Musée archéologique de Ruscino

About the museum

Ruscino was an ancient city on a hill promontory overlooking the lower Têt valley, between Perpignan and the sea. It gave its name to Roussillon. As the chief town of the Sordes, and later a Latin city, it also served as a military staging post during the Muslim conquest. The site was occupied from protohistory through the Middle Ages.

In the 17th century, the city, almost entirely razed, was identified with the hamlet of Château-Roussillon. Excavations took place from the 18th century onwards, and from 1908 to 1914 under the direction of Frédéric Paul Thiers, who uncovered the foundations of the forum. Georges Claustres then explored around a hundred silos and the land around the forum until 1968. The city and the state bought the site in 1973, and the remains of the forum, now fully uncovered, were opened to the public in 1975.

In 1985, the city archaeologist Rémy Marichal launched, together with the municipality, the project of a research centre and a site museum. The museum has held the “Musée de France” label since 2003. Research around the forum continues using non-invasive analysis methods, and the Centre archéologique Rémy Marichal manages the excavations and keeps the objects found in them.

Highlights

• Archaeological site of the ancient city of Ruscino
• Remains of the Roman forum uncovered in the 1970s
• Iron Age silos that yielded many objects
• Archaeological research centre of the City of Perpignan
• “Musée de France” label since 2003

Operated by

Ville de Perpignan

Admission & discounts

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Accessibility

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Kids & families

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Getting there & parking

By car from Perpignan: take the former D 617 towards Canet, then follow Château-Roussillon until you reach the supermarket and turn left towards the Ruscino oppidum. From the motorway: take the Perpignan Centre exit towards Canet, then Cabestany and Château-Roussillon, or take the Perpignan Sud exit towards Cabestany, then Château-Roussillon.

Amenities & dining

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Events & venue rental

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