Archäologischer Park Xanten (APX)

The Archäologische Park Xanten (APX) was built on the remains of Colonia Ulpia Traiana. The Roman colony was not far from Castra Vetera, the legion’s camp, and in its heyday was inhabited by 10,000 – 15,000 Romanised Germans and Gauls and former legionnaires and their relatives.
The town was the second most important trading post of the province Germania Inferior behind Claudia Ara Agrippinensum (Cologne) and on an area of about 900 x 900m had a rectangular system of roads and a sewage system, too. In 275AD Colonia Ulpia Traiana was destroyed by the Franks almost entirely. On the APX site we do not only find reconstructed buildings and life-size models but also the remains of original Roman buildings.
Buildings of note are the port temple (in those days the town was situated on an arm of the Rhine) and the Arena, now used for concerts and other events. The thermal springs are also part of the park, roofed with a large cover, and there is the regional museum, recently built on the foundations of the ancient thermal spring porch and completing the thermal spring cover to form a building which lets you feel the ancient structures’ size.

Author: Editorial staff baukunst nrw
Last changed on 24.04.2024

Categories:
Architecture » Public Buildings » Cultural (cinemas, theatres, museums)