List of Netherlands sites

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The following 19 sites/clusters fall within the modern jurisdiction of Netherlands. They are principally located on the Rhine/Maas delta, characterised by flat alluvial plains. Waterlogged conditions have resulted in extremely good preservation of buried timber structures as well as ephemeral items buried in rubbish dumps.[1]

Locations listed for the UNESCO World Heritage List: Lower Germanic Limes - part 1: Netherlands
Site Roman Name Modern-day Location Feature Coordinates Occupation time period Investigated
1 possibly Pretorium Agrippine Valkenburg-Centrum Auxilliary fort. The list notes 4 excavated areas within the fort and adds a larger 'buffer zone' covering the whole fort and areas towards the vicus 52°10′48″N 4°25′59″E / 52.18000°N 4.43306°E / 52.18000; 4.43306 AD 40 to late 3rd century 1946-51 plus 1962-80
2 Valkenburg-De Woerd Military vicus (civil settlement, although this is a puzzling 1km away from the fort) 52°10′19″N 4°26′17″E / 52.17194°N 4.43806°E / 52.17194; 4.43806 AD 50 to 250 1920s, 40s, 1972, 2019
3 Forum Hadriani, also known as Municipium Aelium Cananefatium (MAEC) Voorburg-Arentsburg Civil settlement in the Rhine-Meuse delta, with harbour frontage to access Corbulo's Canal 52°3′36″N 4°21′0″E / 52.06000°N 4.35000°E / 52.06000; 4.35000 cAD 15 origins. Expansion under Hadrian (2nd century). Occupied to at least 400 1827-34, 1908-15, 1984-88, 2005-08.
4 Fossa Corbulonis (Corbulo's canal) Voorschoten and Leidschendam-Voorburg Canal linking the Meuse and Rhine rivers, constructed by Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo, some 34 kilometres (21 miles) in length. (Six protected sections over an 11km stretch between properties 3 and 5) 52°6′18″N 4°25′44″E / 52.10500°N 4.42889°E / 52.10500; 4.42889 AD 47 - 50 1989 onwards.
5 Matilo Leiden-Roomburg Auxiliary Fort and civil settlement where Corbulo's Canal meets the Rhine 52°9′0″N 4°31′1″E / 52.15000°N 4.51694°E / 52.15000; 4.51694 AD 70 (or before); 103/111; 200 1962 (channel); 1994–1997 (vicus); 1999, 2009 (stone fort).
6 Laurium (fort) Woerden-Centrum Auxiliary fort, largely undisturbed beneath the modern town. Delta conditions mean well-preserved timbers have survived 52°5′10″N 4°53′2″E / 52.08611°N 4.88389°E / 52.08611; 4.88389 AD 39 (timber), 150 (stone) to 275 1975 onwards
7 Utrecht 2.5km section of the Limes road (a via militaris which ran along the left bank of the lower Rhine). It includes 3 sites with well preserved timbers of watchtowers, river revetments and sunken ships. Two rebuilding phases followed personal inspections by Trajan and Hadrian 52°5′10″N 5°0′29″E / 52.08611°N 5.00806°E / 52.08611; 5.00806 cAD 85 (refurbished 99+ and 123+) 2000 onwards
8 possibly Fletio Utrecht-Hoge Woerd Auxiliary fort with associated settlement, bath house, cemeteries, and rubbish dumps 52°5′10″N 5°2′31″E / 52.08611°N 5.04194°E / 52.08611; 5.04194 AD 40s to at least late 3rd century 1940s onwards
9 Utrecht-Groot Zandveld Watchtower, some 3m (10ft) square, on a low hill with views of the former river channels 52°5′42″N 5°3′4″E / 52.09500°N 5.05111°E / 52.09500; 5.05111 AD 40 to 70 1999, 2003, 2005
10 Traiectum Utrecht-Domplein Auxiliary fort, now under the town centre with some standing remains. The Roman military settlement became a major medieval town. 52°5′28″N 5°7′19″E / 52.09111°N 5.12194°E / 52.09111; 5.12194 AD 40 to 3rd century 1929, 1933-49
11 Fectio Bunnik-Vechten Auxiliary fort with associated settlement, Limes road, quays, cemeteries, and rubbish sites 52°3′29″N 5°9′58″E / 52.05806°N 5.16611°E / 52.05806; 5.16611 5 BC to 3rd century AD 1892-4 and 1st half of the 20th century
12 possibly Castra Herculis Arnhem-Meinerswijk Auxiliary fort and settlement, partly eroded by the shifting Rhine channel. Some of the fort now has reconstructed wall-lines 51°58′16″N 5°52′26″E / 51.97111°N 5.87389°E / 51.97111; 5.87389 AD 10 to 3rd century 1979, 1991-2
