• What is VIA REGIA?

    The campaigns of conquest by the Franks to the East were important for the development of the VIA REGIA. In the first half of the 6th century the Franks conquered the Kingdom Thuringia. The Frankonian armies took nearly the same pathes like the Romans did on their way to the Elbe – that stabilized the corridor of the later VIA REGIA. In 1874 the „Reiterstein von Hornhausen“ (riders stone of Hornhausen) that possibly shows a Frankonian horseman from the 7th century has been found in a village near Magdeburg.

  • VIA REGIA - revitalization of
    a historical road

    The modernization of the traffic lines within the VIA REGIA corridor is of great importance for the European integration. Escpecially for the Polish metropolitain areas in the south of the country this connection plays an important economic role. The E40 is the most important road link between Germany and the industrial and coal areas in Poland and still follows the historical route course of the VIA REGIA. The photo that was made in 2004 shows the expansion of the highway near Legnica. Meanwhile the route section to Kraków has been finished.

  • history of the VIA REGIA (an essay)

    Since the 2nd half of the 17th century continuous transport connections for commercial and passenger transportation developed for which a dense road network all over the country has been available in the course of the 18th century. In the 2nd half of the 19th century traditional means of transport lost its importance and have been stoped bit by bit while the railways have been expanded. The roads went rack and ruined and gained new importance not until the invention of the automobile.

  • VIA REGIA - ramble through Europe

    With the opening of the western border of the GDR on 9th of November in 1989 the first step has been made to revitalize the route VIA REGIA in its full length as connection between the Eats and the West of Europe. “The journey from Frankfurt on the Main through hersfeld to Rasdorf has been shaped by an exceptional image. On the oncoming track there were Trabants in all colours. It has been the 2nd weekend after the opening of the Berlin Wall”, a students group from Frankfurt describes their experiences from 18th of November 1989.

  • VIA REGIA - library

    The „Fürstl. Sächs. Geleitsordnung zu Camburg Anno 1724“ (Baronial Saxon Order of Escort of Camburg in the year of 1724) contains many worth knowing details an mode and quantity of trade and traffic within the 18th century. On the occasion of the access of the duchy of Meiningen to the customs alliance it is written: “On 1st of january 1834 there was an overall jubilation as the outer signs of this antiquated and aimless institute – the escort columns with its boards disappeared. Over knight they were fallen down under the strokes of the axes.” You can find the Order of Escort in the virtual VIA REGIA library as original in German language.

  • VIA REGIA - route course

    The wuliza Soborna though Rivne (Ukraine) is an impressing appearance of the street for the course of the VIA REGIA in Eastern Europe. At the entrance to the city of Rivne the long distance routes from L’viv and Lutsk get together which both are coming from Western Europe through Krakow and lead together to the East. From here the route takes its course as one common line through Zhytomyr on to Kiev. The wuliza Soborna as avenue came into existance in the 18th century.

  • VIA REGIA - paraphrases on
    a historical road

    The route VIA REGIA dates back to the Roman Empire. It connects as most important, longest and oldest road link of the modern times the East and the West of Europe as pilgrimage path “Touronensis”, als “Kings way”, “High Road”, “Rue royale”, “Black path” or as “Road to Leipzig” and “Road to Kraków”. Today it is named A4 or E40 and became a symbol for the unification of Europe. The video follows up its course, its history and its symbolic meaning.

  • VIA REGIA - picture galleries

    After a guided tour for kids along the historical route VIA REGIA in Erfurt the participating preschooler kept on dealing with their experiences on the old traces. They painted many pictures which illustrate stories of a princess, of traders, soldiers, bandits and hard-fought cities along the route. The pictures have been arranged further. Tin-plate signs resulted from the motives of the childrens pictures that are now fixed to distinctive points of the historical route course of the VIA REGIA in the Old Town of Erfurt.

  • VIA REGIA 2005 - What we are,
    we are through others, too

    The European Centre for Culture and Information in Thuringia presented the exhibition „VIA REGIA 2005 – What we are, we are through others, too“ that has been built into a trailer in 52 cities in the Ukraine, Poland, Germany, Luxemburg and France during 115 days on the road. The exhibition has been organized on the occasion of the enlrgement of the European Union in 2005. Impressions of this tours put an image of resonance over that has been showed by nearly 23.000 visitors of the presentation.

VIA REGIA international