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RUXanten (Low German: Santen) is an amazingly cozy resort town in Germany, in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
It is situated near large lakes, which attract many vacationers in the summer. Here you can engage in various water sports or simply enjoy relaxation by the water.
It is subordinate to the administrative district of Düsseldorf and is part of the Wesel district. The population is 21,572 (as of December 31, 2010), and it covers an area of 72.39 km². Its official code is 05 1 70 052. The town is divided into six municipal districts.
Sights:
St. Victor’s Cathedral
Klever Tor (Kleve Gate)
Kriemhild Mill
Archaeological Park
Colonia Ulpia Traiana (Latin: Colonia Ulpia Traiana) was an ancient Roman city on the territory of the modern German town of Xanten (federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia). The colony was founded by Emperor Marcus Ulpius Trajan and named after him. It was one of the 150 cities in the Roman Empire that held the highest municipal rights. After Cologne (in ancient times “Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium”) and Trier (“Augusta Treverorum”), it was the third-largest Roman city north of the Alps and served as the main port of Lower Germany.
Based on archaeological research, the first settlements on the site of modern Xanten date back to the 4th century BC. In 14-13 BC, a legionary fortress (castrum) of the Legio Vetera was established on the 75-meter-high Fürstenberg hill, which served as a base for attacks on the Germanic tribes inhabiting the right bank of the Rhine. This led to the relocation of a Germanic tribe known as the Cugerni to the left side of the Rhine by the legions of Titus Flavius Vespasian in 8 BC. Over time, the Colonia Ulpia Traiana was established on the site of this settlement. The name of this initial settlement has not been preserved; it, like Vetera, was destroyed in 70 AD during the Batavian Revolt.
In 71 AD, the fortress for the legions of Vetera II was erected, and a settlement was built 1,500 meters away. By 100 AD, it had developed into a city that received the name Colonia Ulpia Traiana. The new city had an aqueduct, a canal system, and a road network. The city area was 73 hectares. The population, which consisted mainly of Romanized Gauls and Germans, numbered about 10,000 people. Legionary veterans received land allotments and formed a layer of wealthy citizens.
Starting from 260 AD, Frankish raids on the Lower Rhine lands became regular. During one such raid in 275 AD, Colonia Ulpia Traiana was destroyed. The city was not rebuilt until 310 AD, receiving the name “Tricensimae.” However, it was no longer a purely civilian city but also served as a fortress. This city was destroyed by the Franks in 352 AD.
The ruins of the city were subsequently used as a quarry for the construction of Xanten, notably for St. Victor’s Cathedral. In 1977, the Xanten Archaeological Park was established on the site of the Colonia Ulpia Traiana.
