The burial chamber of Cologne-Weiden is located 9 km west of the city center of Cologne, directly adjacent to the ancient long-distance road (via belgica), that connects the Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium with the coast of the channel. It was likely to have belonged to one of the rich farms in the surroundings of the colonial city. The farm has not been securely proven until today.

The burial chamber was discovered in 1843 during earth works and conserved by the Prussian state as a monument and covered with a protective structure in 1844-1848. It was also made accessible to the public. 

The barrel-vaulted chamber (hypogaeum) of the 2^nd to 4^th century AD belongs to one of the best preserved premises north of the Alps. The interior of the chamber is structured by three large niches and 29 smaller niches and contains two stone wicker chairs, three klinai with marble incrustation, one Carrara marble relief sarcophagus and three busts (two female, one male), that probably picture the owner family.

The booster club Römergrab Weiden e.V. has been keeping the monument safe and has ensured accessibility as well as the mediation of the ensemble.

As a part of an interdisciplinary research project, the cooperating institutes of the University of Cologne (Archaeological Institute and Regional Computational Center) and the University of Applied Sciences Cologne (Institute for Construction Processes and Surveying and Institute of Informatics) worked on a visualization of the premise. Aim of the works is to make the Roman burial chamber accessible through virtual reality. The tour generated by three-dimensional laser scans is a preliminary result of the working group. The virtual tour offers the possibility to visit the impressive ensemble without actually having to enter it. The scanning locations are used as viewpoints for the viewer. The data is supplemented by information on the archaeological relations as well as further projects of the working group.

The processing of the point cloud into a 3D model for visualization of the burial chamber in its several phases of use was undertaken by the Archaeoinformatics chair of the Archaeological Institute. The model can be used as a base for further processing of the Computational Center for the immersive experience of virtual reality.

Responsible:

Prof. Dr. Eckhard Deschler-Erb

Coordination:

Dipl.-Ing. (FH) Sabrina Geiermann

Cooperation:

Regional Computation Center of the University of Cologne

Institute for Construction Processes and Surveying und Institute of Informatics, University of Applied Sciences Cologne