The Excavation Museum beneath the Parish Church
A visit to the St. Dionysius Excavation Museum takes you back to the beginnings of the present-day city of Esslingen am Neckar. Excavations took place in the Parish Church of St. Dionysius from 1960 to 1963. They were subsequently preserved and are now on display here.
Beschreibung
A visit to the St. Dionysius Excavation Museum beneath the Stadtkirche (parish church of the same name) takes you back to the beginnings of the present-day city of Esslingen am Neckar.
It was by chance that the remains of two former buildings (St.Vitalis I and St.Vitalis II) were discovered in 1960 during construction work for an underfloor heating system. The excavation work continued until 1963 and was subsequently opened to the public. Of special importance are the remains of the crypt, the saint's tomb, the interior furnishings and the Nordmann Stone. The inscription on the gravestone is one of the oldest in south-west Germany.
The Beginning of Medieval Archaeology
The excavations in the Parish Church of St. Dionysius in Esslingen were the beginning of middle archaeology in the former State Antiquities and Monuments Department of Baden-Württemberg. From 1960 to 1963, the entire interior surface and selected surrounding areas of the church were archaeologically investigated before a church heating system was installed. The medieval archaeologist G. P. Fehring led the excavations and came across a succession of buildings spanning centuries, which was then scientifically researched. The succession of church buildings not only reflects the ecclesiastical development of Esslingen, but is also a reflection of the political and social development of the settlement from a village to a regional urban centre.
Creation of an Excavation Museum
After the investigations were completed, the uncovered findings were not filled in again, but covered with a ceiling. Today they can be viewed in the Excavation Museum beneath the church. In recent years, the archaeological findings were subjected to preservation measures and the didactic and museum equipment was brought up to modern standards.
Kontakt
Adresse
Marktplatz 3
73728 Esslingen am Neckar