Archäologischer Park Ostkastell Welzheim
Freely accessible archaeological park on the Limes in Welzheim with the reconstructed west gate of the Roman East Fort and casts of Roman stone monuments.
About the museum
In Roman times Welzheim was an important garrison site on the Upper Germanic Limes with no fewer than three forts. The smaller East Fort, covering around 1.6 hectares, was built around AD 160 and housed a unit of roughly 150 to 200 men, including a Numerus Brittonum; it existed until the Limes was abandoned around AD 260.
The first excavations were carried out by the Reichs-Limeskommission (Imperial Limes Commission) in the 1890s. To protect the area from development, it was investigated again from the 1970s; by 1981 mainly the defensive wall, gates and towers had been uncovered, while the interior was preserved as an archaeological reserve. The west gate was rebuilt as a walk-through reconstruction, and in 1983 the first presentation of the fort was opened to the public.
Since a redesign in 1993, the open site has been called the Archäologischer Park Ostkastell. Besides casts of inscriptions from Welzheim, replicas of Roman stone monuments from across the Upper Germanic region are on display. A well in the fort yielded exceptional finds, including around a hundred leather shoes. Since 2005 the fort has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Frontiers of the Roman Empire – Upper German-Raetian Limes.
Highlights
- Reconstructed west gate of the Roman fort
- Casts of Roman stone monuments from Upper Germania
- Outlines of the defensive wall, gates and towers
- Limes-Cicerones standing guard at the fort on Sundays and public holidays (May–October)
- Part of the UNESCO World Heritage Limes
- Operated by
- Stadt Welzheim
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
Free admission. Tours with the Limes-Cicerones can be booked via the Tourist-Info Welzheim; prices on request.
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
No official information on accessibility.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Amenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 60 min |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Classic guided tours (60–90 min.) on the military, crafts, daily life or religion, also in costume, as well as experience tours, evening tours and Limes hikes (up to 150 min.) with the Limes-Cicerones; booking via the Tourist-Info Welzheim, Postweg 2 (tel. 07182 8008-15). |
