Römische Villa Nennig
Roman country estate in Perl-Nennig with the largest mosaic floor north of the Alps: scenes from the amphitheater, shown where it was found.
About the museum
In 1852, a farmer in Nennig on the Upper Moselle came across a large Roman mosaic floor by chance. As early as 1853 the find received its own protective building, so the mosaic can still be seen in its original location today. Over the following decades, large parts of the complex were excavated; the excavations of the 1860s are also linked to a much-discussed scandal involving forged inscriptions.
The villa was founded in the 1st century AD and used until the second half of the 4th century. New excavations between 1987 and 1999 showed that it was an axial courtyard villa: the prestigious manor house, with a colonnaded facade around 120 m wide, had side wings, a hall around 250 m long leading over to the bathhouse, and an elongated farmyard with residential and utility buildings. In front of the bath rises a large burial mound, whose ring wall was partly rebuilt after excavations in 1986/87.
The centerpiece is the roughly 160 m² mosaic from the 3rd century, which adorned the reception hall of the manor house. Laid from about three million tesserae, it shows animal hunts and fights from the amphitheater in framed panels arranged around a water basin. The site belongs to the Stiftung Saarländischer Kulturbesitz and is managed together with the Museum für Vor- und Frühgeschichte in Saarbrücken.
Highlights
- Mosaic floor of around 160 m² made of about three million tesserae
- Panels with animal hunts and gladiator fights in the amphitheater
- Mosaic in its original location under a protective building from 1853
- Roman burial mound with partly reconstructed ring wall within walking distance
- Wall remains of a large axial courtyard villa
Permanent exhibitions
- Mosaikboden der Römischen Villa – The mosaic preserved in situ from the reception hall of the manor house, with scenes from the arena, complemented by the visible wall remains of the villa.
- Operated by
- Stiftung Saarländischer Kulturbesitz
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €3 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €1.50Groups of 10 or more paying visitors, holders of the volunteer card (Ehrenamtskarte), and members of the Bundesverband Museumspädagogik, the VHD, and CISH |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 18 · Children and teens up to 18 and school students are admitted free. |
| Seniors | –No senior discount listed. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freePeople with a severe disability (degree of disability 50 or higher) are admitted free. |
| Students & apprentices | freeUniversity students, vocational school students, and volunteer service participants free. |
| Groups (10+ people) | €1.50 per personReduced admission for 10 or more paying visitors. |
Free admission: Free admission on Wednesdays from 15:00 and every 1st Sunday of the month.
Card payment not available. Free admission also with the SaarlandCARD, Saar Pass, and SozialCard, for recipients of social benefits, and for members of the friends' association, the Deutscher Museumsbund, and ICOM.
Accessibility
- Partially wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: not available
- 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
Not fully accessible: wheelchair users are advised to take the somewhat bumpy natural path behind Nennig church; one step at the entrance to the protective building and three more between the ticket desk and the mosaic. Restrooms not accessible. Advice at +49 681 95405-24.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Römische Villa, Nennig Perl
Bus stop "Römische Villa, Nennig Perl" right at the entrance (lines 156 and 315); regional train to Nennig, Perl, or Merzig with bus connection; SaarLuxBus to and from Luxembourg.
By car
Parking available · 50 m to the entrance
"Römerstraße" parking lot on the left side of Römerstraße, about 600 m after the entrance to Nennig; alternatively, park at the church in Nennig and take a nature path behind the church to the villa.
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 |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Photography | According to the foundation's visitor information, only with a photo permit and without flash or tripod; ask at the ticket desk. |
| Good to know | Guided tours and school programs via the visitor service of the Stiftung Saarländischer Kulturbesitz (tel. +49 681 9964-234, service@saarlandmuseum.de). The Roman burial mound is a few minutes' walk away. |
