Ausstellung "Die Staufer"

The Ausstellung „Die Staufer“ transports you into the fascinating world of the Middle Ages and reveals the origins and homeland of this important noble family. You will explore exciting topics such as knights and ministeriales, Barbarossa on the imperial throne, the southern Staufer region, and the Crusades.

The exhibition clearly illustrates the social changes in the 12th and 13th centuries that led to a boom in population growth and city founding.

Exhibits like the famous gold gulden Augustalis, silver bracteates, the Cappenberger head with Barbarossa's baptismal font, and the seated figure of Emperor Frederick II at the city gate of Capua offer insight into the artworks and daily life of the Staufer era.

Well-preserved facsimiles of medieval parchment documents from the Hohenstaufen dynasty—including documents related to Emperor Frederick Barbarossa from 1181 and the will of Queen Irene of Byzantium for Philip of Swabia—invite close examination.

Short films about Barbarossa’s Crusade and the women of the Staufer family are shown on screens, while an interactive dressing scene demonstrates the armor process of a knight with sword and shield. The explanatory texts and films are available in German, English, and Italian, so you can fully immerse yourself in the history.