Routes

Planner

Features

Updates

App

Get the App

Darmstadt District

Roman Limes Border at Großkrotzenburg

Darmstadt District

Roman Limes Border at Großkrotzenburg

Recommended by 41 hikers out of 44

Save

Location: Großkrotzenburg, Main-Kinzig-Kreis, Darmstadt District, Hesse, Germany

Save

See hikes here

Take Me There

Routes here

Best Hikes to Roman Limes Border at Großkrotzenburg

4.5

(24)

hikers

1. View of the Main River – Seligenstadt Main Ferry loop from Klein-Krotzenburg

13.6km

03:26

20m

Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

Navigate

Send to Phone

Save

Intermediate

4.7

(22)

hikers

2. Seligenstadt Market Square – Seligenstadt Old Town loop from Seligenstadt (Hessen)

14.1km

03:35

30m

Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

Navigate

Send to Phone

Save

Intermediate

4.8

(24)

hikers

3. Limes Park Großkrotzenburg – View of the Main River loop from Dettingen (Main)

23.2km

05:52

40m

Expert hike. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

Navigate

Send to Phone

Save

Expert

Tips

Manfred

November 4, 2019

Here ran the border between the Roman Empire and the Free Germania.

Translated by Google •

Manfred 🔎

June 14, 2022

Großkrotzenburg was the site of a Roman fort, built around 140 AD. A few years earlier, the Romans had completed the Odenwald Limes and also built a fort in Obernburg am Main. Between Obernburg and Großkrotzenburg, the Main marked the border to free Germania. There were no stockades; Left Main forts on the near Niedernberg and Stockstadt were sufficient for security.

The interesting question is why the Romans used the Main as a border for 40 km from Obernburg and then built a bridge near Großkrotzenburg of all places and then a fort on the right side of the Main, from which the Limes continued.

The Romans wanted to avoid the dense and inaccessible Spessart when building the Limes. The Roman legions could not develop their fighting strength in Germanic forests. In 9 AD the Germans inflicted a devastating defeat on the legions of the consul Varus in the Teutoburg Forest.

The Romans built their Limes lines as straight as possible so that there was visual contact from the watchtowers and the Limes could be defended more easily. Around the year 140 AD. a simple fort already existed in Altenstadt (Hesse). Großkrotzenburg is almost due south of Altenstadt. The Limes line between Großkrotzenburg and Altenstadt could therefore largely be built in a straight north-south line.

The Romans wanted swamps, moors and damp alluvial forests to stretch in front of the Limes, because no attacks are possible in the deep soil. From Großkrotzenburg, the Limes leads dead straight through the “Schilfläche von Großauheim” over to the formerly swampy “Wolfganger Lache”. Then the Kinzigaue with the permanently wet floodplain forests is crossed until the Roman fort in Erlensee is finally reached on dry feet.

Translated by Google •

Frank Rmr

May 18, 2021

As a natural border, the Main assumed the function of the Roman Limes (Nasser Limes). Nearby excavations have also proven the existence of a Roman bridge over the Main. In Großkrotzenburg there are some remains of the walls of the Roman fort and the street system of the town center goes back to the structure of the fort settlement.

Translated by Google •

In the know? Log-in to add a tip for other adventurers!

Details

Informations

Elevation 100 m

Weather

Today

Saturday 11 October

16°C

10°C

0 %

If you start your activity now...

Max wind speed: 2.0 km/h

Most visited during

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

See hikes here

Take Me There

Location: Großkrotzenburg, Main-Kinzig-Kreis, Darmstadt District, Hesse, Germany

Roman Limes Border at Großkrotzenburg

1. View of the Main River – Seligenstadt Main Ferry loop from Klein-Krotzenburg

2. Seligenstadt Market Square – Seligenstadt Old Town loop from Seligenstadt (Hessen)

3. Limes Park Großkrotzenburg – View of the Main River loop from Dettingen (Main)

Other Popular Places to Check Out

We value your privacy ⛰️

We value your privacy ⛰️