Roman Villa Borg

The Roman Villa Borg is a reconstructed Roman villa located near the village of Borg in Saarland, Germany. At the end of the 19th century, a local school teacher discovered the ruins of a grand Roman countryside villa (villa rustica) which consisted of three wings covering an area of more than 7.5 hectares. The complex was excavated in the late 1980s, and a plan to reconstruct an authentic representation of the buildings as they originally appeared in the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD began in 1994. The project was completed in 2008, although further excavation is still underway.

Coordinates: 49° 29′ 47″ N, 6° 27′ 29″ E

The site consisted of an agricultural facility, including a large palatial residence or pars urbana and a pars rustica or economic area. The reconstruction of the Roman villa rustica was based on the local findings and excavation work at similar sites in the Saar region, such as the villa at Echternach in Luxembourg. The reconstructed buildings now stand on the Roman foundation walls, revealing their probable appearance in the 2nd to 3rd centuries AD. Today, the archaeological park functions as an open-air museum and provides a detailed impression of what life was like back then in the countryside.

The reconstructed buildings comprise the baths, which are fully functional and consist of a frigidarium (cold bath), caldarium (hot bath) and tepidarium (tempered bath) together with latrines and a dressing room (apodyterium); the main building with large reception hall and several adjacent rooms in which the most important finds from the site and replicas (see here) are displayed; a Roman kitchen; a residential building.

A tavern in one of the wings, which was not part of the original villa, serves food and drinks based on ancient Roman recipes. The Villa Borg also produces its own Roman bread, which you can buy at the tavern. The bread is baked inside the reconstructed Roman kitchen (culina).

In 2000 the villa complex was expanded in the wake of the EU project “Gardens without Limits“. Six gardens were created on the complex site: the courtyard garden, the herb garden, the rose room, the fruit garden, the vegetable garden and the flower garden. The fruits, vegetables and herbs are used to prepare the Roman and regional dishes in the Tavern.

Only the pars dominica, the residential area exclusive to the master (dominus) and his family, has been excavated. Excavation work is currently being carried out in the area of the pars rustica, the space reserved for servants and workers of the farm.

PORTFOLIO

The reconstructed Gatehouse through which visitors enter the site of the Roman Villa Borg.
The reconstructed Gatehouse through which visitors enter the site of the Roman Villa Borg.
The interior of the Gatehouse has been designed to meet contemporary requirements and accommodates the ticket office, museum shop and administrative offices.
The interior of the Gatehouse has been designed to meet
contemporary requirements and accommodates the ticket
office, museum shop and administrative offices.
The courtyard garden with the Gatehouse in the background.
The courtyard garden with the Gatehouse in the background.
The courtyard garden with the Gatehouse in the background.
Manor house, bath and Taverne (right); living and working quarters (left.
The Manor house and its courtyard garden.
The reconstructed manor hall (atrium) used as a museum.
The reconstructed manor hall (atrium) is used as a museum.
The reconstructed manor hall (atrium) used as a museum.
The reconstructed manor hall (atrium) is used as a museum. From February to July 2013, an exhibition on Roman glass (CIRCUS BEAKERS & RIBBED BOWLS ROMAN GLASSMAKERS Mark Taylor & David Hill – work show 1989-2012) was held in the reception hall. Several dozen glass vessels found at the Villa Borg site were displayed alongside hundreds of glasses reconstructions made by Mark Taylor & David Hill.
Furniture reproductions, stools, tables, cupboards exhibited in the adjacent rooms.
Furniture reproductions, stools, tables, and cupboards are exhibited in the adjacent rooms.
Furniture reproductions including a Roman cradle based on the one found in Herculaneum.
Furniture reproductions include a Roman cradle based on the one found in Herculaneum in the house of Marcus Pilius Primigenius Granianus.
The exhibition area.
The exhibition area.
The exhibition area.
The exhibition area.
The exhibition area.
The exhibition area.
The complex also includes a fully functioning Roman bath. The baths have been rebuilt in their original way and give an indication of how important the bathing culture was in the Roman Empire.
The complex also includes a fully functioning Roman bath. The baths have been rebuilt in their original way and indicate how important the bathing culture was in the Roman Empire.
The reconstructed frigidarium (cold bath).
The reconstructed frigidarium (cold bath).
The reconstructed caldarium, a vaulted room containing a hot bath.
The reconstructed caldarium is a vaulted room containing a hot bath.
Next to the caldarium and in line with ancient bathing customs is the reconstructed laconicum, the dry sweating room of the Roman thermae. The resting room was raised to a higher temperature and had no bath in it.
The reconstructed laconicum, the dry sweating room of the Roman thermae. The resting room was raised to a higher temperature and had no bath in it.
The reconstructed laconicum (resting room).
The reconstructed laconicum (resting room).
The reconstructed hypocaust in the resting room next to the baths.
The reconstructed hypocaust in the resting room.
The reconstructed lararium, the sacred place of the house, and a statue of Clio, the muse of history and and a reconstructed lararium, a shrine to the guardian spirits of the Roman household (Lar Familiaris).
The medium-warm room of the baths contains a statue of Clio, the Muse of history and a reconstructed lararium, a shrine to the guardian spirits of the Roman household (Lar Familiaris).
The reconstructed latrines.
The reconstructed latrines.
The reconstructed Roman kitchen (culina). The Villa Borg produces its own Roman bread which you can buy at the tavern. The bread is baked inside the reconstructed kitchen.
The reconstructed Roman kitchen (culina). The Villa Borg produces its own Roman bread, which you can buy at the tavern. The bread is baked inside the reconstructed kitchen.
The reconstructed Roman kitchen (culina).
The reconstructed Roman kitchen (culina).
The reconstructed Roman kitchen (culina).
The reconstructed Roman kitchen (culina).
The flower garden.
The flower and herb garden. The gardens were designed as authentically as possible based on pollen analysis and relevant literature.
The plant garden.
The plant garden.
The rose garden.
The rose garden.
The rose garden.
The rose garden.
A tavern in one of the wings which was not part of the original villa serves food and drinks based on ancient Roman recipes.
The tavern in one of the wings serves food and drinks based on ancient Roman recipes.
Excavation work at the Roman Villa Borg.
Excavation work at the Roman Villa Borg.
Excavation work at the Villa Borg.
Excavation work at the Villa Borg.
Roman Villa Borg.
Roman Villa Borg.

The Saarland and Mosel Valley’s ancient Roman heritage has a lot to offer to tourists and scholars alike. More than 120 antique sights along the Moselle and the Saar rivers, the Saarland and Luxembourg are testaments to the Gallo-Roman era north of the Alps (further information here).

Visiting the Roman Villa Borg: The villa is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 6pm from April to October and from 11am to 4pm from February to March and November. The site is closed on Mondays and in December and January.

Website: http://www.villa-borg.de

by Categories: GermanyTags: , , 2 Comments

2 thoughts on “Roman Villa Borg”

  1. Pingback: Annum novum faustum felicem vobis! | FOLLOWING HADRIAN

  2. Absolutely fascinating! For years I’ve followed various sites of Roman villa around the world. To me it seems that even in my lifetime many of these sites have visibly deteriorated. Eventually many of these, even if it takes hundreds of years will eventually crumble into dust. I’ve wondered if the best way to preserve them would be to rebuild them as this site has been done. Who knows?

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