-like corridor which gradually descends until it reaches the tomb. During the walk, which will be artificially lit through small holes in the walls, the history of the monument and the excavation process will be explained. Other resources regarding the archeological process will also be on display.

The building stands next to the town’s old school and the sports area and already has a parking space. Furthermore, the adjacent wooded area will serve as a leisure space for visitors.