Trier

=TRIER= Trier is about 220 km away from Frankfurt, through Mainz and Kaiserslautern. Trier's history began in the middle of 1C BC, when Gaius Julius Caesar conquered Gaul and integrated the Mosell region into the Roman Empire. In 16 BC Emperor Augustus established a city here. This makes Trier Germany's oldest city. It was the home of Roman Emperors. Many imposing historical Roman and medieval buildings have survived to this day. Toward the end of the 3C Emperor Diocletian made Trier his residence and the capital of the western territories of the Roman Empire. At the beginning of the 4C none lesser than Emperor Constantine himself resided here and he directed that many of the currently existing Roman buildings be erected. The Porta Nigra, the largest surviving Roman gate north of the Alps was built in the last third of the 2C. It was the northern gate of the city walls. The imposing monument is 36m wide and 30m high, built of sandstone which has turned black thru the ages. The extremely impressive Trier Cathedral (Dom) and Church of Our Lady (Liebfrauenkirche), originates from a double church built in the 4C. The Dom was destroyed at least twice and the current structure was rebuilt starting in 977. Both churches are truly impressive structures with much worth seeing, including stone statuary from the 12C and the Renaissance and Baroque periods. The Dom includes a relic which is said to be the original tunic of Christ for which the Roman soldiers diced. It was found in the 4C by the mother of Emperor Constantine, St. Helena. It is enclosed, out of sight, in the Heiltumskammer, at one end of the church. The Hauptmark (Main Market) forms the center of Trier's Old Town, and is an interesting place to sit and observe the events of the day. The Steipe was built in 1430-1483 as a drinking house for the City Council. It was destroyed in 1944, but has been faithfully rebuilt in its original style. The Roman Basilica (Aula Palatina) is one of the most impressive buildings of late antiquity. It was built at the direction of Emperor Constantine in the early 4C. It comprises a single huge rectangular building with an apse a the northern end -- 67m long, 27m wide and 30m high made of sandstone bricks. Its design is such that one finds it hard to believe that it is not a modern brick building. The Imperial Baths were also built for Emperor Constantine. It was a massive complex of rooms, fireplaces for heating the water and complex underground passages and piping systems. The original facility is clearly visible, although it is in ruins. The Amphitheatre dates from around 100 AD. The oval arena is the oldest surviving Roman structure in Trier. Gladiatorial contests were presented here to audiences of up to 20,000 people in three rows of stone seats. The seats are now gone, but the circular arena wall, the arched gates and several other entrances are still intact. Chambers in the wall open to the arena and were probably animal cages. There is a cellar under the arena floor, which can be visited. The Roman Bridge has five of the surviving seven piers dating to the Roman period. The bridge was built in the 2C. The present bridge arches were built in 1717/18. Down the river a couple hundred yards are the Old Mosel River Cranes. One was built in 1413 and the other in 1774. Though no longer used they are in excellent shape and the original mechanical pedal wheels which powered the cranes can still be seen. [|​History of Trier] [|Trier Tourism] [|Our Hostel] [|Römer Express]