The Museum and its Branches
Exvacation area in the Romaneum
The Romaneum is an educational and cultural center housing the Neuss Adult Education Center, Music School and the FernUniversität Hagen. It stands on a historic spot, the nucleus of today’s Neuss. In the mid-1st century AD it was the site of a Roman settlement inhabited by traders, artisans and soldiers’ families. In the 3rd century a lodging house (mansio) was built for the use of Imperial Roman officials travelling in the area. Although the mansio and the settlement were abandoned in the 4th century the location retained significance for the people of the area after the fall of the Roman Empire. In the early 9th century merchants es t ablished a small trading settlement on the bank of one of the Rhine arms. This grew to become the present-day city of Neuss. The excavations carried out before the Romaneum was built revealed a unique ensemble of building remains reflecting 2,000 years of municipal history. Parts of the uncovered walls and foundations are on display on an area of 350 square meters in the Romaneum. In addition to the foundations of a Roman building there are medieval cellars dating from the 12th to 15th centuries, walls and a baking oven from the 17th century Convent of the Canonesses of the Holy Sepulchre. There are also finds from recent history, such as the foundations of an anti-aircraft position from the Second World War. The integration of such a large area of excavation finds into a building not exclusively used as a museum is unique in Germany. The Romaneum offers explanatory panels with texts and pictures accompanied by a selection of the many objects found in the excavations.
Excavations in the RomaNEum