Campus Galli
Campus Galli is a Carolingian monastic community under construction in Meßkirch, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The construction project includes plans to build a medieval monastery according to the early ninth-century Plan of Saint Gall using techniques from that era. The long-term financing of the project comes from revenue generated from the site's operation as a tourist attraction. The construction site has been open for visitors since June 2013.
Construction site
The Carolingian monastery town is located in a wooded area approximately four kilometers north of the small town of Meßkirch in southern Germany. The buildings follow the designs in the Plan of Saint Gall, the only surviving major architectural drawing from the Middle Ages, and uses as much as possible the materials and methods contemporary to the time of Charlemagne in keeping with goals of experimental archaeology. The major raw materials, such as wood and stone, are obtained from the site.Between 20 and 30 staff members are permanently at the site, with an exception according to medieval custom for rest during the winter months from 11 November until 2 April. The total construction time is estimated at forty years. Volunteer workers not only help with the construction, but also act as costumed interpreters.
The project was launched by the Aachen-based journalist Bert Geurten with 1 million euros provided by city, state and European-Union sources. An Advisory Board of 18 experts in fields including archaeology, history, theology, and veterinary medicine provide the scientific management and monitoring of the construction.