Germany’s largest open-air archaeological museum, Xanten explores North Rhine’s Roman history, bringing it back to vivid life with reconstructions of baths, temples, city walls with guard towers, and even a gladiatorial amphitheater. Not only are the re-creations located in the exact same places as the original buildings, but they’re also true to scale, built with authentic materials and impressive attention to detail. In addition to showing how ancient Xanten once looked, the museum offers interactive stations where visitors can learn about what life was like for the town’s 10,000 inhabitants.
The adjacent Roman Museum, opened in 2008, examines Roman history and ancient life in the Lower Rhine more generally, while other exhibition spaces explain excavation methods and how archaeological research is evaluated. Also open to visitors is a guesthouse with a restaurant serving Roman-era dishes, as well as an annual “Swords, Bread, and Games” festival and themed weekend workshops, held May through September, that cover everything from cooking and baking to jewelry making.
