Trier, founded by the Celts in the late 4th century BC, is considered to be the oldest city in Germany. Conquered by the Romans three hundred years later, it is often described as the Rome of the North. It was the site of the first bishopric north of the Alps, and was the seat of the vice-emperor of the Western Empire. Some of its monumental past has survived in exceptional condition: the Porta Nigra is regarded as the best preserved gate to survive from the ancient world, and its huge, austere Basilicata is regarded as the largest surviving interior meeting place from those times. Its cathedral is one of the oldest religious buildings in the western world.
And these are just the most obvious high points to mention about Trier. Its UNESCO designation from its addition to the world heritage list gives an excellent synopsis and historical context.
Given all that there is to see here, it was a surprise that Trier was not overrun with tourists during our stay here. There were plenty of visitors, but not so many that it felt at all uncomfortable or overwhelming; and in the margins of the day it was quite pleasantly quiet. Perhaps it’s the impact of Covid, or maybe Trier is just not as well known as many other essential stops in Europe. It’s certainly taken us long enough to make our way here.
There’s too much to see for a quick pass through, and too much for a single post. Here are our photographs from the first half of our visit only. We’ll be back tomorrow with more. And in general it’s just your basic photo dump to remind us of what we saw here and to encourage you to come yourselves if you get the chance.
Monday night
Having arrived in Trier in midafternoon, we didn’t really see any of the city at all until we went out for dinner. Our exploration was limited mostly to just walking through the heart of the old city and gazing in astonishment at the buildings, in particular of the exterior of the immense cathedral.
Half-timbered houses in the main market (Hauptmarkt).
In the Hauptmarkt: a copy of the Market Cross, erected to commemorate the renewal of the market square in AD 958 after the Viking raids on the previous market which was closer to the river.
Saint Peter’s Cathedral, with the Liebfrauenkirche immediately to its right. At the time we didn’t understand that these were two separate religious structures.
Our plan for the day was to spend the morning on a walking tour of the principal sights in the Allstadt, starting with the cathedral and Liebfrauenkirche, both of which were closed last night. After that we were to come back to the room, have lunch, and then take a hike on the west side of the river.
Good plan, but a flawed execution. We arrived at the Liebfrauenkirche at 9, just as it was being closed to the public for the morning religious service. Instead we focused on the incredibly ornate Electoral Palace, deemed one of the most beautiful Rococo palaces in the world; moved on to the splendid gardens facing it, and then to the Emperor’s thermal baths.
I love it when our room come with a clothes dryer.
Bill ShaneyfeltIn 76-78, while stationed near Ramstein AFB (Close to Kaiserslautern for 2 years), we took almost weekly trips and Trier was one of the early ones. I mostly remember the Porta Nigra. Reply to this comment 2 years ago
Ben ParkeBe sure to try out Pfannekuchen while you’re in that region. It’s like pancakes but much much better. Reply to this comment 2 years ago
Scott AndersonTo Bill ShaneyfeltRamstein AFB! I imagine there have been a few changes in the last 45 years. For example, the NYT this morning tells us that now it’s filled with Afghan refugees playing soccer. Reply to this comment 2 years ago
