Geschichtspark Bärnau-Tachov, Medieval open-air museum in Bärnau, Germany
Geschichtspark Bärnau-Tachov is an archaeological open-air museum on almost 11 hectares near Bärnau, with over 30 buildings reconstructed at full scale using authentic materials and techniques. It shows three periods: an early medieval Slavic village of the 8th/9th century, an 11th-century motte with a stave church, and a high medieval settlement of the 12th/13th century. The village's centrepiece is a Slavic longhouse modelled on the princely hall of Starigard/Oldenburg, the largest reconstruction of a Slavic building in Europe.
The museum opened in 2011 and focuses on preserving medieval construction techniques through ongoing building projects. These active construction efforts demonstrate historical building methods and continuously expand the settlement.
The park's centrepiece is a Slavic longhouse modelled on the princely hall of Starigard/Oldenburg, the largest reconstruction of a Slavic building in Europe; it served as dwelling, assembly place and representative hall. Nearby stand a smithy, a pottery kiln and a clay oven, with pens for Bohemian forest sheep and woolly pigs. The gardens grow herbs and vegetables such as the cucumber, which the Slavs brought to Europe.
The site opens from April through October, Tuesday to Sunday plus public holidays, with plenty of space to explore at your own pace. Comfortable shoes are recommended since you will be walking across grass areas and between different structures.
The site functions as an active construction zone where visitors can watch craftspeople using period-specific tools and techniques to build structures. These ongoing reconstructions make the differences between historical and modern building methods directly visible.
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