Collegiate Museum Treis-Karden

Collegiate Museum Treis - Karden

2000 Years of Religious History

Karden at the lower course of the Moselle is located 40 km away from Coblenz. Without any doubt Karden deserves its renown as the most important site between Koblenz and Trèves with regard to culture and history.
At first glance the visitor is struck by the view of the imposing building of St. Castor the ancient collegiate church which up to now has been dominating the scene of the place.
The museum building itself represents a historical document. Built in 1238 it constitutes a part of the collegiate district. In former times it was mainly used as a tithe barn. This was the place to store the goods the collegiate received as contributions from their parishes.
The windows of the upper floors are particularly remarkable. Arch windows alternate with clover and round arches that have been restored to their original state of splendid colours.
The collegiate museum displays documents illustrating the importance of Karden going back more than thousands of years. In the past Karden used to be the religious centre of the archdiocese of Trèves.

Celtic - Roman Division :
In the first century before Christ , the Celtic time already, there was a sanctuary on the Martberg situated between Pommern and Karden where the Celtic tribe of the Teverer worshipped their main god Lenus. In Roman times a large temple district was established there. A great number of pilgrims poured there in the hope to be relieved from their illnesses.
At the place of the present location the Romans had established the street village Cardena. In a large pottery district the believers manufactured gifts which, according to their religious faith, they dedicated to their god as a sacrifice.

The Collegiate Church St. Castor :
The religious importance and function of Karden even survived the transition to christianity and the changes involved with the new religious ideas. In the 4th century the saint Castor lived and worked there. He contributed largely to the establishment of this pilgrimage place.
Since the late 9th century Karden has ben the the seat of five administration districts belonging to the archdiocese of Trèves. The collegiate church of Karden had been existing for almost 1000 years when it was abolished by Napoleon in 1802. The head of the collegiate at Karden was simultaneously the canonical bishop of a district that stretched from Andernach to Bacharach in the east and from Wittlich to Traben - Trarbach in the west. At the end of the 18th century 10 courts and 53 towns and villages had to pay the tithe to the collegiate.

Sacral art in Karden :
The sacral room and its solemn atmosphere on the second floor form an attractive background to the presentation of sacral art objects from the areas surrounding the collegiate of Karden.
Liturgical vestments and equipment as well as precious medievial manuscripts are exposed there.

Entrance fees
adults € 3,00; children ( 6 - 17 years ), pupils and students € 1,50; seniors € 2,00
family ticket ( 2 adults and at least 1 child ) € 6,50; classes of schools € 25,00 ( flat rate )
adults in parties of at least 10 people € 2,00

Guided tours through the collegiate museum € 31,00 ( in addition to the entrance fee )

Information:
Tourist-Information Ferienland Treis-Karden, St. Castor-Str. 87, 56253 Treis-Karden, Tel. 0049 2672-915 7700, Fax 0049 2672-915 7696, touristinfo@vgcochem.de, www.treis-karden.de