Benicató Roman Villa in Nules is the first of its kind to be discovered in Plana Baixa. Nestled among the orange groves 700m south-east of El Caminàs, the site was discovered in 1888 during agricultural work in the pujol of Benicató. The villa was established in the 1st century BCE and was in use until 4th century AD.
Benicató Roman Villa is unique in that it was used for agricultural and residential purposes. In the centre, a quadrangular peristyle with a circular pond stands out among the 17 surrounding rooms. Two of these rooms have mosaics with geometric and vegetal patterns, highlighting the importance and sophistication of the villa.
The rural mansion has a porticoed patio with a central pond to collect rainwater. Some of the rooms have stuccoes and mosaics while others were used for domestic life. There are heating systems and wineries.
References:The Church of St Donatus name refers to Donatus of Zadar, who began construction on this church in the 9th century and ended it on the northeastern part of the Roman forum. It is the largest Pre-Romanesque building in Croatia.
The beginning of the building of the church was placed to the second half of the 8th century, and it is supposed to have been completed in the 9th century. The Zadar bishop and diplomat Donat (8th and 9th centuries) is credited with the building of the church. He led the representations of the Dalmatian cities to Constantinople and Charles the Great, which is why this church bears slight resemblance to Charlemagne's court chapels, especially the one in Aachen, and also to the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna. It belongs to the Pre-Romanesque architectural period.
The circular church, formerly domed, is 27 m high and is characterised by simplicity and technical primitivism.