Perhaps you have heard of Römersprudel. But have you ever wondered about its past? Römersprudel is more than just a name. It is a spring in Trier-Feyen with a story stretching back millennia.
This place called Römersprudel was once a vital source of life. Archaeological digs show people were drawing water here as early as 542 BC. That is before the Romans even arrived. The Römersprudel, like the Herrenbrünnchen spring and the Lenus-Mars-Temple, was crucial. It helped people settle in the Trier valley.
Imagine people gathering here. They needed this water to survive. The Römersprudel has been used for over 4000 years.
In the Middle Ages, the Römersprudel spring belonged to St. Matthias Abbey. Later, the French controlled it. They put it under the Vereinigten Hospizien’s management. This group handled property taken from the Church.
People visited the Römersprudel for its water. They believed it helped with liver, spleen, and stomach problems. It supposedly cleaned kidneys and bladders. Some even thought it could cure consumption and ulcers.
Brown clay jugs stamped “Mineralbrunnen Sankt Mattheis Trier” show the water’s popularity in the 18th century.
In 1859, they tried to fix the spring but failed. The Prussian government sold it to C. Ed. Mohl. He was successful for a while. However, the Römersprudel had to be sold again in 1885. The Kranz family bought it. Around 1900, they created a company to run the business.
Later, in 1936, a lawyer named Mehn took over. In 1949, Erwin Schweizer had the coppersmith Franzen renovate the Römersprudel spring. Even in the 1950s, the spring produced 30000 liters of water each day.
There were plans to build a spa here. But the water did not have enough minerals. It continued to operate until 1977. Then, production of mineral water and soda stopped. Gerolsteiner Brunnen took over production.
In 1977, TRIWO bought the Römersprudel spring. They promised not to use it for business for at least ten years. In 1996, TRIWO sold the property to the Trier Arbeiterwohlfahrt. This group went bankrupt in 2000. Since then, the site has been neglected.
The water from Römersprudel is an acidulous spring with iron. It has about 17 mg of iron per kg of water. It also has about 2.8 mg of free carbonic acid per kg. In total, it has 760 mg of dissolved solids per kg of water. Studies in the 1950s and 1960s showed it had very little salt. Similar low-salt springs are in Bad Schwalbach, Bad Pyrmont, and Bad Elster.
Today, Römersprudel is a shadow of its former self. Yet, it remains a testament to Trier’s long and fascinating history. The Römersprudel once quenched the thirst of ancient peoples. It was thought to heal the sick. It even fueled commercial ventures. Although it is not accessible to the public today and in desolate condition, its story continues to bubble beneath the surface.