The exhibition in the LVR Roman Museum is a fascinating journey through the Roman history of Xanten - from the invasion of the legions to the creation of the civilian city to its downfall in late antiquity. Young explorers get their money's worth just as much as adults: exhibits to touch and try out, radio plays and many stations for children offer exciting insights into Roman life.
The colourful capital in the LVR-Römermuseum hovers above the ground as high as the original.
The entrance area is reminiscent of the landscape before the Romans arrived.
The lifelike figurine of a Batavian rider illustrates the wars of 69/70 AD.
The protective structure above the walls of the Roman baths gives an impression of former splendor and grandeur.
The huge double legionary camp Vetera I can be explored with an interactive station.
A model of the large thermal baths of the Colonia Ulpia Traiana completes the impression of the protective building.
The Roman hearth, recovered as a block, is a window into the everyday life of the ancient city.
The original find of the Roman ferry floats at a lofty height.
The mighty foundation walls of the bath's basilica are also the foundation walls of the LVR Roman Museum
A view from the air gives a good impression of the size of the ancient bath complex.
The museum building is located above the original foundation walls of the entrance hall to the large thermal baths of the ancient city. With a floor area of 70 x 22 metres, the entrance hall was one of the largest buildings in the Roman city. The modern architecture brings the imposing dimensions of the historical model back to life.
The adjoining steel and glass spa shelter replicates the ancient building of the baths and protects the excavated structures from the sun and rain. Visitors to the museum can marvel at the original remains of bathing pools, fireplaces and heating ducts via walkways.
Xanten's 400-year-old Roman history is like a book with many chapters. The LVR Roman Museum tells this story in an excitingly prepared exhibition with countless original finds from the Roman city and the legionary camps. The exhibition begins in front of the museum with a collection of large Roman blocks. Once stolen from the ruins of the Roman city, the stone blocks weighing tons have now found their way back to the Colonia. They indicate the enormous quantities of stone material that the Romans transported to the Lower Rhine before they fell victim to stone theft in later times.
In the museum itself, the historical tour begins with an area on local conditions at the time when the Roman army came to the Rhine. The focus is on the depiction of a Germanic so-called residential stable house in which people and animals lived under one roof. The core area of the exhibition deals with the Roman city of Colonia Ulpia Traiana. You learn what it meant when the civilian settlement was elevated to the status of a large-scale colonia around 98/99 AD and what an immense achievement was behind the construction of the numerous monumental buildings. A balcony in the adjacent thermal baths allows a direct view of the exposed remains of the Roman baths on site. As you continue on your way, visitors learn more about the population of the Roman city. They get to know the blacksmiths, weavers and doctors who lived and died in the city 1,800 years ago.
The path continues via a ramp into a cabinet that sheds light on the destruction of the city by the Germanic Franks at the end of the 3rd century.
Every Sunday at 12 noon you have the opportunity to explore the LVR Roman Museum on a guided tour (in German). Our tour guides not only give you an excellent overview of the history of Colonia Ulpia Traiana, but also answer all your questions. The tour begins in the foyer of the Roman Museum. In addition to the regular entrance fee, there is a €2 fee for adults and €1 for children.