"Just a few kilometers from sunny Córdoba is a place that deserves much more attention - Ategua, an ancient city with a history dating back to the Bronze Age. Today, however, there is silence. Ategua is closed to the public, so its glorious past is hidden behind a fence, out of sight and interest.

Ategua experienced the greatest fame in 45 BC. n. l., when she found herself right in the center of one of the most fundamental episodes of Roman history - the civil war between Gaius Julius Caesar and Pompey the Great. After the death of Julius Caesar, Ategua and its name are often overlooked, but it was here that one of the last great sieges of this war took place.

The city was then on the side of Pompeius, specifically his son Gnaeus Pompeius, who tried to restore the lost power after his father's death. Caesar, who at that time was trying to definitively consolidate his supremacy over Hispania, drew on Ategue and began a severe siege, which he himself described in his work Commentarii de Bello Hispaniensi. Ategua was surrounded by ramparts, Caesar cut off access to water and systematically starved the city until it finally surrendered.

This victory was a key step in Caesar's victory at the Battle of Mundus, which followed shortly afterwards and essentially ended the war. Ategua thus became a strategic point in the history of the Roman Republic, and yet today it stands abandoned and almost forgotten.

The remains of Roman walls, houses, cisterns, coins, pottery and burial grounds were reportedly discovered on the site. The city shows signs of continuous settlement from the Bronze Age through the Iberian period to Late Antiquity. The archaeological potential of the site is enormous, but due to limited access and lack of infrastructure, it remains hidden from the public and tourism industry.

For history buffs, visiting Ateguay nowadays is rather a frustrating experience. No visitor center, no signage, no organized tours. Just a quiet landscape that was once the scene of bloody history. And above all – entry is officially prohibited, so visitors can only look at the place from a distance.

Ategua is a textbook example of how a historical gem can be overlooked – and perhaps one day rediscovered. If it ever opens to the public, it has the potential to become one of the most interesting sites in Andalusia for anyone interested in antiquity and Roman history."

Milan Václavík

"It's impressive and it's a shame it's closed. It should be a place to go and enjoy so many cultures there are. Visigoths, Romans, Arabs... HISTORY!!!
We were lucky enough to meet José María and we took a walk around the area. He took us around and gave us an awesome history lesson.
All my support and all my admiration for the people who fight for Ategua.
Thank you very much José María!!!"

Marta García

"An interesting guided tour of the Ategua site, accompanied by archaeologist Begoña, showed us how important it has been for all the cultures that have passed through here. She gave us very detailed explanations of everything and answered all our questions. The site is simply spectacular, and many villages can be seen. I highly recommend it; for now, it's only open on weekends in December by appointment."

Jose Ortiz