Divitia-Deutz Fort

Cologne on the right bank of the Rhine also has an ancient history in the form of the Divitia fort. A fort was built there at the beginning of the 4th century under Emperor Constantine to improve the protection of the border. Parts of the fort's foundations, especially those of the east gate, have been bricked up and are still visible. Most of the western side disappeared in the course of the riverbank regulation in the 19th century. Perhaps the most beautiful element, however, which is still preserved, can be seen on the Rhine boulevard. The so-called "ham cauldron" is integrated into the boulevard and stands out as a semi-circular element.

The Divitia is not to be regarded as a singular defensive structure. It stands in the context of the Roman Limes, which secured the empire on its eastern border for centuries and extended right across what is now Germany, especially along the Rhine and Danube. The Lower Germanic Limes, i.e. the northern part of the Roman border defence system along the Rhine, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2021.