Complutum

What Complutum does

Complutum is the publicly operated archaeological park of the ancient Roman city founded in the 1st century BC in the Henares river valley, located approximately 20 km from Madrid in Alcalá de Henares, Spain. The site is managed by the Ayuntamiento de Alcalá de Henares through its Servicio Municipal de Arqueología, with co-funding from the Comunidad de Madrid and occasional national grants (e.g., 1% Cultural funds from the Ministerio de Fomento). The park encompasses approximately 50 hectares of ancient city footprint, with 7.2 hectares currently open to the public across two main visitable zones — the Ciudad de Complutum (Forum-Region II with basilica, baths, and private domus including the Casa de los Grifos) and the Casa de Hippolytus — plus the Antiquarium, a 1,000 m² modern interpretation center built between 2007 and 2010.

Core offerings include free public access to the archaeological park, free Saturday guided tours (30-person capacity), theatricalized and technical visits, a portfolio of educational workshops (e.g., 'Arqueólogos por un día' for ages 8-14), and the annual Complutum Renacida historical recreation event featuring a 1,500-seat amphitheater. The business model is essentially non-commercial: general admission is free, with incidental ticket revenue from special events and ancillary revenue from public funding. The site is the only visitable Roman city in the Community of Madrid, holds the Casa de los Grifos (considered the best collection of Roman mural painting in Spain), and is anchored by the Alcalá de Henares UNESCO World Heritage designation (1998) and Bien de Interés Cultural status (1992).

The institution serves four primary segments: general public and tourists, school groups and families, university/academic researchers (Universidad de Alcalá, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, CSIC), and historical reenactment enthusiasts. Partnerships include core academic collaborators (Universidad de Alcalá formalized 2021-12-13), the Museo Arqueológico Regional, the Asociación Ab Urbe Condita, and tourism channel partners (Alcalá de Henares tourism office and the tourist train route). The site has welcomed approximately 75,000 visitors since the Forum's 2009 public opening and is positioned as the most visited archaeological site in the Community of Madrid.

Name

Complutum

Legal name

Ayuntamiento de Alcalá de Henares

Website

https://complutum.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Complutum is a publicly funded municipal archaeological park in Alcalá de Henares, Spain, preserving the Roman city founded in the 1st century BC. Operated by the Ayuntamiento de Alcalá de Henares, it offers free public access to the Forum, Casa de los Grifos, Casa de Hippolytus, and a modern Antiquarium, serving tourists, school groups, families, and academic researchers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Archaeological Park & Cultural Heritage Museum

NAICS

Historical Sites (71212), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712)

akta.pro primary industry

Archaeological Sites & Heritage Interpretation Centers (THAJADAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

UNESCO & Protected Landmark Sites (THAJACAI), Historic Sites, Heritage Landmarks & Archaeological Sites (THAJACAC)

Keywords

• Archaeological park
• Roman heritage site
• Cultural tourism
• Museum exhibitions
• Archaeological education

Headquarters

HQ city

Alcalá de Henares

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Public Funding and Municipal Support: The site is operated by the Ayuntamiento de Alcalá de Henares (municipal government) with support from the Comunidad de Madrid. Primary funding comes from public budgets for heritage preservation and cultural promotion.
2. Event Ticketing: Some special events generate ticket revenue, such as the Gran Circus Maximus at Complutum Renacida, which offers gladiator fights and chariot races in a 1,500-seat amphitheater.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Complutum is a public, open-air archaeological park featuring excavated remains of a Roman city founded in the 1st century BC, including the Forum, thermae, private domus, Casa de los Grifos and Casa de Hippolytus. The site operates a modern interpretation center (Antiquarium) with interactive exhibitions and offers free general admission to visitors along with paid guided tours, workshops, theatrical visits, and the annual Complutum Renacida historical reenactment event.

Product overview

Complutum is a municipal archaeological park in Alcalá de Henares, Spain, representing the ancient Roman city founded in the 1st century BC. The offering consists of two main visitable sites: the Antiquarium (interpretation center with 1,000 m² of exhibitions opened 2007-2010) and the archaeological zones including Ciudad de Complutum (Forum-Region II with public buildings and private residences) and Casa de Hippolytus. Visitors can access the site free of charge and participate in guided tours, theatricalized experiences, and educational workshops. Annual events like Complutum Renacida provide immersive Roman historical recreations. The site is complemented by temporary exhibitions and technical tours organized by the Municipal Archaeology Service.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Parque Arqueológico Ciudad Romana de Complutum
• Antiquarium (Centro de Interpretación)
• Ciudad de Complutum (Forum Area)
• Casa de Hippolytus
• Casa de los Grifos
• Visitas Guiadas (Guided Tours)
• Visitas Teatralizadas (Theatricalized Visits)
• Visitas Técnicas (Technical Tours)
• Talleres (Educational Workshops)
• Complutum Renacida Event
• Exposiciones Temporales (Temporary Exhibitions)
• Talleres en el Yacimiento Arqueológico (Summer Workshops)

