Helpful signs nearby the Feldberg Fort. Photo: M. Kania

Many ways lead to the Limes

Excursion to the Roman empire: a lively lesson in history

The Limes in the State of Hesse leads from the Holzhausen village in the western Taunus through the Wetterau area, to the Odenwald highlands in the south. Due to its addition to the UNESCO World Heritage List in July 2005, the attempts of giving information to citizens and tourists have been seriously boosted.

By Martin Kania, translation and editing by Sebastian Theby

“Er wird genent von jederman, Der Polgrab, und zur lincken handt, Reicht er biß in das Hessenlandt, Zur rechten handt biß an den Rhein, das kan ein langer Polgrab sein.” This is how 16th-century-humanist Erasmus Alberus versified the Limes, which was still mysterious and unexplored back then. Nowadays, there are countless possibilities of informing about the former border of the Roman Empire. Whether conveniently by car, by bike, or taking a walk—whoever wants to know more about the Limes in the State of Hesse, is spoilt for choice:

Limes Street and Limes Cycle Track
The Limes Street (German: Limesstraße) leads from the city of Bad Hönningen (Rhine) to Regensburg. 61 sights, such as watchtowers, museums, or Roman forts, are ready to be explored along the route. Travelling on the Limes Street or visiting single sights along the route means combining recreation and education, conveniently by car.

For those who are interested in both history and sport, the Limes Cycle Track should be an informative and refreshing possibility to spend the time on. The track has a length of 800 kilometres, which are divided into six sections, and leads from the Town of Bad Hönningen to Regensburg just like the Limes. In Hesse, the cyclist firstly needs to conquer to heights of the Taunus. Starting from the village of Holzhausen, the track passes the Roman fort on the Feldberg mountain as well as the Saalburg Fort (German: Römerkastell Saalburg), which is the only reconstructed Roman fort worldwide.

Only a few kilometres ahead lies the Kapersburg Fort. From this point, it is easy to reach a reconstructed watchtower on the Gaulskopf mountain—leaving the trodden paths and cycling right on the Limes rampart may maximize the fun, there are even some brooks to be crossed. Next is the picturesque Wetterau area, where (besides other sights) another watchtower can be visited at the city of Pohlheim. From there, the track leads some kilometers to the east until it heads south, towards the Main river and the nearby city of Hanau. Following the idyllic edge of the Main guides the cyclist to romantic towns such as Seligenstadt, and eventually to the State of Bavaria. Further information concerning the Limes Cycle Track and the Limes Hiking Track is provided by the Association German Limes Street (German: Verein Deutsche Limes-Straße [see link section]).

A hiker’s guide to the Limes
Whoever prefers some sedated hiking will not be disappointed as well, numerous signposted routes with different levels of difficulty are to be discovered. Both the Limes Trail Hochtaunus (German: Limeserlebnispfad Hochtaunus) and another very informative trail surrounding the Saalburg Fort are more than remarkable, the latter including a reconstructed palisade and a border crossing point. After its completion, the “Limeserlebnispfad Hochtaunus” will have a length of 30 kilometers, leading from the village of Glashütten to Langenhain in the Wetterau region. 17 information points with illustrated charts will then be available.

A dozen of hiking trails to Limes sights are extensively described in the book “Wanderungen am Wetteraulimes.” Thanks to precise route specifications, the traveller is able to find even hidden sights along the way, or other interesting sights which got nothing whatsoever to do with the Limes. Apart from that, there are included many pictures, sketches, and detailed maps, which make this book quite essential—even for those who are not too familiar with the German language.

Museums—one way to complete the picture
Museums should not be avoided when it comes to completing the picture of Hesse’s Roman past: Especially the collection of the Saalburg Museum is very remarkable. There are, however, more than that one, as for instance the Archaeological Museum Frankfurt or the Roman-Germanic Museum in Mainz, let alone the numerous smaller, regional museums. Of course you will find fewer exhibits in those, but it is possible to get an interesting insight into local history anyway.

In order to promote the Limes in the public, organisations, associations, museums, and private individuals are increasingly working together on that subject. Giving the people an understanding of the Limes and the coeval basics of the own past is a mutual interest. Therefore, remains of Limes-related buildings have to be conserved, or are even made an archaeological park including information signs, as to be seen at the Feldberg Fort. Bike- and hiking-trails along the Limes get integrative signage, particular sights are enhanced with information panels as well. Moreover, trees have now to be cut if their roots are damaging the ancient buildings.

The Limes in Hesse: a lively experience
For centuries, the region between the Rhine, the Taunus heights, the Wetterau und the Odenwald mountains had been the place where Romans and Germanic tribes clashed, being two completely different cultures. Their relationship was coined by war and peace, as well as rejection and strongest admiration. Hesse’s Roman-Germanic history has been objective for Europe’s future, and Germany’s development in particular. Therefore, to busy oneself with the Limes is both exciting recreation and useful history lesson.

Who does actually know, that the Romans are responsible for founding Frankfurt, or that the largest theater north of The Alps was to be found in Mainz (its remains still are, by the way)? And, as a last example: Thursday (German: Donnerstag) is nowadays only called like that, because the Germanic tribes averted the Roman attempts of invading Germania. The day remained a consecration of the Germanic deity Thor—as opposed to France, where the very same day is called “Jeudi” since then, dedicated to the Roman divinity Jupiter.

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Picture gallery: The Limes in the State of Hesse