Villa rustica of Büßlingen, Roman farmstead ruins in Tengen, Germany

The Villa rustica of Büßlingen is a restored and reconstructed Roman estate covering 5.4 hectares, with nine excavated buildings. It lies south-southeast of Büßlingen, part of Tengen in the Konstanz district. After the Meßkirch villa rustica, it is the largest known estate of its kind in southern Germany and the only one whose buildings, identified by aerial archaeology, have been fully excavated. Today it is an open-air museum.

The estate was established in the decades following the Roman conquest and operated for roughly three centuries. It demonstrates Roman expansion into Germanic territories and how long their presence persisted in the region.

The site reveals how wealthy Roman families lived and worked in this region. The visible foundations of residential buildings, livestock shelters, and bathing facilities show that comfort and daily routines mattered even on remote estates.

The site is accessible year-round with informational panels explaining the ruins. Visitors should wear comfortable shoes as you walk across open ground and should consider the weather conditions before visiting.

A hoard of 100 coins was found hidden in the wall of building 8, left there by a resident between 240 and 259. It equaled one and a half months' pay for a common Roman soldier. The latest coin dates to 262 or mid-263, suggesting the owner never retrieved it.