Royal Palace of Werla

Welcome to the Royal Palace of Werla

The concept of the park was developed and is being further developed by a steering group in which the municipality of Schladen-Werla, the Friends, FEMO, the institutional sponsors and the NLD Bezirksarchäologie Braunschweig are represented. The extensive areas belong to the state of Lower Saxony, the municipality of Schladen-Werla and the district of Wolfenbüttel and are cared for and maintained by FEMO. The spokesperson of the steering group is currently the mayor of Schladen-Werla, Andreas Memmert. Frank Oesterhelweg MdL is currently the chairman of the association. The work is accompanied by a scientific advisory board consisting of Prof. Dr. M. Springer (Magdeburg), Dr. C. Ehlers (Frankfurt a. M.), Prof. Dr. G. Biegel (Braunschweig), Dr. M. Blaich (Hildesheim) and Dr. M. Geschwinde (Braunschweig).

Numerous sponsors were involved in the development of the park: The accompanying scientific investigations were financed by the Braunschweig Cultural Heritage Foundation, the conservation of the exposed walls and the excavations by the Lower Saxony Ministry of Science and Culture, the reconstruction of the west gate by the Mast-Jägermeister Foundation and the V+R Foundation, the reconstructed building ground plans made of steel plates by Salzgitter AG, to name but a few.

In the Archaeological Park, the main structures of the Palatinate are reconstructed on the authentic site. The ditches and ramparts of the core castle and the inner outer bailey 2 have been reconstructed to a greatly reduced extent on the basis of the excavation results. The modern rampart and moat comprise about 30 % of the volume of their predecessors in the 10th century. Archaeological windows open up a view of the central wing in the core castle, tower 4 of the core castle, gate 1 of the core castle and the wall of the inner outer castle 1 from the early 10th century. Gate 2 (the west gate) of the core castle with the adjoining walls has been reconstructed as a 1:1 model on the authentic site.

Parts of the course of the wall of the inner outer bailey 1 and the slope wall of the core castle are reproduced by modern dry stone walls. At the site of the stone building on the chapel hill is a wooden viewing platform from which an impressive panorama over the Werla opens up.

The royal palace of Werla played a central role in establishing Ottonian kingship in the crisis-ridden 10th century. Afterwards it lost its importance. From 1200 onwards, Werla was used as a quarry until even the last building disappeared. Archaeological excavations have been able to demonstrate the impressive dimensions of the palace on the basis of the preserved remains of the foundations. The relics visible again in the "Archaeological Park Royal Palace Werla" are visual aids to visualise the dimensions and splendour of the complex in the 10th century. The real images must arise anew in the mind of each visitor...

Author: Dr. Michael Geschwinde