Oldenburger Wallmuseum

About the museum

The Oldenburger Wall in the town center of Oldenburg in Holstein is one of the most important archaeological monuments in Schleswig-Holstein. The fortress was built toward the end of the 7th century, making it one of the oldest Slavic hillforts in Germany. As early as the 11th century, the Slavs called it “Starigard,” meaning old fortress – which became the German name Aldinburg and later Oldenburg. Until the 12th century, the site was the seat of the princes of the Wagrians, a trading center, a pagan sanctuary, and one of the earliest bishoprics in the Baltic region.

Initial test excavations led by Karl Wilhelm Struve in the 1950s confirmed the site’s outstanding importance. Major excavation campaigns in the 1970s and 1980s, later under Ingo Gabriel, uncovered the princely court of the 9th and 10th centuries, the first bishop’s church, and a pagan sanctuary.

The Wallmuseum at the foot of the rampart brings these findings to life. Two exhibitions housed in historic farmhouses from the region, rebuilt on the site, present finds, models, and groups of figures. In 2014, the outdoor grounds around the Wallsee lake, with their island settlement, were expanded to include a craftsmen’s village, a hermitage, and a replica of the princely hall; today there are around 20 reconstructed buildings, brought to life by costumed interpreters. The museum is run by a non-profit company; also on the grounds, the St.-Johannis-Toten- und Schützengilde, a guild founded in 1192, displays its small guild museum.

Highlights

• Reconstructed princely hall of Starigard
• Slavic island sanctuary in the Wallsee lake
• Around 20 replica early medieval houses and workshops
• Finds from the excavations on the Oldenburger Wall
• Hands-on stations such as trying on chain mail and a “smell bar”
• Guild museum of Germany’s oldest existing guild

Permanent exhibitions

• Starigard/Oldenburg – Leben am slawischen Fürstensitz – Finds, reconstructions, and life-size groups of figures tell the story from the arrival of the Slavs, the construction of the hillfort, the princely court, faith, and Christianization to the end of Slavic rule.
• Leben in einer slawischen Stadt vor 1.000 Jahren – A comparison with other West Slavic centers such as Wolin and Spandau, covering trade routes and early medieval crafts.
• Slawensiedlungen im Freigelände – Two settlements with around 20 reconstructed buildings, including a sanctuary and the princely hall, brought to life by volunteer sponsors and continually developed further.

Operated by

Wallmuseum Oldenburg in Holstein gemeinnützige Betreibergesellschaft mbH

Admission & discounts

Dogs on a leash are free. Special events (e.g., evening events, seminars, Slavic Days) have their own prices.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: no information
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The website provides no information on accessibility. Dogs on a leash are allowed.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Hands-on stations

Audio guide and rally sheets for children, including for children who cannot read yet; hands-on stations, holiday programs during school holidays, and a children's festival.

Getting there & parking

Via the A1, exit Oldenburg i. H.-Nord; GPS address Professor-Struve-Weg 1.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Restaurant
• Museum shop

Café-restaurant "Zweizack" on the historic farmstead grounds. Museum shop in the entrance building.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.

Plan your visit