Some simple stones, still visible in the ground north of Elzerath, are all that remind us of a sacred district with a small Roman temple. The stone enclosure surrounded an area of 84 x 35 m. In the south of the sanctuary, near the road that passed nearby and today branches off towards Elzerath, a small square building was excavated in 1963. Its outer dimensions are 6 x 6 m, and its inner dimensions are 4.5 x 4.5 m.
No evidence of the religious practices carried out here has survived. However, the location at an important intersection, the enclosed area, and the outlines of a possibly existing chapel strongly suggest a sanctuary.
In the immediate vicinity, the remains of at least four houses of a Roman road station were found, with artifacts dating from the 2nd to the 4th century. Two different roads from Trier intersect at the sanctuary and continue as the Ausonius Way, an important long-distance route to the Rhine and Mainz. The fields where the temple stood are referred to as the 'Jewish Cemetery,' while the area where the Roman settlement was located is called 'Heathen Pütz,' confirming that the site has been known for a long time.
The Roman Temple at Elzerath in ARGO – Experience the Past Anew
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At this point, two different road routes converged in Roman times and continued as a Roman highway to the Rhine.
Today, only a few visible stones remind us of the small Roman temple. No evidence of religious worship has been found here, but its location at an important road intersection makes its designation as a sanctuary conceivable.
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