Römische Ausgrabungen

Burgus

The late Roman fort (Burgus), known locally as the Roman walls, was built in the second half of the 4th century at the north-west corner of the Roman camp for the remaining garrison of only around 50 men. The fortified former camp was left to the civilian population. The only access to the almost square building was from inside the camp through the still visible archway. Originally, the building had three storeys with wooden false ceilings. In the middle, four hook-shaped foundations indicate a small inner courtyard. They supported wooden pillars on which the roof rested. In the foreground are parts of the western wall, which fell down in late antiquity.

Fan tower

The fan tower was added to the existing camp wall as a north-eastern corner tower in the first half of the 4th century. It is the oldest of the visible Roman structures at Zeiselmauer / Cannabiaca. Its fan-shaped ground plan meant that it protruded far beyond the corner of the camp, which made it easier to defend against attacking enemies. The holes for the scaffolding dating from the construction period are marked by wooden stakes. The original height of the tower was 9 meters. It is located on the private property at Römergasse 6.

Granary

The late Roman box gate was built in the second half of the 4th century on the site of the previous eastern camp gate (Porta Principalis Dextra). The upper part of the archway can be seen just above the current ground level, with the connecting surface of the former camp wall on the left-hand side. The rounded corners of the building are characteristic of Roman construction. From the Middle Ages, the building was used as a "granary" (storehouse for the tithe grain) and has therefore been preserved. The masonry is late Roman up to the roof height, the date 1581 on the archway refers to the installation of a cellar vault with entrance gate at that time.

Roman showroom

Zeiselmauer has a remarkable collection of Roman art and everyday objects from the camp area, the civilian settlement and graves. The small exhibition shows a selection of these, supplemented by loans from the Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna, the Province of Lower Austria - Carnuntum Archaeological Park and the Federal Office for the Protection of Monuments. All the objects come from Zeiselmauer and span the period from the 1st to the 4th century.

The exhibition in the foyer of the municipal office is freely accessible during the opening hours of the municipal office and the adjacent bakery. It was created in 2015 by the "Friends of Zeiselmauer" association and financed by contributions from its members.

The two most important written testimonies from Zeiselmauer / Cannabiaca are worthy of note:
A dedication stone erected by the troops stationed here around 165 AD in honor of Emperor Lucius Verus.
The 2nd century funerary stele of the veteran Aelius Aemilius, erected for him by his wife, probably named Amuca in Celtic. A copy of the funerary stele has been erected next to the Burgus.

Lower church

Under the parish church are the remains of the Roman command building (principia) with the flag sanctuary, where the troop insignia and a statue of the Roman emperor were kept. In late Roman times, the flag sanctuary probably served as a Christian place of worship. After the new settlement by the Bavarians in the 9th century, a Carolingian hall church was built over the Roman remains. It is one of the earliest church buildings in Lower Austria.

Visits to the lower church are only possible with a guided tour and by prior arrangement. kontakt@freundevonzeiselmauer.at