13 Elst-Grote Kerk Roman Temple, built on a pre-Roman sacred site and now occupied by a 15th century church 51°55′12″N 5°50′56″E / 51.92000°N 5.84889°E / 51.92000; 5.84889 AD 50, rebuilt 100 1947
14 Oppidum Batavorum Nijmegen-Valkhof area Early Roman town (oppidum), capital of the Batavi. Also site of a late Roman fort 51°50′53″N 5°52′12″E / 51.84806°N 5.87000°E / 51.84806; 5.87000 Oppidum: 10 BC to AD 70. Fort: late 3rd to 5th centuries AD 1910 (fort), 1940s onwards
15 Ulpia Noviomagus Batavorum Nijmegen-Hunerberg Earliest military fortification on the lower Rhine, briefly serving as the army's operational base. This was followed by a Legionary fortress and civil settlement from AD 70 51°50′24″N 5°53′2″E / 51.84000°N 5.88389°E / 51.84000; 5.88389 19 to 12 BC. AD 70 to mid-2nd century 1916-20 and numerous post-war excavations
16 Nijmegen-Kops Plateau Early fort with irregular shape, 'annexes' (military compounds outside the walls), residential blocks and a large assemblage of luxurious finds. 51°50′17″N 5°53′31″E / 51.83806°N 5.89194°E / 51.83806; 5.89194 10 BC to AD 70 Mainly post-1946 excavations (esp 1986-95)
17 Berg en Dal aqueduct Roman aquaduct, to transport running water 5.5 kilometres (3.4 miles) to the legionary fortress at Nijmegen. Embankments and cuttings carried wooden troughs from a reservoir near Groesbeek 51°49′5″N 5°54′0″E / 51.81806°N 5.90000°E / 51.81806; 5.90000 AD 70 to mid-2nd century 2000-4
18 Berg en Dal-De Holdeurn Military tile and pottery kilns, initially established by and for Xth legion, but later provided products for the whole lower Rhine army 51°49′1″N 5°55′59″E / 51.81694°N 5.93306°E / 51.81694; 5.93306 late first century AD to third century 1938-42, 2015
19 Carvio ad molem ('Carvium near the groyne') Herwen-De Bijland Auxiliary fort located near a groyne which deflected the waters of the Waal into the Rhine, to maintain a navigable channel, built by Drusus. An inscribed gravestone and masonry fort defences have been found during gravel extraction. 51°52′52″N 6°5′56″E / 51.88111°N 6.09889°E / 51.88111; 6.09889 Groyne (not found) was built 9 BC to AD 55 1939 (gravestone), 2015-16

List of sites in Germany

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All but one of the German locations falls within the state of North Rhine-Westphalia (The Auxiliary fort at Remagen is in Rhineland Palatinate). Almost all of the sites are on the left (western) bank of the Rhine. Many of the military structures follow a similar chronology comprising a temporary camp with an earthen defensive boundary, replaced in the mid first century by timber defenses and later still by stone defences - particularly after the Revolt of the Batavi of AD 68-69. By the third century many military features were being abandoned, although some remained in use for a futher 200 years. The civil settlements also persisted in use, and many have a direct successor in their modern settlements. A number of sites can be matched with Roman place names, particularly from writers such as Tacitus and from ancient documents such as the map known as the Tabula Peutingeriana. The list below shows the 25 sites (some individual, some clusters of several component parts) that are now inscribed as part of the World Heritage Site.[2]


Locations listed for the UNESCO World Heritage List: Lower Germanic Limes - part 2: Nord Rhein Westfalia, Germany
Site Roman Name Modern-day Location Feature Coordinates Occupation time period Investigated
20 Kleve-Keeken Double-ditched marching fort (between 4 and 8 ha) 51°50′28″N 6°4′41″E / 51.84111°N 6.07806°E / 51.84111; 6.07806 unknown 2016.
21 Kleve-Reichswald 2 sections of Roman Limes Road (over c1.5km) 51°47′28″N 6°5′35″E / 51.79111°N 6.09306°E / 51.79111; 6.09306 Probably in use throughout the Roman occupation 2015 excavation.
22 Arenacum / Arenatium Till (Bedburg-Hau) Legionary fortress, fort, camps. 51°46′37″N 6°14′20″E / 51.77694°N 6.23889°E / 51.77694; 6.23889 AD 70-180 2010. 2015 excavation trench.
