The word Limes means “the man-made route cutting straight through an area, an axis for the survey of land or a lane connecting two separate regions.”

We do not know for sure, whether the Roman Empire did have a frontier in the modern sense. The Limes was not only constructed in Germany but along nearly all borders of the Roman Empire.

From the North to the South and from the West to the East it formed a frontier of the Empire, which was easy to defend thanks to its varying forts. The border of the Roman Empire ran along the Koblenz area and over 500 kilometres up to the Danube and therefore constitutes the biggest ground monument in central Europe. 

Remains of it can be seen in the Hettingen district of Buchen: the mighty foundation walls of the small fort “Heunehaus” as well as the remains of three watchtowers along the former course of the Limes in the “Großer Wald” (great forest), the Gewann (field divided into regular strips) “Rehberg”. Wall charts provide more information on the buildings, their use and the time of the Romans. 

A playground, a barbeque area and the forester’s lodge in Hettingen – available for parties and events – are situated nearby.  The town of Buchen is a member of the consortium Limesstraße (Limes route). The bicycle trail of the same name also runs through our area.  

For more information contact:
Tourist Office Buchen • Platz am Bild • 74722 Buchen (Odenwald)
Phone: +49 6281 2780 • Fax: +49 6281 2732 • This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.