Roman Watchtower 4/49 (Pohlheim)

The Upper Germanic-Rhaetian Limes, with a length of 550 km from Eining near Regensburg to Rheinbrohl on the Rhine, is the largest archaeological monument in Germany and has been recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Limes (Latin: border path/wall) refers to the border fortifications of the Roman Empire, which were erected towards the end of the 1st century AD.

This border was monitored by more than 900 towers, which were built in timber construction during the initial phase, starting around 80 AD. Stone towers followed, which were plastered from 150 AD onwards. Excavations have shown that the white plaster often had incised joints, which were painted in terracotta. This created the impression of beautiful ashlar masonry.

Faulty reconstruction (built according to the knowledge of 1967) of a stone tower, a little southwest of the authentic tower site. The tower site is clearly visible in the terrain as a flat hill, about 1.50 m high and 18.90 m in diameter. Here, the Imperial Limes Commission had identified a square stone tower with a side length of 5.90 m, 15 m behind the crest of the Limes wall. The thickness of the walls was 90 cm.