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Roman Hostel

Travellers in Roman times often journeyed for many days and also had to endure many hardships. The Hostel at the Colonia Ulpia Traiana offered travellers a comfortable respite.

Reconstructed Roman furniture, a carpet and mural paintings in one of the living rooms. Click on the photo to see a larger version.

Plant in front of the restaurant in the Roman Hostel. Click on the photo to see a larger version.

The Hostel offered comfortable quarters for merchants.

The reconstructed Hostel near the ancient harbour includes all the facilities in which travellers could relax.

Corridors lead off from the long colonnade to the guest rooms. The Roman kitchen is located at the end of the colonnade. Delicacies based on ancient recipes are prepared here during the Roman Weekends. From the anteroom, stairs lead down into the basement with the large storage vessels.

The green herb garden with the Roman Hostel in the background. Click on the photo to see a larger version.

View of a roof edge of the Roman Hostel with two reconstructed Corinthian pillars. Click on the photo to see a larger version.

The Roman Hostel's herb garden.

The herb garden is only a few steps further. Herbs and spices imported by the Romans still grow here. During the Roman Weekends, the herb expert's stand provides an opportunity to find out more about the kitchen herbs and medicinal herbs.

Directly alongside the garden, the dining rooms of the Roman restaurant and tables on the veranda invite visitors to stop for a snack.

The Park's information centre is located at the other end of the Hostel. A large model of the Roman city and numerous text panels with photographs and drawings provide further information on the Colonia's buildings.

Basket with onions and garlic, a jug and fresh herbs on a wooden table. Click on the photo to see a larger version.

Parts of the herb garden of the Roman Hostel. Click on the photo to see a larger version.

The basement with large storage vessels in the ground. Click on the photo to see a larger version.

Ample opportunity to spend time in the Roman Hostel.

Continuing along the colonnade, we reach the workshops used by the bone carvers and shoemakers. Qualified experts demonstrate their ancient craft here during the Roman Weekends.

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Hostel baths

An inner courtyard leads to the ancient bathhouse. It is still the only bathhouse anywhere in the world to be heated in the same way as in antiquity. A single wood fire heats the floors, walls and of course the bath water.

View of the richly decorated hot bath in the reconstructed bathhouse. Click on the photo to see a larger version.

Colourful mural paintings in the hostel baths. Click on the photo to see a larger version.

Tasteful decoration: typical of Roman baths.

The special atmosphere of the Roman baths can still be felt inside the bathhouse even when it is not being heated. The bathhouse has four rooms at different temperatures. From ancient writings we know that the Romans greatly appreciated the typical sequence of cold, warm and hot baths.