Roman Limes Watchtower (WP 1/71)

The Upper Germanic-Rhaetian Limes, with a length of 550 km, from Eining near Regensburg to Rheinbrohl on the Rhine, is the largest archaeological monument in Germany and has been recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Limes (Latin: border path/wall) refers to the border fortifications of the Roman Empire, which were erected towards the end of the 1st century AD.

This border was monitored by more than 900 towers, which were built in timber construction during the initial phase from around 80 AD. Stone towers followed, which were plastered from 150 AD. Excavations have shown that the white plaster often had cracked joints, which were painted in terracotta. This created the impression of beautiful ashlar masonry.

Preserved and partially reconstructed foundations of a square stone tower with a side length of 5.60 meters and a wall thickness of one meter. The ground floor had a screed floor. At the time of its excavation in 1894, the floor contained a 0.40 meter thick layer of burnt material, filled with some finds, which indicates a violent destruction of the tower. Below the stone tower, the post settings of an older wooden tower and its shallow ring ditch could be detected. The tower site is located approximately 22 meters behind the rampart ditch of the Limes, between it and the northern corner of the Hillscheid small fort.