In Bärnau (Bavaria), this park depicts everyday life in this part of Germany from the 8th to 13th century. The non-profit association Via Carolina – Goldene Straße e.V. is responsible for the park, helped by an advisory committee of scientific consultants advising both on the houses and the way life is depicted here.
Open since 2011 the park counts all in all about 30 (re)constructed buildings. It shows three distinct islands of time.
The Early Medieval Village shows rural life in the time when Slavic people enter the region with typical pithouses, post houses, blockhouses and a great hall building. In the 11th century the german Earls tried to get things organised in this border region to Bohemia and build motte-and-bailey castles like the iconic one shown in the Geschichtspark. The new rulers also brought a new religion of which a small wooden church bears witness. The next stop for the visitors is a 13th century inspired small town: no Slavic or Early German but sawn wooden beams and planks, a blacksmith, ‘modern’ agriculture and a huge inn with what is known in German as early “Fachwerk”. The town was lucky to be on the Golden Street, the road between Nuremberg and Prague, which brought a lot of wealth.
In 2018 the new project ArchaeoCentrum Bayern-Böhmen started in the direct vicinity, where a huge medieval building site shows the live construction of a 14th century travel station for Emperor Charles IV with nothing but medieval tools and methods.
During the summer months the Geschichtspark offers a variety of events where the houses are filled with authentic work and life.
