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Origin and history

The European Archaeological Park of Bliesbruck-Reinheim is a museum and archaeological complex located in Bliesbruck, Moselle, in the Greater East Region. It extends to a major Gallo-Roman site, shared with the German city of Reinheim, and reveals the remains of a prosperous ancient agglomeration, including its first century public baths and an artisanal district. The excavations, which are still under way, allowed the reconstruction of a bakery and pottery, providing a concrete overview of daily life under the Roman Empire. The site has been partially protected since 1986 and registered for certain parcels in 1995.

The region, inhabited from the pre-Roman period by the Mediomatrics, experienced a significant rise under the belligerent Gaul. The thermal baths of Bliesbruck, exceptional in size for a rural area, were used until the 15th century, before being transformed into a strong house. The present park, inaugurated in 1991, combines modern architecture (lamel-collé-pavillon inspired by traditional dryers) and preservation of remains. It also symbolizes Franco-German cooperation, with joint excavation campaigns and educational activities for the public.

Archaeological discoveries include medieval burials, including that of Abbé Jean-Pierre Schaultz (18th century), builder of a church today destroyed, and traces of successive occupation since the 11th century. The site is integrated into a protected natural area (Norther Vosges, Biosphere Reserve) and is part of a landscape marked by the Blies Valley, the historical border between France and Germany, clarified in particular by the Treaty of Regensburg (1782).

The region suffered major upheavals, such as the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648), which decimated the local population, or the destruction of World War II, where 90% of the village of Bliesbruck was razed. The archaeological park, spared, is today a place of memory and research, supplemented by neighboring heritage elements such as the chapel of Hermeskappel (17th century) or the Stele des Réfense-Nous (2008), a tribute to the Mosellans forcibly enlisted in the German army during the Second World War.

The museum project is based on a contemporary architecture signed by Frédéric Jung and Gilbert Long, combining wood, steel and concrete to highlight the remains without altering them. The spas, the heart of the park, illustrate Roman engineering, while the reconstructed artisanal district allows live demonstrations (potry, bakery). The site is also a witness to cross-border cultural exchanges, with temporary exhibitions such as "Mercury and company" (2023), exploring Roman domestic cults.

Finally, the park is part of a territory marked by a turbulent history, between German annexations (1871-1918), post-war reconstructions, and local dynamics such as twinning with Millery (1946), born of solidarity after the destructions of 1944. Today, it attracts researchers and tourists, while participating in the preservation of a heritage both Roman, medieval and memorial, anchored in the landscapes of the Vosges du Nord.

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