Temple of Mercury and Rosmerta

History

At the end of the 19th and during the 1920s extensive excavations were conducted within the Koblenz City Forrest to uncover a temple area, which is a splendid example of a gallo-roman use temple. According to unearthed sculpture fragments this sanctum was dedicated to the Roman God Mercury and his Gallic companion Rosmerta. 

There is some literature describing the religious practices during the Gallo-Roman era. However, the specific location of the temple is probably related to the nearby Roman Road, which connected Koblenz and the Rhine Valley across the Hunsrück with Trier.  The map specifics of the temple arrangement show the square central construction, Celia (1), where Altar and spiritual pictures (2) were located, with surrounding columnar hall (3).  The spiritual practices that were conducted here go back to Pre-Roman spiritual customs of local, Celtic heritage.

Location

The Mercury Temple is located just outside of Koblenz, along Federal Road B 327.  

The Temple can be reached easily via a short walk from a parking lot called "Eiserne Hand".

Reconstruction of the MercuryTemple

Mercury temple

The Mercury Temple is another example of a religious monument, most likely of Celtic origin, which was likely used by both Celts and Romans.

The current arrangements have been restored based on an excavation of the previous temple that was made of wood (4), which together with relics date back to the of 1. Cent. B.C.  The temple proper covers an area of 19.20 m x 18.60 m and was located within a holy district, the Temenos.  It was surrounded from polygonal, slightly oval encirclement wall (5), whose biggest diameter amounted to approx. 106 m and had  at least three entrances (6).  The main access occurred from NW (7).  Within the area of the enclosure (8) and other remnants of foundation walls were a well small buildings (9) or foundations of inauguration statues, which were connected to the admiration of the  Divinities and the particular spiritual practices.

In this area relics were recovered, in particular coins, that support the idea that this temple was used uninterruptedly until the 5. century AD.

Based on discovered sculpture fragments it is believed that this sanctum was dedicated to the Roman God Mercury and his Gallic companion Rosmerta. However, very little is known about the specific religious practices. The temple area was connected to main Roman roads, which were located nearby and connected Koblenz and the Rhine valley via the Hunsrück with Trier. 

In addition there is a surrounding portico.  The religious practices carried out here go back to pre-roman religion customs of local, Celtic heritage. 

Materials found in the area of the temple, in particular coins, support the idea that this area saw uninterrupted use of the temple until the 5th century A.D.

Alexei Kondratiev writes in "Lugus: The Many-Gifted Lord": 

"While Rosmerta appears with "Mercury" in various guises throughout Gaul and Britain, in these specific representations both of them are particularly linked to the concept of sovereignty. In Iron Age society the cohesion of a group around a chieftain was secured and given a sacred recognition by the means of a communal feast, in which a ritual drink served by the goddess of the land (a role played by a priestess or by the chieftain's consort) was shared, binding all the participants to their land, their ruler, and each other. Rosmerta was the divine keeper of the drink of sovereignty, while the spear-wielding "Mercury" was the archetype of all rulers, the Otherworldly protector of the earthly king."