Travel Guide to Trier, Germany

Trier was founded in the 16th century BC by the Romans, who named the city 'Augusta Treverorum', which means 'the city of August in the city Treveri'. It is the oldest city in Germany, the long history of which can be learned by the numerous Roman, medieval and Renaissance architectural monuments (eight of them are in the UNESCO World Heritage list).

The Porta Nigra. Usually sightseeing of Trier starts with the main of the sights – the Porta Nigra, which in Latin means 'the black gates'. The Porta NIgra is the northern gates that were built in 180 AD and served as a part of the city wall. The wall is 6,5 km long, 3 m thick and 7,5 m tall. Their name the gates got later, when the sandstone, which used the Romans used, became black by age. Since 1028 in the Porta Nigra was secluding hermit Simeon, the trustee of archbishop of Trier Poppo. Monk's cloister was situated at the ground floor of the eastern tower. It had no windows and the entrance was walled up by the order of Simeon. Soon after the death the hermit was canonized and the Porta Nigra was rebuilt into St Simeon's Church. That's why, actually, the gates managed to remain untouched.

For centuries the Porta Nigra had various functions. The gates between the two towers were filled with soil. The street outside the city obliquely rises to the 1st floor, where took place the lower church for simple people. On the 2nd floor, closer to the sky, you'll see the cloister's church. Despite all this, people called the Porta Nigra devil's construction, because it was built without cement or mortar (which was usual for the Romans).

You'll be surprised, but the gates are still in good condition, and all this happens in spite of the fact that almost all the iron-cramp anchors and liquid tin the Roman used to keep together the stones, was stolen. In 1804 by the order of Napoleon all the religious constructions were taken away from the Porta Nigra. The old gates got back their magnificence, original look and previous size: 36 m wide, 30 m tall and 21 m deep. In 1876 the passageway to the gates was dozed and as a result the ancient Roman Street was found. Nowadays the Porta Nigra is opened for visitors.

The Church of Our Lady. Though some archeologists consider St Elizabeth's Cathedral in Marburg to be a little bit older, the Church of Old Lady (The Liebfrauenkirche), which together with the cathedral creates the marvelous complex, might be the oldest gothic church in Germany. It was built on the south basement of the former double church of Roman epoch. The building works started in 1235 in archbishop Theodorich's time and ended in 1260 during the rule of his successor Arnold Ysenbergk. Near the church you'll find decorated with coats of arms Bishop's Palace (1786).

Impetrator's terms. Impetrator's terms (Kaiserthermen) were built in the 4th century and nowadays they are used for open-aired exhibitions. The Roman terms resemble a lot present saunas. You were to wash there from time to time changing hot water for cold; in the end you also were to have a swim in a pool with cold water. The body care finished with massage and gymnastics. But the terms had another very important function: it was a meeting place. There even was a rich library there. Slaved and freedmen did massage and did the rooms up. By the way, Impetrator's terms in Tier were never used according to their intended purpose (even by the Imperator, for whom they were created). After the Roman epoch the terms served as the Castle of Frank duchy, later – as the bastion in the medieval city wall.

The Amphitheatre. The oldest Roman building in Tier is the Amphitheatre. It was built in 100 AD from limestone, but unfortunately in the Middle Ages it was used as the source of building material. So nowadays we can only look at the ruins, though even it this condition the Amphitheatre look s quite attractive. Its eastern part is carved in the upright slope, the western – is artificially raised. The arena was 75 m long and 50 m wide, more than 25 000 Romans could watch gladiators' fights. In the 3rd century the Amphitheatre became a part of the defensive fortifications. The northern gates at those times were the main gates of the city. If to go along the upward to the hill, you'll enjoy the fantastic view on the Amphitheatre.

Roman Bridge. If to go along the South Alley / Kaiserstrasse and then along the Mosel, you'll find yourself at Roman Bridge. All its basalt piers (except the two) are the originals of the 4th century. The 2nd and 7th had to be changed, after the bridge was blasted by the French Army in 1689. The first wooden bridge on this place was created in the times of August I. The size and steadiness of the bridge let even nowadays use it in infrastructure of the modern city.

Read more about Trier:
Restaurants and cuisine in Trier
'Must visit' places in Trier
Preparing for Trier: Advices
Trier photogallery