23 Kalkar-Kalkarberg Sanctuary/Temple to the Germanic war goddess Vagdavercustis 51°43′44″N 6°17′6″E / 51.72889°N 6.28500°E / 51.72889; 6.28500 c12 BC to c AD 400 1980. 2000-2009 excavations.
24 Burginatium Kalkar-Bornsches Feld Auxiliary Fort, civil settlement, cemetery, limes road, fort (fleet base?) 51°42′50″N 6°19′8″E / 51.71389°N 6.31889°E / 51.71389; 6.31889 1st to 3rd centuries 2005 and 2015 geophysical survey.
25 Uedem-Hochwald A cluster of 13 individual marching camps, ranging from 0.5 to 2.5 ha (covers 15 properties) now in woodland 51°41′31″N 6°21′7″E / 51.69194°N 6.35194°E / 51.69194; 6.35194 unknown 2012 laserscan.
26 Wesel-Flüren 4 marching camps from a cluster of at least 8, (size 1.2 to 2.5 ha), now in woodland on the east bank of the Rhine 51°40′55″N 6°33′32″E / 51.68194°N 6.55889°E / 51.68194; 6.55889 unknown 2012 laserscan.
27 Colonia Ulpia Traiana ('CUT') and Tricensima Xanten Walled city, accorded Colonia (city) status, founded by Trajan next to the double legionary fortress of Vetera. A 4th century defensible fortress of Tricensima was built within the older city. The whole 90ha city area is now an open-air Archaeological Park 51°40′1″N 6°26′38″E / 51.66694°N 6.44389°E / 51.66694; 6.44389 AD 100 (under Trajan (renamed in 110 by Marcus Ulpius Traianus), 4th century rebuilding Excavation of City walls: 19th century; amphitheatre:1930s; Buildings within the archaeological park: from 1977.
28 Vetera Castra Xanten-Fürstenberg Vetera I was Lower Germany's largest legionary fortresses (c57ha), with space for two legions plus amphitheatre. After AD 70 This was replaced by a single-legion fortress (Vetera II) nearer the river, and the establishment of the Colonia to the north 51°38′35″N 6°28′12″E / 51.64306°N 6.47000°E / 51.64306; 6.47000 Vetera I: 10 BC to AD 40; Rebuilt in stone: AD 40 to 70;
Vetera II: AD 70 to at least 260
Antiquarians. 19th century. 1905-1930 (small trenches); 1960s onwards, aerial/Geophys surveying. Vetera II: 1955-58 underwater investigations.
29 Alpen-Drüpt Two overlapping large temporary camps and an Auxilliary fort 51°35′13″N 6°32′46″E / 51.58694°N 6.54611°E / 51.58694; 6.54611 Unknown Camps: 1960s aerial photos. Fort: 2015 surveys and geophys.
30 Asciburgium Moers-Asberg Auxilliary Cavalry Camps, tented followed by timber fortress. Later stone Burgus tower. 51°25′55″N 6°40′12″E / 51.43194°N 6.67000°E / 51.43194; 6.67000 16 BC to AD 85. Late 4th century Burgus. 1956–1981 excavations
31 Duisburg-Werthausen Fortlet (0.3ha) formerly on the right bank of the Rhine. (Oxbow has since cut through, so on the modern left bank) 51°25′19″N 6°42′40″E / 51.42194°N 6.71111°E / 51.42194; 6.71111 After AD 85 to 3rd century 1891, 1924 excavations
32 Gelduba Krefeld-Gellep Site of AD 70 battle of Gelduba, in the Batavian Revolt. An Auxilliary fort was built on the battlefield. 51°19′59″N 6°40′55″E / 51.33306°N 6.68194°E / 51.33306; 6.68194 AD 70 to 5th century Earliest excavations in 1934. Fort in 1964-68. Vicus 1977 and 2017.
33 Novaesium Neuss Successive legionary camps including the 'Koenenlager' - the first fully excavated Legionary Fortress (28.5ha) - and a later Auxilliary fort built within the abandoned fortress. 51°10′55″N 6°43′26″E / 51.18194°N 6.72389°E / 51.18194; 6.72389 16 BC earliest camp. 43 AD: 'Koenen's Camp'. 2nd century Auxilliary fort. 1897-1900: Koenen's excavations. 1950s onwards: excavations at earlier camps.
34 Neuss-Reckberg Small fort and nearby Watchtower which would have commanded views of the River, Limes Road and surrounding areas 51°10′34″N 6°45′58″E / 51.17611°N 6.76611°E / 51.17611; 6.76611 1st to 2nd centuries 1885 excavation by Koenen
35 Monheim am Rhein Late-Roman Fort. Substantial brickwork walls, corner towers and 8 interval towers, enclosing 2.5ha. Some walls remain to 4m, incorporated into a medieval Manor House, Haus Bürgel, open as a museum. 51°7′44″N 6°52′23″E / 51.12889°N 6.87306°E / 51.12889; 6.87306 Early 4th to 5th centuries Various excavations from 1953 onwards.
