Oldenburg Rampart
One of the oldest and best-preserved archaeological monuments in the Baltic region of Holstein is located in the town of Oldenburg in Holstein, near the Baltic Sea coast. The origins of this rampart, whose outline has been preserved to this day, date back to the first settlement of this Baltic region by Slavic immigrants in the 7th century. The oval rampart, which is up to 18 metres high, is about 220 metres long and up to 100 metres wide, and still stretches through the middle of the town. For several centuries, the archaeological site served the Slavic settlers as a settlement and princely seat. The Danish conquerors destroyed the fortress in the 12th century, but subsequently built a new castle on the site, which played a role in the power struggles of the time. By the early 19th century, the rampart had lost its function and was gradually levelled. Archaeological investigations did not begin here until the 1950s, ultimately leading, among other things, to the establishment of a rampart museum.
Oldenburger Wall
Photo: © KulTour Oldenburg in Holstein GmbH
The Rampart Museum in Oldenburg
Alongside the rampart itself, the neighbouring Rampart Museum provides information about the way of life of the Slavs from the 7th to the 13th century in a region fiercely contested by Germans, Danes, Vikings and Slavs. In addition to archaeological finds and grave goods, visitors can explore three thatched barns built in the style of the 18th and 19th centuries, a replica of a Slavic trading ship from the first millennium AD, and a historic bakehouse with a stone oven where bread is baked regularly. The Rampart Museum is both a living educational resource and a research centre. It particularly welcomes school groups and other visitors for guided tours that offer an authentic glimpse into the history of this Baltic region. Hands-on activities such as soapstone carving, felting, leatherworking, clay modelling, weaving and needle-binding transport participants back to a historical setting. The art of making pies and a cookery workshop called “Poultry in the Middle Ages” are examples of workshops held regularly. A café and museum shop complete the offer. Oldenburg Rampart and the Rampart Museum make a worthwhile excursion during a Baltic Sea holiday in the Holstein region.
Oldenburg Museum Farmstead
Professor-Struve-Weg
23758 Oldenburg in Holstein
Telephone: (0 43 61) 26 74 or 49 80