Quantifiable outcome

• 75,000 visitors since 2009 Forum opening
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Universidad de Alcalá (UAH)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 December 2021Deep collaboration with the University of Alcalá for research, excavation work, and academic programs. The university participates in archaeological excavations, offers 1.5 ECTS credits for seminar participants, and its scholars contribute to publications about the site including the 'Plan Director' book.
• Universidad Autónoma de MadridminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudents from the Degree in Antiquities Sciences participate in excavation work at the site as part of their academic training.
• Museo Arqueológico RegionalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional archaeological museum collaborates on exhibitions and houses significant artifacts from Complutum, including the notable Achilles mosaic found at the site.
• Comunidad de MadridcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional government co-funds excavations, restoration projects, and the Antiquarium construction (2007-2010). The Dirección General de Patrimonio provides ongoing support for conservation and visitor experience improvements.
• Comunidad de Madrid - Dirección General de Patrimonio CulturalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizes the 'Arqueólogos por un día' family workshop program during summer months, providing educational activities for children aged 8-14.
• CSIC (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpanish National Research Council collaborates on research initiatives at the archaeological site, maintaining research conventions with the municipality.
• Asociación Ab Urbe ConditaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistorical recreation association that organizes the Complutum Renacida event, providing Roman military displays, gladiator shows, and cultural performances.
• Concejalía de Juventud e Infancia del Ayuntamiento de Alcalá de HenaresminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal youth department co-organizes photography workshops at the Casa de los Grifos site, engaging young people in documenting the archaeological excavations.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Parque Arqueológico de Segobriga: Roman city ruins in Saelices (Cuenca) with amphitheater, theater, temples, and forum. Comparable as a Spanish Roman archaeological park of similar scale, public management, and family/school audience focus.
• Conjunto Arqueológico de Tarraco: Roman Tarraco archaeological complex in Tarragona (Catalonia) including Roman walls, amphitheater, and forum. Comparable as a Spanish Roman archaeological park with UNESCO-status city context, school-tour traffic, and partially free access.
• Conjunto Arqueológico de Itálica: Roman city of Itálica near Seville, birthplace of emperors Trajan and Hadrian, with amphitheater and mosaic-rich houses. Similar open-air Roman archaeological park in Spain; competes for the same domestic and school-trip cultural-tourism visitor pool.
• Conjunto Arqueológico de Baelo Claudia: Roman coastal town site in Cádiz province with basilica, forum, and temples, run by the Spanish Ministry of Culture (Junta de Andalucía state-managed). Direct peer: Roman archaeological park in Spain with state management, ticket-based access, and interpretation center.
• Villa Romana La Olmeda: Late-Roman villa in Palencia famous for its geometric mosaics. Comparable as a Roman-era site in Spain featuring preserved mosaics, public access for cultural tourism, and school group visits.
• Parco Archeologico di Ostia Antica: Roman port-city ruins near Rome with apartment blocks, forum, and baths. Direct comparable: open-air Roman archaeological park with interpretation, public management, and ticketed guided tours.
• Conjunto Arqueológico de Mérida: Roman archaeological ensemble in Mérida (Augusta Emerita) covering theater, amphitheater, and houses. Closest direct peer: same Roman-period Spanish archaeological park model with mixed free/ticketed zones, public consortium management, and UNESCO-linked city status.

Broad incumbents

• Parco Archeologico di Pompei: UNESCO-listed Roman city preserved by the 79 AD eruption — the global benchmark for Roman archaeological parks. Broad incumbent: same operating category (open-air Roman city site with interpretation centers), vastly larger scale and brand.
• Parco Archeologico del Colosseo (Rome): State-managed Roman archaeological park encompassing the Colosseum, Forum, and Palatine Hill. Much larger incumbent; serves the same cultural-tourism function but at a different scale and with full commercial ticketing.

Others

• Ciudades Patrimonio de la Humanidad de España: Association of the 15 Spanish UNESCO World Heritage cities (including Alcalá de Henares). Ecosystem enabler that drives collective marketing and joint promotional circuits — directly relevant because Complutum/Antiquarium gain visibility and tour-group routing from this association's activity.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC_ktzNMbc1GyiS8ZlhDMp3w
• Instagraminstagram.com/complutumciudadromana
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/complutum

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Complutum