Igel Column, Roman funerary monument in Igel, Germany.
The Igel Column is a Roman funerary monument made of sandstone that rises about 30 meters high with finely carved relief panels covering its surface. The reliefs depict merchant activities, family scenes, and mythological narratives carved into the stone with remarkable detail.
The column was built around 250 AD by the Secundinii brothers, wealthy cloth merchants of Celtic descent, to honor their deceased family members. It was constructed during the Roman period when such elaborate tombs displayed the prosperity and social standing of merchant families in the region.
The relief panels show scenes of merchant life, religious offerings, and mythological stories that reflect what mattered to the people who built it. Walking around the column, you can see their daily concerns carved in stone.
The monument stands in an open, freely accessible location without entrance fees and can be visited year-round. You can walk around it easily to view all sides of the structure and see the carved details up close.
The monument has remained at its original location for over 1700 years, making it the only Roman funerary structure north of the Alps that has stayed in place continuously. This remarkable continuity makes it an extraordinarily rare witness to ancient craftsmanship in its original setting.
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