Osterburken combines insights into the Roman era with churches, a geological museum and trails in the Kirnau Valley. The Roman Museum focuses on finds and archaeological topics; outdoors, a preserved fort site and a steel frame mark the history of the Limes. With some planning, you can choose between exhibitions, historic buildings and trails with different routes.
The Roman Era at the Museum and in Limes Park
The Osterburken Roman Museum uses finds from Osterburken and the region to illustrate life among the Romans on the Limes 1,800 years ago. Numerous exhibits come mainly from the northern Baden section of the Limes; these include the statue group from Schneidershecke and the Mithras altar from Osterburken. The “Religion,” “Romans on the Limes” and “Archaeological Methods” sections explore a range of topics. The covered excavation of the bathhouse is also part of the history offering for visitors of all ages.
Osterburken was one of around 50 forts that served as bases for troops. Osterburken Fort is preserved as a park about 300 metres from the Roman Museum. In Limes Park, a 14-metre-high steel frame built on the foundations of the fort gate marks the outline of the ancient structure. If you would rather explore Roman history at another site, a walk-in Limes tower stands on a hill south of the town; it is visible from far away.
The Roman Museum is located at Römerstraße 4, 74706 Osterburken. It is fully accessible and has a wheelchair-accessible lift and an accessible toilet. Check these facilities before your trip.
Churches and a Different Museum Theme
The churches also reflect different historical periods. The Catholic parish church of St. Kilian in Osterburken was built between 1970 and 1974. In Hemsbach, about two kilometres away, stands St. Mauritius, a Romanesque church dating from the 12th century with medieval murals. Its historical significance extends beyond its architectural history: the cult of the Three Holy Virgins made St. Mauritius an important pilgrimage site until the end of the 18th century. This cult was once rare on the right bank of the Rhine; the pilgrimage history is a historical context, not a statement about pilgrimage activity today.
The Geological and Palaeontological Museum Osterburken offers a change of focus from the Roman era to the history of the Earth. Most of the museum is devoted to fossils and minerals from the Muschelkalk. Here, the focus is on rocks and finds, while the Roman Museum explores human history on the Limes and the related archaeological methods.
The Kirnau Valley and Trails with Different Routes
The Kirnau Valley Nature and Landscape Conservation Area covers around 205 hectares. It runs mainly along the valley, which stretches from southwest to northeast, from the built-up area of Osterburken to an area about two kilometres northeast of Rosenberg. The conservation area therefore extends beyond the town.
The Sportplatz–Hochwasserrückhaltebecken–Talmühle circular trail follows Sportplatzweg past the SV Osterburken sports grounds and into the Kirnau Valley. It first follows a paved path, then a grassy path to the flood retention basin. There it crosses the Kirnau and returns towards Osterburken along the left side of the valley. The sequence of paved path, grassy path and river crossing gives the circular trail a different character from the Roman sites in town.
Another option is the hiking trail from Osterburken to Rosenberg. It also follows Sportplatzweg past the SV Osterburken sports grounds and into the Kirnau Valley. The route to Rosenberg first follows paved paths, then a grassy path, and from the flood retention basin onwards, a paved path again; the distance is about four kilometres. The approximate distance and the described path surfaces help distinguish this route from the circular trail that returns to Osterburken.
Discover more destinations: Zwingenberg, Rosenberg, Limbach/Laudenberg, Neckarzimmern, HaĂźmersheim, Schollbrunn, Elztal, Schefflenz.
See the regional travel overview: Neckar-Odenwald District.
