Tongeren: Tumulus Cockartstombe

Tongeren — the first and oldest city in Belgium. Founded by the Romans around 10 BC, it was burned down by the Batavians half a century later, only to rise again, proudly rebuilt. Tongeren became the illustrious capital of the civitas Tungrorum, the administrative district of the region, where the Mediterranean influence of Rome was undeniable: a flourishing villa landscape, a magnificent aqueduct, grand temples and bathhouses, and markets brimming with exotic goods.

Even today, the Romans are never far away in Tongeren-Borgloon. Most hotspots are just minutes apart. Along your journey, between the Roman aqueduct and the old highway to Tienen, you can find the Tumulus Cockartstombe.

Tumulus Cockartstombe

This Roman tumulus forms part of the rich funerary landscape around Atuatuca Tungrorum, the capital city that is now Tongeren. Named after the medieval Tongeren family Cockart, this burial mound was probably constructed in the 2nd century AD as a monumental grave for a member of the urban elite.

The tumulus originally had a diameter of about 20 to 25 meters and a height of roughly 5 meters. Like other burial mounds in the region, it contained a burial chamber in which luxury objects such as glassware, pottery, and personal items were placed.

Today, the Cockart Tomb is a protected archaeological monument. Although the burial chamber was disturbed over the centuries, the mound itself remains a tangible witness to the Roman presence and to the way funerary rituals permanently shaped the topography around Tongeren.

An Immersive Change to the Roman Walk, 2027

The story of Tongeren doesn’t end here. In 2027, the Roman city walk of Tongeren will receive a multidimensional upgrade as part of the VIA VIA project. The Roman hotspots on it will be enhanced with reconstructions and immersive storytelling. You will get an even clearer sense of the Roman road and the Roman city of Tongeren, and you will also be invited to visit the aqueduct, the Plinius springs, the Gallo-Roman temple, and other local sites. Through an app, you will see what the streets of Atuatuca Tungrorum looked like in the second century. Your guide? An AI character from the glory days of Roman Tongeren.

Are you ready for a stroll through the past?

“We cross a modern aqueduct and reach the edge of the city. Atuatuca Tungrorum. I have dreamed of visiting the only city in the region for so long. It does not disappoint. So many colours and scents. So many sounds. Barking dogs, shouting people, the rattling carts of traders like us. The streets overflow with delights. The finest fabrics. Exotic fruits and woods. Bottles and flasks. Oil from the south. Meat, bread, and perfumes. Two women argue loudly in a language I do not understand. Men in open doorways beckon passers-by inside. The sweet aroma of a bathhouse mingles with the stench of boiling animal bones for glue. I am ecstatic and despondent at the same time. For how can we sell our wares in this place? Here, in this city that already has everything?” – Ammulva Iucunda