36 Durnomagus Dormagen Auxilliary fort (3.3ha) for some 500 cavalry soldiers. A later Burgus made use of a corner section of wall. 51°5′35″N 6°50′24″E / 51.09306°N 6.84000°E / 51.09306; 6.84000 80s AD wooden fort rebuilt in stone by 150, bunt down in 161. Burgus in 3rd to 4th centuries 1963–1977 excavations
37 Praetorium at Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium Cologne Palace of the Governor of Lower Germania province. It was the largest Roman building on the Lower Rhine, and is now amongst the best studied Roman buildings anywhere. An Underground museum of the foundations has been incorporated into the MiQua permanent exhibition under the Rathausplatz. 50°56′17″N 6°57′32″E / 50.93806°N 6.95889°E / 50.93806; 6.95889 Early 1st century Legionary HQ, and the name continued for the Governor's palace of 80 AD, and rebuilds in 185 and mid-4th century. The building was in use until possibly 8th century. Post-war reconstruction uncovered the foundations, with multiple subsequent discoveries over 65 years to the 2007-2018 museum excavations.
38 Castrum Divitia Deutz, Cologne 4th century fort inaugurated by Constantine I to control a new Rhine Bridge to Colonia. The only fort on the Lower Rhine right bank. Standing remains were incoporated into a 9th century Church, and then in 1003, into Deutz Abbey. 50°56′17″N 6°58′12″E / 50.93806°N 6.97000°E / 50.93806; 6.97000 AD 309-315 until mid 5th century 1879–1882, 1927–1938, 1967, 1976–1979, 2010–2015 excavations
39 Alteburg, Cologne Fort fronting the Rhine, providing the permanent base for the Classis Germanica, the Roman fleet on the Rhine, 3km south of the Colonia 50°54′18″N 6°58′37″E / 50.90500°N 6.97694°E / 50.90500; 6.97694 10 AD to 3rd century 1870-99 and multiple excavations through 20th century
40 Kottenforst Nord Manoeuvring areas for training activities in the vicinity of Bonn legionary fortress. The walls of 12 separate training camps are preserved up to 0.5 m high. 50°43′1″N 6°58′41″E / 50.71694°N 6.97806°E / 50.71694; 6.97806 1st and 2nd centuries Laser scanning from 2008
41 Castra Bonnensis Bonn Legionary Fortress (27.8 ha) remaining on the same footprint over its 400 years in use. Base for Legio I Minervia. Bonn's streets still reflect the walls and roads of the fortress. 50°44′42″N 7°6′0″E / 50.74500°N 7.10000°E / 50.74500; 7.10000 AD 35 to 430 First discovery and excavations in 1818, further excavations in 1903–1905; 1958/59; 2013–2014.
42 Kottenforst Süd Manoeuvring area similar to that north of Bonn, with 10 separate training camps with areas ranging from 0.5 to 1.9ha and earth walls 0.5 m high. 50°39′32″N 7°5′38″E / 50.65889°N 7.09389°E / 50.65889; 7.09389 1st and 2nd centuries Laser scanning from 2008.
43 Iversheim Limekilns to supply military construction for use along the whole lower Rhine area, via the river Erft. Six kilns of which three are now displayed in an exhibition building. 50°35′17″N 6°46′26″E / 50.58806°N 6.77389°E / 50.58806; 6.77389 1st to 3rd centuries excavated 1966-68.
44 Rigomagus Remagen Auxiliary fort (1.47 ha) in use from 1st to 4th centuries. Later (270 AD onwards) construction re-used the older wall foundations. some of which survive in the modern town. 50°34′48″N 7°13′41″E / 50.58000°N 7.22806°E / 50.58000; 7.22806 1st to 4th centuries Excavations from 19th century onwards.
  1. ^ cite report|url=https://assets.plaece.nl/kuma-romeinen/uploads/media/5e185eaee7e70/lgl-2a-site-catalogue-nl-06012020.pdf%7C title= Part II A – Annex 1, Catalogue of Component Parts, Netherlands - Frontiers of the Roman Empire – The Lower German Limes| author=Nomination File for Inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List| year=2021| access-date=17 October 2024}}
  2. ^ Nomination File for Inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List (2021). Part II B – Annex 1, Catalogue of Component Parts, Germany - Frontiers of the Roman Empire – The Lower German Limes (PDF) (Report). Retrieved 17 October 2024.