PODCAST – Introduction Caecilia

Welcome to the walking tour of Roman Kerkrade. This tour is based on archaeological sites in the municipality of Kerkrade.

Archaeology and music — not the most obvious combination, you might think. But in Kerkrade, they certainly go together.

Music is deeply rooted in the DNA of the people of Kerkrade. Harmony orchestras, fanfare bands, and the four-yearly World Music Contest all have a long tradition here. In 2021, Emma Kok from Kerkrade won The Voice Kids Holland, an achievement through which both she and Kerkrade made history.

Kerkrade’s history has yielded two remarkable discoveries in the field of Roman archaeology. One spectacular find was the Roman villa — or rather estate — at Holzkuil, where the entire complex of houses and barns was completely excavated in 2014.

Excavations at the Euregiopark business area (where the McDonald’s is now located) uncovered four farmhouses made of organic materials, along with water wells. Did self-sufficient families live here? Or perhaps the workers needed to operate large farming estates such as the Holzkuil estate? One particularly special discovery was a terracotta bear found in a sacrificial pit.

Music and the farming settlement inspired our Roman character Caecilia. She never truly existed, but through her we tell the story of life as a farmer’s daughter in Roman times — a young woman dreaming of a singing career.