Archaeological Museum of Villanueva de la Fuente

The Villanueva de la Fuente Municipal Archaeological Museum is located in the Casa de la Encomienda, a historic building that allows visitors to begin exploring the past of the ancient Mentesa Oretana right in the town center. Its stone façade, adorned with coats of arms, recalls the building's historical importance within the town's organization. The museum serves as a gateway to one of the most significant archaeological sites in the Campo de Montiel region.

Its galleries house materials and exhibits linked to the long historical sequence of Villanueva de la Fuente, from ancient settlements to the medieval period. The visit allows visitors to understand the importance of Mentesa Oretana as an Iberian, Roman, and medieval enclave, situated at a strategic communication point and associated with water resources, roads, and areas of continuous settlement. In contrast to the remains scattered throughout the town and its surroundings, the museum offers a structured account of this evolution.

The tour is perfectly complemented by the municipality's main archaeological sites. The open-air site at Calle Mentesa, 14, allows visitors to observe visible structures and foundations from the Iberian, Roman, and medieval periods; the area around Los Toriles helps explain the Islamic funerary practices; and the source of the Villanueva River helps explain why this place was occupied for so many centuries. The Casa de la Encomienda thus becomes the ideal starting point for the visit, before venturing out to explore the historical landscape of Mentesa.