Lapidarium Willrode, Stone artifact museum at Forsthaus Willroda, Erfurt, Germany
The Lapidarium Willrode displays thirteen boundary stones arranged in the western courtyard of the forestry house, each with informational plaques attached nearby. The collection shows how different regions marked and defined their borders with these carved stone monuments.
The boundary stones come from the period when Prussia, Saxony-Gotha, and other territories controlled the region and had to physically mark their borders. This fragmented arrangement ended when Thuringia was formed as a unified state in 1920.
The stones carry inscriptions and coats of arms representing different territories of the region and documenting their borders. You can still read today which authority ruled which land and how complex the territorial divisions were.
The site is located several kilometers southeast of Erfurt and is reachable by car or bus, though it lies somewhat outside the city center. The stones are displayed outdoors and accessible for viewing at any time.
Beneath each of these visible stones, additional markers were buried that documented ownership information and could later verify the original position. These hidden markings show how seriously rulers took their borders and how permanent they intended them to be.
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