The complete area of Castellum de Hoge Woerd will be transformed into Arena Castellum for the Roman Games on May 30th. Sport and Romans are a very familiar combination. The Roman slogan 'Panem et Circenses (Bread and Games) is still well-known nowadays. Chariot Racing, Gladiator fights and Athletics were visited by the masses in arenas like the Collosseum in Rome. As in the old days, Utrecht gets its own Arena Castellum for one day, with a mix of Roman sports and more modern types of competition.
 
Visitors can experience Gladiator fights, Roman board games, or make their own laurel wreath! The more adventurous visitors can join in more eccentric sports like snail races or comparing their force to a Belgian draft horse. Look here for more information (in dutch).

Where once the early predecessors of the Italians (The Romans) were marching through the Netherlands, the cyclist taking part in the Giro d'Italia (Tour of Italy) finished in Utrecht on the 9th of May. Exactly on the spot where the track of the Giro crossed the Limes Track, Roman guards (legionnaires) welcomed the public and the cyclists of the race.
The municipality of Utrecht want the Limes track (former Roman border) to become more well-know and recognizable for the public. During the next years, Utrecht wants to inspire designers and decision-makers, also schools and residents to take advantage of this unique phenomenon. The Roman guards were one of the first expressions of this aim.

A 25 metre section of the Chester city walls will be re-opened on May 29th following a walls collapse in 2008 by St Johns Street in the city centre. The walls were initially stabilised and possible causes for the collapse investigated. Work started last summer to dismantle and then rebuild the walls. The work was overseen by Chester archaeologists and English Heritage, each stone was recorded, numbered and stored offsite. In November archaeologists discovered the well-preserved remains of a Roman interval tower beneath the foundation of the city wall (pictured).

The work was carried out by Maysand, masonry and building conservation specialists with consultants Gifford. The rebuilding started in January, despite the freezing temperatures there was minimum disruption to the job. The project has been managed by Chester Renaissance, said Chief Executive Rita Waters, “The City Walls are one of Chester’s most distinctive and treasured attractions, welcoming over 3 million visitors annually. At the same time this section was being rebuilt, work also started on a five month operation to remove vegetation including weeds, self-seeded saplings and ivy from the Walls".

Due to the interest in the walls and their historic importance, in addition to archaeologists monitoring the work; web surfers from around the world were able to follow the work and have a never before seen view through a webcam hosted on the Cheshire West and Chester Council website which also includes photographs taken during the re-building.

In the past, many important towns in the UK were defended by walls, but only in Chester does the complete circuit survive today. The walls are about two miles long, surrounding the historic core of the City and telling the story of Chester. First built by the Romans about 1900 years ago and then extended and developed in the Saxon period (10th century) and by the Normans (12th century). The Walls have been constantly altered, repaired and sometimes even attacked. They survive today because, from the 18th century, they were used as a fashionable walk and public space.
 
Pictured - A reconstruction painting of a second century interval tower from the Roman fortress. This illustration was commissioned by Cheshire West and Chester’s Historic Environment Team based on their research carried out within the city of Chester.

Copyright Graham Sumner MAAI&S

Cheshire West and Chester Council and Chester Renaissance have appointed two specialist consultants to prepare and develop design proposals for the Portico project.
Architects Donald Insall Associates have been appointed to work on the Portico brief for an ultra lightweight construction pilot. Interpretive Design Consultants Imagemakers have been appointed to provide an interpretation plan that will specify how to create new interpretation for the city walls and towers, which will also include testing out a virtual ‘Towers through Time’ idea. 

Architects Donald Insall Associates will also be working with Gifford Consulting Engineers who they have sub-contracted for their expertise on this exciting project. A proportion of the budget will go towards a feasibility study to investigate the potential use of innovative construction techniques and ultra light building methodologies. A critical element of this study involves research to better understand the condition of the towers, their construction, historical usage and development. The Investment will bring about repairs, restoration and refurbishment of the City Walls Towers involving the appropriate use of ultra light weight building techniques and materials which in turn will be promoted and replicated across Europe as exemplars of archaeological ‘good practice’.

Interpretive Design Consultants Imagemakers have been appointed to provide an interpretation plan that will specify how to create new interpretation for the city walls and towers, which will also include testing out a virtual ‘Towers through Time’ idea.  The interpretation plan will take into account other investments being funded as part of the Portico project. Imagemakers have come to know Chester well through their development of Chester’s Heritage Interpretation Masterplan and are currently involved in the interpretation of other sites in Chester, including the Amphitheatre.

Said Councillor Stuart Parker, Vice Chairman of Chester Rennaisance
“Chester’s City Walls and Towers are amongst the City’s greatest assets, visited by over 3 million people annually. The Portico European partners are studying the impacts of investing in cultural heritage and sharing their findings. Chester has built a strong reputation through a number of past European partnerships; Portico is another opportunity to work with experts across Europe to improve and protect our attractions for residents and visitors.”
Portico gives an excellent opportunity to improve the City Walls and Towers.

Donald Insall Associates and Imagemakers working closely together held a number of consultation workshops over the past few months with various stakeholders and representative groups. The workshops asked the questions

1. How would you like to see access to our City Walls improved?
2. How could we use or improve the City Walls Towers?
3. What facilities would you like to see on or near the City Walls?
4. How would you like to see the story of the City Walls and Towers told?

Pictured L-R, Caroline Blakeley (Donald Insall Associates), Cllr Stuart Parker, and David Masters, Imagemakers

On April 13th the Municipal Council of Köln decided by majority vote for the building and the continuation of planning the Archaeological Zone and the Jewish Museum. This decision is, however, subject to a financial reservation, due to a large financial gap created by the withdrawal of the supporting Association for the Jewish Museum. Municipal Council affirms, however, his intention to realize this very important project for Europe.

Northern-Westphalia has already agreed in written form to give 14.3 million Euro. There is still a gap of 20 million Euro vis-à-vis a total of 48 million Euro. This decision now opens up the possibility to file new applications. That is why the Municipal Council is confident, that this project will be managed together with the land North-Rhine Westphalia.