A European Colonial Williamsburg?

For those who aren't American, Williamsburg is a small town in Virginia that was the colony's capital before the Revolution. A few decades ago, it started to play up this colonial heritage, with a surprising number of buildings that have managed to survive from that era, and is now a major tourist spot to learn about colonial America. [1]

Is there any place in Europe that could serve a similar role? Aachen might do, as the capital o fthe Carolignian Empire, but it's a bit too populous. Manching, maybe?

[1] Little known fact. In colonial America, it was not uncommon to find a gift shop at every royal govenor's mansion.
 
Do you mean as a mythical foundation spot, or as a recreated historical environment?

The former, probably nmot since Europe has too many competing myths.

The latter - there are a fair few, though from what I've heard of Williamsburg, few that are as good. One that I was very impressed by is Archäologischer Park Xanten. The Roman colony of Castra Vetera, abandoned in Late Antiquity and never built over, though used as a quary in later times, basically lay under acres of farmland when excavations started. Today, its street grid is laid out on the grounds and several houses, an amphitheatre, a hostel (with functioning bath and restaurant), a stretch of city wall, port facilities, and a couple of smaller things are already in existence. As are a playground, a cinema, a gift shop and a fast food joint, naturally.
 
Do you mean as a mythical foundation spot, or as a recreated historical environment?

Probably more the latter. I was actually mainly thinking of something medieval than Roman, something that makes us all proud of our Northern European forefathers, since revelling in our Roman heritage would raise awkward questions about those people on the other side of the Mediterranean.
 
Probably more the latter. I was actually mainly thinking of something medieval than Roman, something that makes us all proud of our Northern European forefathers, since revelling in our Roman heritage would raise awkward questions about those people on the other side of the Mediterranean.

There are a couple places that do this, but it's usually on a smaller scale. One of the most impressive in terms of authenticity is the MIdelalderscentret in Denmark, which has reconstructed a fourteenth-century village and manor. Unfortunately, most medieval history tourism is coopted by cities with surviving early modern centres that sell plastic swords and ye olde roaste chyccens to gullible Japanese.
 
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