Landesamt für Denkmalpflege im Regierungspräsidium Stuttgart 2018

  • Reconstruction
  • Digital Environment
  • Character Animation
  • 3D Animation
Heuneburg

In collaboration with the Landesamt für Denkmalpflege im Regierungspräsidium Stuttgart, we undertook a detailed reconstruction of the Heuneburg during its prime around 600 BCE. The Heuneburg, located between Sigmaringen and Riedlingen, was a significant early Celtic power center, strategically situated on a spur above the Danube, facilitating year-round navigation and connecting important trade routes.

Around 620 BCE, the site was fortified and developed into a major political and economic hub north of the Alps. The fortified plateau featured Mediterranean-inspired architecture, including a clay-brick wall with bastion-like towers, demonstrating formidable power. The site comprised the main acropolis, a 1.5-hectare foreburg with a monumental gate, and a large outer settlement covering over 100 hectares.

By 530 BCE, a fire led to significant changes. The clay-brick wall was replaced with a wooden, stone, and earth structure. The settlement saw new, larger residential complexes on the acropolis, while the foreburg became densely populated, suggesting a shift in the elite’s residence and the displacement of craftsmen to the foreburg. The Heuneburg maintained its status until 450 BCE, eventually being abandoned after another fire incident, marking a shift in regional power dynamics.

This detailed historical reconstruction provides a vivid glimpse into the life and architecture of this ancient Celtic settlement, enhancing our understanding of early European urban development.

Link The development of the early Celtic princely seat of Heuneburg