That Kerkplein (Church Square) is a special part of Woerden comes as no surprise to most Woerden residents. But you probably didn't know that the square—and the entire route with 19 archaeological sites along the Old Rhine—is so special that it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Woerden was part of the northern border of the former Roman Empire. That's why it has received this international recognition. Now you can walk on a World Heritage site! This northern border of the Roman Empire is called the Limes. That word also means "border" in Latin. In the Netherlands, this border—2,000 years ago—actually ran along the Rhine: from Germany to the North Sea. The border protected the Roman Empire from Germanic tribes, which is why the Romans often built military forts along this route. The Romans were present in the Netherlands for over 400 years.
Such a fort was called a "castellum." Kerkplein and its surroundings are located precisely on the site of such a castellum. The dark gray stones that run across the square and the church garden, among other places, show the spot where the fort called Castellum Laurium once stood.