Lenus-Mars-Weg

Martberg hill, about 180 metres above the river Moselle between Pommern and Karden, was the location of a fortified town-like Celtic settlement. The centre of the settlement, known as an oppidum by the Romans became the site of a Gallo-Roman temple, a visible reminder of the tumultuous history played out by the Celts and the Romans in the Moselle region. It was a shrine to Lenus Mars, the Roman god after whom Martberg hill was named. In its heyday, around 200 AD, this ritual site was home to numerous temples. Thanks to many years of excavation, parts of the temple complex have now been restored. Guided tours of the complex and the main temple with its wall paintings are available throughout the year. Archaeological finds - including weapons, jewellery and thousands of Celtic and Roman coins - provide an insight into the ritual activities that took place some 2,000 years previously. Individual items are on show in the Museum of Religious History. Numerous information boards are found in the temple complex and along the Lenus Mars Trail. They tell you all about the reconstructions and archaeological research into the Celtic oppidum and the fortifications.