The most striking reminders of Blankenheim's long history are the 12th-century castle of the same name, visible from a distance, and the historic town centre with its picturesque half-timbered houses and partially preserved town wall. Just outside the medieval castle town, idyllically nestled in the hilly Eifel landscape, the Blankenheim Roman villa invites visitors to take a trip back to Roman times with its modern presentation.
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Monumental Roman villa
Blankenheim was first mentioned in a document in 721 under the name Blancio. As early as the late first century, an imposing villa rustica was built in what is now the district of Hülchrath – about 300 metres from a side road off Via Agrippa and visible from a distance, due to its hillside location. The terraced estate was rebuilt several times until the fourth century and, among other things, expanded to include a thermal bath complex. More than 100 years after archaeologists made their first discoveries here, tourists can now immerse themselves in the ancient world of the villa as part of the Roman Road Adventure Region.
Seized by the desire to travel through time
Anyone who has acquired a taste for it at Roman archaeological sites should not miss a stroll through the historic town centre of Blankenheim: house facades from different centuries, two medieval town gates and, last but not least, the source of the Ahr river tell exciting stories that are continued in the Eifel Museum and Gildehaus.
Visit the Guild House Information Centre at the foot of Blankenheim Castle in the idyllic town centre.
