Description
The Saalburg is a Roman fort on the Taunus ridge northwest of Bad Homburg vor der Höhe in the Hochtaunus district. It is considered the best-researched and most completely reconstructed fort of the Upper German–Rhaetian Limes, which has held UNESCO World Heritage status since 2005.
History and use
At this strategically important location, the Saalburg Pass, which formed a natural crossing from the Main plain into the settlement area of the Germanic tribes, Roman troops built a fort at the beginning of the 2nd century. Originally, around the year 90 AD a simple timber-and-earth fort was constructed here. Around 135 AD it was replaced by a stone fort of about 3.2 hectares for an infantry unit of just under 500 men, which was intended to guard the frontier wall (Limes). Beside the fort a vicus (civilian settlement) developed, in which merchants, craftsmen and the soldiers' families lived. After the Romans withdrew around 260 AD, the site gradually fell into ruin.
Reconstruction
The ruin was identified in the mid-18th century as a "Roman entrenchment". After decades of archaeological investigations, Emperor Wilhelm II ordered the rebuilding of the fort in 1897 based on the extensive excavation finds. The foundation stone was laid on 11 October 1900, and by about 1907 the unique, almost completely reconstructed fort had been created. The reconstruction was carried out directly on the old Roman foundations.
Current use and museum
Today the Saalburg is a branch of the Archaeological State Museum of Hesse and houses a museum on the history of the Limes and the Roman provinces. Inside the fort numerous buildings have been reconstructed, including the headquarters building (principia), the commander's house and a large grain store (horreum). The museum displays original archaeological finds, staged rooms and models that provide insight into the living environment of the soldiers and the civilian population. In addition there is an archaeological park and a research center for Provincial Roman Archaeology.
Visitor information
The Saalburg is open year-round, with opening hours in the winter half-year (November to February) from Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 16:00. In the summer half-year (March to October) the site is open daily from 10:00 to 18:00. The site lies immediately west of federal road B456 and is easily accessible via various hiking trails, such as the Limes hiking trail.
