12. Feldberg Fort

It is the highest fort on the Upper German-Raetian Limes (700 m above sea level). The Exploratio Halicanensium was stationed in the stone fort, which has an area of 0.7 ha (78 m x 93 m) and was erected in the middle of the 2nd century. It had a rectangular ground plan, possessed corner towers, four gates, and was surrounded by a ditch. Of the internal buildings, we know the principia, a timber building with the standards shrine built of stone, the Horreum (storage building) and parts of a further stone building. The camp village extended to the south-west, south-east and north-east between the fort and the Limes. The baths were also situated there. A burial ground was discovered at a distance of 400 m south-west of the fort.

Excavations were carried out as early as the middle of the 19th century. At that time, the fort baths were investigated, which were known in popular parlance as the “heathen church”. The excavations of the Reichs-Limeskommission began in 1892, and continued until 1904. The Saalburg Museum then excavated here again between 1926 and 1928. The outstanding finds included leather shoes, which were discovered in the sump in front of the north-east gate.

The fort is excellently preserved in the forest, with the internal area and the terrain between the fort and the Limes being largely free of trees. The defence wall is visible all round.

To be seen are the lowest part of the surrounding wall with the earth rampart heaped up behind it, the four gates, with their preserved towers, the corner towers and the foundation walls of the standards shrine and the storage building. Also clearly visible is the hill in which the foundations of the baths lie. Otherwise, only signs of excavations indicate the few buildings that have been investigated in the area of the camp village.

The fort and its environment have been made accessible for walking visitors with the “Rundweg Feldbergkastell” (Feldberg Fort Tour). Information on the fort and the Limes is provided on numerous information boards for those interested.