Via Agrippa / Information centres

Three information centres along Via Agrippa

At the Romano-Germanic Museum in the Belgian House, everything revolves around the Roman road system and Cologne's role as the provincial capital of Lower Germania. At the Nettersheim Nature Centre, the focus is on the Via Agrippa. At the Guild House in Blankenheim, on the other hand, the main focus is on Roman agriculture.

  • Information point at the Belgian House / Photo: Roman-Germanic Museum of the City of Cologne/Rheinisches Bildarchiv Köln, Anja Wegner
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    Cologne
    Information centre in the Belgian House

    "All roads lead to Cologne" – because Cologne was the seat of the governor and a central transport hub in Roman Rhineland. This is where the most important long-distance roads of the province of Lower Germania converged.

    Photo: Romano-Germanic Museum of the City of Cologne/Rhenish Picture Archive Cologne, Anja Wegner

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    Nettersheim
    Information centre in the Eifel Nature Centre

    The Roman Road Information Centre in Nettersheim is located in the Eifel Nature Centre, a supra-regional visitor centre with exhibitions on nature and history, tourist information, a museum shop and a cafeteria.

    Photo: Municipality of Nettersheim

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    Blankenheim
    Information centre in the guild house

    The guild house in Blankenheim shines in new splendour and with a new exhibition. The former local history museum has been transformed into an information centre on the history of the Romans and their legacy in Blankenheim and the northern Eifel.

    Photo: Town of Blankenheim

The mansions along the Via Agrippa

The Latin term ‘mansio’ refers to a rest house situated alongside a main road. Travellers could stop here to rest and spend the night. In addition to the main building of the inn, such a civilian roadside station usually comprised outbuildings such as stables and barns, and often included bathing facilities. Emperor Augustus had already introduced a system of rest stops situated at regular intervals along the state roads to ensure the smooth running of the state courier and transport service, the cursus publicus.

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    Erftstadt

    Photo: Town of Erftstadt

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    Mechernich

    Photo: Norbert Dreßen