Saalburg Roman Fort

The Saalburg is a Roman fortification in the Taunus mountains in Germany and was a stronghold in the Upper Germanic Limes.

It was constructed about 90 CE, enlarged until about 210, and abandoned after 260. It is estimated that it was home to Cohors II Raetorum civium Romanorum equitata, about 500 cavalry and infantry, to protect the access to the Rhine-Main valley from the Germanic tribes in the North. Eventually it decayed, and its stones were used as a quarry.

In 1887 emperor Wilhelm II initiated its reconstruction. Today the Saalburg houses a museum and is a center for Roman archeology. It is located near Bad Homburg, north of Frankfurt.

As part of the Upper Germanic Limes the Saalburg belongs to the UNESCO World Heritage sites since 15. July 2005.

The ten closest neighbours in the database:

Frankfurt (Germany) (19 km), Rhein-Main Airport (26 km), Hanau (Germany) (29 km), Ronneburg (Germany) (35 km), Mainz (Germany) (37 km), Büdingen (Germany) (39 km), Alzenau (Germany) (41 km), Gelnhausen (Germany) (45 km), Aschaffenburg (Germany) (53 km), Rüdesheim am Main (Germany) (56 km)

Take a birds-eye view of the current location:

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Main entrance (porta preatoria) of the roman fort Saalburg nearby Bad Homburg
Overview plan of the roman fort Saalburg
Defense walls of the roman fort Saalburg. On the left you can see a part of the wall where the plastering was restored as it could have looked like during Roman times. In the background you can see another of the four entrances (porta principails sinistra).
Porta Praetoria of the roman fort Saalburg
Porta Praetoria of the roman fort Saalburg
Inscription above Porta Praetoria of the Saaburg. It commemorates that the German emperor Wilhelm II restored the roman fort. GVILELMVS II FRIDERICI III FILIVS GVILELMI MAGNI NEPOS ANNO REGNI XV IN MEMORIAM ET HONOREM PARENTUM CASTELLVM LIMITIS ROMANI SAALBVURGENSE RESTITVIT
Two moats support the defenses of the fort against Germanic attackers from the north
Porta Praetoria of the roman fort Saalburg
Praetorium of the roman fort Saalburg
Principa (main building) of the roman fort Saalburg
Vestibule of the Principa
Maps of the Roman Empire and plans of the defenses (the so called Limes) along the border line to the Germanic territory  are shown on the walls of the Principa vestibule.
The map shows the Limes in Germany in the year 159.
Vestibule of the Principa
This temple-like building houses the insignia of the troops stationed in the Saalburg
The Roman legionnaires had to bake their own bread. Therefore a larger number of ovens was available in fort Saalburg.
The Roman legionnaires had to bake their own bread. Therefore a larger number of ovens was available in fort Saalburg.
Porta Decumana
Small Roman bath within the walls of fort Saalburg
Small Roman bath within the walls of fort Saalburg
Small Roman bath within the walls of fort Saalburg
Small Roman bath within the walls of fort Saalburg
Porta Decumana
The Roman legionnaires had to bake their own bread. Therefore a larger number of ovens was available in fort Saalburg.
The Roman legionnaires had to bake their own bread. Therefore a larger number of ovens was available in fort Saalburg.
The granary (horreum) houses the museum
Fort Saalburg shows typical tools of Roman times in the museum
         
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