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Take a trip to Augusta Raurica while in Basel

21st November 2008

Visitors to Switzerland may want to take a trip to the Roman town of Augusta Raurica, near Basel, which has a number of interesting factors.

The town used to be home to 20,000 inhabitants, but today many traces have been left behind of the Celtic inhabitants.

August Raurica is now an archaeological complex which includes an original 6,000-seat ampitheatre, which was previously used as a playhouse and fighting arena.

In the town there is also the Roman House, which is a replica of a home from 18,000 years ago.

Built in 1955, this abode has been carefully built in keeping with the methods of the time, offering visitors a chance to see how people lived in days gone by.

The Roman House has residential quarters, workshops for artists and a public bar which would have been used by the town's adults.

Augusta Raurica, which is situated in the north of Switzerland, also has a Roman Museum, which offers antiques and items from the town's heyday.

It is the home to the Silver Treasure, which is a rich table service once belonging to a fortress commander.

Animal lovers can also see unusual animals in the Animal Park, where woolly pigs and nera verzasca goats are resident.

Each year at the end of August a Roman festival is held in the town, which attracts between 15,000 and 25,000 visitors.

Take a trip to Augusta Raurica on a Basel break.

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