Long-distance water pipeline

This archaeological presentation area is divided into two levels. On the lower level is a former underground water basin from the Carolingian period. On the intermediate level, which corresponds to the level of the 8th century, an incision in the ground allows a view of the exposed supply line of the basin. In the past, the basin was erroneously referred to as “Karlsbad”. However, it was actually connected to a seven kilometre long long-distance water pipeline that ran underground from Heidesheim through the Wackernheim valley to the imperial palace.

The channel was made of quarry stone and lined with a waterproof mortar. The basin clarified the water brought in by the long-distance water pipeline, which accumulated here so that suspended particles could settle. For a long time, the pipeline was considered to be a Roman structure due to its design features, but recent scientific investigations have confirmed that the pipeline dates back to the Carolingian period. This makes it a rare monument to the history of engineering, providing evidence of the transmission of engineering achievements from Roman antiquity to the early Middle Ages.