Boppard Roman Fort, Boppard, Germany

Boppard’s most famous sight is a castrum, a Roman Fort. The military camp of Bodobrica was established here in 360 AD. It is thought to be the best preserved example north of the Alps today. It once had 28 towers, and was a commercial centre as well as a fort. It was 308 × 154 metres and formed a rectangle of 4,7 hectare. The walls were 3 metres thick to the land side and 2,5 metres thick to the Rhine side. With a height of 9 metres and 20 horse-shoe shaped towers to the land side, each 27 metres apart, the wall made a very powerful fortification.

The fort can be wandered around freely and it is in remarkably preserved condition. Many of the finds that have been recovered and excavated from the site can be found in the Boppard museum.

References:

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User Reviews

karen stander (3 years ago)
Bought some Eiswein.... This is a picture perfect place. Just love Boppard!!!

Michael Helbach (3 years ago)
Xx

Tommy Volckaerts (4 years ago)
Remains of an old Roman fortification, open 24/7 and free of charge, so an absolute must see. Remember, this used to be the Roman border.

Frank Mélotte (4 years ago)
A must see when you are interested in Roman history. Consider an opidium at the Rhine that had such a huge Roman castle! This place was huge and the remains will still thrill those who have some imagination. The graves outside the castle, the vastness of the stone built towers and the length till the other side of the castle (at the Rhine). A must see, even though you may not spend half an hour at the spot.

Stephen Digby (5 years ago)
Baudobriga fort built in 300's by order of Emperor Julian to keep out Germans. Best preserved Roman fortress walls in Germany. Original outer stones have been taken but kernel of concrete and stone mix remains. Original fort extended at least to St Severus. Frankish graves from 600's shown in site with transparent weather covers. Site display information in German only.

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German crusaders known as the Livonian Brothers of the Sword began construction of the Cēsis castle (Wenden) near the hill fort in 1209. When the castle was enlarged and fortified, it served as the residence for the Order's Master from 1237 till 1561, with periodic interruptions. Its ruins are some of the most majestic castle ruins in the Baltic states. Once the most important castle of the Livonian Order, it was the official residence for the masters of the order.

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In 1598 it was incorporated into the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Wenden Voivodship was created here. In 1620 Wenden was conquered by Sweden. It was rebuilt afterwards, but was destroyed again in 1703 during the Great Northern War by the Russian army and left in a ruined state. Already from the end of the 16th century, the premises of the Order's castle were adjusted to the requirements of the Cēsis Castle estate. When in 1777 the Cēsis Castle estate was obtained by Count Carl Sievers, he had his new residence house built on the site of the eastern block of the castle, joining its end wall with the fortification tower.

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