Started as a temporary winter camp, Carnuntum grew between the 1st and 4th centuries AD into the capital of the Roman province of Upper Pannonia with around 50,000 inhabitants. In addition to the legionary camp and the surrounding camp town, a flourishing civilian town (municipium) developed outside the military zone.
The Limes, the border in the north of the Roman Empire, was marked in Carnuntum by the Danube. Carnuntum developed into an important Roman metropolis not only because of its militarily important location for securing the empire's borders, but also because of its proximity to important trade routes.
In 2021, the Danube Limes was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. In addition to Carnuntum, Austria is represented with a further 21 subcomponents on the 357.5 km long Austrian section (from the Roman City of Carnuntum brochure).
The ticket includes three entrances: for the open-air museum, the military town amphitheater and the Carnuntinum Museum.