Wine Cellar @museum.de

F: Who else would love a drop of nicely aged red wine from one of those heavy wine barrels?

M: Sorry to disappoint you, but the wine barrels are no longer filled with noble vintages. What we can offer, though, is a history of local wine growing and of the historic wine cellar that was once part of Siegburg town hall.

F: In medieval times, town halls were nothing like they are today – buildings with a lot of offices that are open to the public. There was just a town clerk, who also had a deputy, and a town council that met at regular intervals. Which is why the building was also used for other purposes. Visitors were received and entertained here, and the banqueting hall was hired out. SFX Feierstimmung Guilds held their celebrations, local people organised balls. And for these occasions, the town hall had a well-stocked wine cellar.

M: Wine-growing flourished in Siegburg until the 1830s. The Benedictines grew grapes on the slopes facing south and west. Drinking water was of poor quality back then, so people drank wine and beer in the same way we drink water today.

F: If you’re wondering about the quality of the wine…? Well...., according to local tradition, the Benedictines sold the yields from their Siegburg vineyards and drank the wine from their properties on the Mosel instead.

M: In the early 19th century, wine-growing was another industry that disappeared from Siegburg.

F: However, the monks not only made wine, but also liqueurs. If you take a look at the right-hand corner of the room, you’ll see a bottling and corking plant from the post-war period.

M: Today, any lovers feeling inclined to say their wedding vows in a wine cellar are in luck, because the museum is a branch of Siegburg registry office.