Via Belgica / Information Centres

Three information centres along the Via Belgica

At the Romano-Germanic Museum in Cologne, everything revolves around the Roman road system and Cologne's role as the provincial capital of Lower Germania. At the Jülich Citadel, visitors can learn all kinds of interesting facts about the Via Belgica in a specially developed exhibition. The information centre at Rode Castle in Herzogenrath presents the castle's multifaceted past

  • Infostation im Belgischen Haus / Foto: Römisch-Germanisches Museum der Stadt Köln/Rheinisches Bildarchiv Köln, Anja Wegner
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    Cologne
    Information station 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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    Jülich
    Information station in the Citadel Museum

    The Roman roads formed an important basis for the development of the cultural landscape over the last 2000 years. Jülich owes its existence to the ancient long-distance road from Cologne to Boulogne-sur-Mer ("Via Belgica").

    Photo: Jülich Citadel Museum

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    Herzogenrath
    Information station in Rode Castle

    Rode Castle towers over the town of Herzogenrath from its hilltop location – its sturdy tower identifies it from afar as a fortified medieval structure, which one would not initially associate with Roman roads.

    Photo: Town of Herzogenrath

The mansions along the Via Belgica

The Latin term mansio refers to a roadside inn located on the edge of the long-distance road. Here, travellers could stop and spend the night. In addition to the main building of the inn, such a civilian road station usually consisted of farm buildings such as stables and barns, and often also included bathing facilities. Emperor Augustus introduced a system of rest stops 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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    Aldenhoven

    Photo: Norbert Dreßen

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    Baesweiler

    Photo: Rown of Baesweiler