Bonn is one of the oldest cities in Germany. Its foundation stone dates back to a Roman legionary camp, which was located in today's Bonn-Castell district. It was one of the largest legionary camps in the Roman Empire, with up to 6,000 legionaries living there at times.
The Bonn-Information and the LVR-Landesmuseum Bonn want to arouse children's interest in this topic with a newly designed circular route through the district. "In 2021, the legionary camp became a World Heritage Site as part of the 'Lower Germanic Limes' border complex. The Bonn City Council has tasked us with making the Roman heritage visible. This is not an easy task, as almost all Roman remains are only available underground," explains Biggi Landsberg, acting head of Bonn-Information. "Together with many partners such as the University of Bonn, the LVR Office for the Preservation of Monuments in the Rhineland and the LVR-Landesmuseum Bonn, we have already initiated several projects to give the Roman heritage the visibility it deserves. With the rally for children, there is now also a great offer for Roman enthusiasts between the ages of six and twelve, which provides child-friendly information about life in this period," explains Landsberg.
Several stations lead the participants from the "Didinkirica" presentation area at Graurheindorf Straße 10 via the Rosental to the Rhine. The tour then heads north along the river and ends at the Roman crane on the corner of Römerstraße and Augustusring. The LVR's new signs for the legionary camp and the Lower Germanic Limes as well as a large harbor picture below the spiral staircase to the Welrichsweg have recently been erected along this route. You can now also see the visualization of the Roman gate on the red information board of the tourist guidance system at the corner of Römerstraße/Rosental, which is said to have stood there at the time. All these markings serve as an important source of information for answering the Roman Rallye questions, but also provide orientation and interesting facts for those who are not taking part in the tour.
Bonn comic artist "Özi" draws Roman figures on the rally map
The fact that the rally plan for children appeals to the target group in terms of both language and design is thanks to the LVR-Landesmuseum Bonn. In particular, Dr. Anne Segbers, cultural mediator at the State Museum, put her heart and soul into the project as the idea generator for the rally. "Being out and about in the Roman camp and imagining what remains of Roman buildings are right under your own feet has a special fascination for young and old alike. The State Museum has numerous important objects from Roman times. We are therefore delighted to be working with Bonn-Information to realize this special project. Visitors can already look forward to our new permanent archaeological exhibition, which will open in summer 2026. The Roman artefacts can then be fully experienced again and will complement the exciting rally with fascinating stories of the Romans on the Rhine," says Segbers.
In a child-friendly way, participants repeatedly encounter Romans on the map who presumably lived in Bonnensia and talk about their lives. Both Biggi Landsberg and Anne Segbers consider the comic Roman figures, which breathe special life into the map, to be a particular highlight. They were created by the Bonn artist "der Özi".
The circuit lasts around one and a half hours and is aimed at children of primary school age and grades 5 and 6. The LVR-Landesmuseum Bonn will be compiling extensive information material on the rally's stations for teachers in the coming weeks to help educational staff incorporate the Romans into their lessons.
Bonn in the NRW Foundation's Roman Explorer Book
In keeping with the theme, the NRW Foundation's publication "Mein Römer-Entdeckerbuch" (My Roman discovery book) has also recently been available at the Bonn-Information. Nicki Nuss, the NRW Foundation's mascot for children's activities, presents 24 sites of the Roman Limes - places where relics of Roman towns and camps or exciting museums and reconstructions can still be found today. Pages 35 to 45 deal with the legionary camp in Bonn. The 160-page, high-quality publication with child-friendly texts and lots of craft tips is distributed free of charge to families.
The rally plan and teaching materials are also free of charge and the brochures and documents are available from Bonn-Information or digitally at www.bonn.de/roemer (opens in a new tab). A solution sheet for the rally is also available on request. However, this can only be obtained on request at the Bonn-Information in Windeckstraße 1, by telephone on 0228 77 50 00 or by e-mail to bonninformationbonnde Completed rally sheets can be presented at the Bonn-Information, where there is also a small prize for the children.