Task, purpose and goal of the archeoligical park.

Guiding principles

In 1991 the Institute of Archeology of the University of Innsbruck took over the excavations from the University of Vienna. Since then the Archeologists from Innsbruck come to Aguntum every year for approximately 6 weeks in summer. They expand the excavation area each year and examine the roman walls as well as smaller findings like coins etc.
The whole excavation area was changed and adapted to create an archeological park. There the examined roman buildings are kept open and are preserved for following generations, but also for visitors that want to see how roman buildings looked like. Though, most of the buildings are not fully restored, but show the foundation walls.

Today visitors can walk through the ancient city and with the audio guide (which can be downloaded on the smartphone) they get an idea of how this ancient city worked, how the people lived here, but also who and for what the buildings like the Atrium building, the Macellum and the thermal bath were used.

Observation tower

The observation tower with its height of 18 metres offers an over-all view on the excavation area.

The Atrium building

The atrium house with its 6000m² area was the largest residential building of Aguntum. The Atrium formed the heart of the residential and representational unit, with its secondary rooms (living and sleeping rooms). With its mediterranean-style architecture it is unique in the Alpine area. Today it is partially overbuilt for safety purposes. In the time interval of about 300 years (100. A.D. to 400 A.D.) the ancient building was reconstructed from different generations of owners. In the center of the garden a marble basin was discovered which can be seen today inside the museum.

Decumanus Maximus

Decumanus Maximus

The main street in the east-west led through the main gate, which can still be seen today, and was accompanied in the north by covered sidewalks. Important buildings, like the atrium house, the Macellum and the Forum were all located along this main street.

Forum und Macellum

Forum

The building complex in the north of the Decumanus Maximus, which has not been totally uncovered yet, is characterized by its enormous dimensions (approximately 3000m²). This building was used as trading centre but there is a possibility that it was also used as public administration building (Office of the two Mayors of Aguntum).

Macellum

This construction was used as trading building, especially for meat, fish, oysters and other delicacies. The significant and in the European parts of the Roman Empire very unique architectural style shows a combination of a square with an inner circle and a centered decagon.

City Wall

The city wall

Aguntum was once protected by a wall of 400m in length and 7m height. Today the city wall is partially recronstructed. The height of the Main gate and its towers is not fully rebuilt but indicated. To this day, it is not known when the city wall was built.

Thermal bath

Thermal bath

The big thermal bath is one of the rare and well preserved bath complexes so far discovered in Austria. This bath complex was not only used for personal hygiene, but also represented the social center fo the roman life. Over the years the thermal bath was rebuilt a few times. The ruins of this building and the findings there indicate a very sumptous interior decoration.

Craftsmen district

Craftsmen district

In the east of the thermal bath complex there was the artisan’s quarter extended to two building complexes. Three different buildings have been uncovered – simple buildings with workshops for various industries, having roofs of tiles, attic, under-floor heating as well as a living room and a kitchen.

Lavant

The small village Lavant is located in the southeast of Aguntum. In the 4th century many people left the city of Aguntum because of battles nearby and settled there instead, because of its higher position. In the middle of the 20th century archeologists found remains of a castle with episcopal residence, a Roman temple with tombs and votive altars dating from the second and third centuries, a fortification gate flanked by two towers, and an early Christian church built in four phases, dating from the fourth century.

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Grabungsbericht

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