Following in the footsteps of the Romans in Avenches
Overview
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Hint
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Intro
Switzerland’s Roman history can be experienced at first hand in Avenches. With this in mind, a tour is offered here that takes guests past impressive ancient monuments.
In Avenches, history buffs can follow in the footsteps of the Romans in Switzerland. The remains of ancient monuments can be discovered in an idyllic landscape not far from Lake Murten. Aventicum, today known as Avenches, was the capital of Roman Helvetia 2,000 years ago, with some 20,000 inhabitants.
The tour begins at the amphitheatre, which could seat 16,000 people. From there, guests can access the most important sights and excavations, including the remains of Roman theatres and thermal baths. This gives the guests an idea of the former size of the ancient city. And they can also easily imagine the lively trade that used to take place among the stately villas and temple complexes. In order to protect themselves from possible attackers, the Romans once built a wall that was five kilometres long and up to seven metres high and had over 73 towers. Parts of this can still be seen today.
The tour can be easily combined with a visit to the Roman Museum, which houses a precious Gallo-Roman collection, including a valuable copy of the famous gold bust of Emperor Marcus Aurelius.
General information
| Time required |
2 to 4 hours (half day)
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| Suitable for children with age |
6 to 9 years, 10 to 13 years, 14+ years
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| Suitable for |
Families, Groups, Individual, Couples
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| Difficulty |
Low
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| Weather |
Indoor and outdoor
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| Category |
Culture, Education
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Group & pricing information
| Further prices (starting from) |
Both the tour and museum entry are free
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Discover the surroundings
Contact
Avenches Tourisme
Place de l'Eglise 3
1580
Avenches
Switzerland
Phone
+41 (0)26 676 99 22
info@avenches.ch
avenches.ch
Show Route
Musée romain
Tour de l'amphithéâtre
1580
Avenches
Switzerland
