Kaiserpfalz Duisburg

The Duisburger Königspfalz stands on the Burgplatz, a high spot above the floodplain near the Rhine. It began in the 8th century as a royal estate built by the Carolingians. Archaeologists found its walls when the town hall was built in 1900. Later digs on the Old Market uncovered layers reaching back to Roman times. These remains show the site was used for centuries before the palace itself arose. The palace was founded in the 10th century as a long hall above the river terrace. It gave kings a place to stay while travelling through the region. Nearby stood a harbour where goods and messages arrived by boat. A three-aisled chapel with a tower fronted the palace grounds, later replaced by the Salvatorkirche. Visitors today walk across the Burgplatz where the palace once rose. Excavations mark the outline of the great hall and chapel. The Salvatorkirche still occupies the old chapel site. The nearby Old Market keeps traces of the harbour and earlier settlements. The view from the terrace looks down to the river that once brought the palace its importance.