Trier is the oldest city in Germany. The Treveri, a Celtic tribe, was settled here in 400 BC, possibly even earlier. Then Julius Caesar’s legions founded a city in this strategic position and called it Augusta Treverorum. Destroyed in 275, it was rebuilt, bigger and better and renamed Treveris. Eventually it became one of the most powerful capitals and known as a second Rome. Emperor Constantine lived in Trier for years at a time. After surviving the fall of the Roman Empire, Trier became an important center of Christianity and continued to thrive mostly due to its advantageous location at the center of east-west and north-south trade routes.
My mom used to visit Trier when she lived in Germany 50 years ago. She has visited many of the places I visit but she was really excited I was going to Trier because she thought it was a really cool place and I have to agree with her. It is weird to think about her visiting the same ancient sites as my sister and I were seeing half a century later.
We grabbed a cab from the train station. Our cab driver was fantastic. It started with an impromptu quiz on Trier. I felt like I was on Cash Cab, which was awesome. This segued into sharing great information on the city, pointing out landmarks and giving us some recommendations including a warning about the wine- People discover how great the wine is the first night they are in Trier but often don’t remember it the next day. LOL.
Originally we planned to spend two days in Trier but unfortunately we were delayed due to illness so we packed everything into one very long, very busy day. I recommend spending a few days exploring the city but if you only have one day it can be done and it is so worth it. Definitely don’t skip it.
Porta Nigra
The best preserved Roman city gate north of the Alps, the Porta Nigra or Black Gate as it has been known for over 900 years, was built as part of the city walls encircling Trier in 170 AD. An Unesco World Heritage site, along with all the other Roman ruins in Trier, it is amazing to behold and even more amazing to climb and get a view of the surrounding city. Astonishing that it was built without the use of mortar. Those Romans sure knew how to build stuff.
Dom (Cathedral)
Melding European architecture styles from the last 1700 years, the Dom or Cathedral of St Peter, is the oldest church in Germany. Sounds like a mess but it works. It is also a pilgrimage site housing Christ’s Tunic, brought by the mother of Constantine, St Helen. The Holy Robe Chapel is only open during Holy Robes days and the tunic itself is no longer displayed. However the Treasury houses other relics, reliquaries and important pieces of art so it is definitely still worth visiting.
Museum Am Dom Trier
Next door to the Dom is the Cathedral Museum. It contains religious art, models of the cathedral and Greek and Russian icons. Most impressive are the frescoes from the imperial palace that stood on the original sight of the Dom. Imagine a 30,000 piece jigsaw puzzle… that is what it must have been like for archaeologists who spent over 10 years putting them together. It is pretty amazing.
Amphitheater
Built in 100 AD, the Roman Amphitheater is the oldest Roman structure in Trier. We spent a lovely afternoon soaking up the sun and wandering the ruins. It is huge- seating up to 20,000 people and you can go down below and see the cages where the animals were kept. On weekends there are gladiator performances but we were there during the week so we had to re-enact Gladiator by ourselves. It was still a great time.
Kaiserthermen (Imperial Baths)
Built in the 4th century by Constantine, Kaiserthermen was one of the largest bathing facilities in the Roman Empire even though the complex was never completed. All that remains now is the Calderium or hot baths, but it is impressive nonetheless. You can still walk along the underground passageways that would have been used by servants tending to the needs of all the pampered Roman bathers. I visited the Roman Baths in Bath England and this was a completely different experience- less curated, less crowded, more natural ruins than museum. Not better or worse, just different. It was my favorite thing in Trier.
Barbarathermen (Barbara Baths)
In its heyday of the late 2nd century, Barbarathermen was the largest bathing complex outside of Rome. Only a portion of the original bathhouse has been excavated so you will have to depend on your imagination to envision the sprawling complex. If you’re having trouble picturing the grandeur you can always check out some of the artifacts in the Rheinisches Landesmuseum
Rheinisches Landesmuseum (Rhineland Federal State Museum)
The Rheinisches Landesmuseum can be a little overwhelming. It houses exhibits from the Stone age to baroque times, including the largest collection of Roman antiquities in Germany. Some of the highlights are the road of tombs, the tombstone of a wine merchant known as the Neumagen Wine Ship, a large collection of mosaics and my favorite the gold coins from Roman imperial times. All signage is in German so be sure to get an audio guide.
Hauptmarkt
The main market square or Hauptmarkt in Trier is surrounded by beautiful buildings and St Peter’s Fountain, filled with market stalls selling flowers and produce during the week and most importantly wine. From March to October different wineries take turns selling wine at the wine stall making it a perfect opportunity to try out some local wine and do some people watching. If you want to sample more wine there are some wineries around town you can check out. The Trier tourism website also has tours you can check out. Unfortunately, we were not able to try any wine because our tummies were still recovering from being sick.
Konstantin Basilika
Originally built as Emperor Constantine’s throne room in 310 AD and called the Aula Palatina, the Konstantin Basilika now serves as the Protestant Church in Trier. It was the largest pillarless hall in the ancient world and is still one of the largest Roman interiors today.
Karl Marx Haus
Karl Marx was born in this house in 1818 and went on to become the most famous son of Trier (It was part of my cab quiz). The Karl Marx House has some personal effects and first editions of his manifestos. While it mainly appeals to those with an interest in social or political history, it is still interesting to stop in and check it out.
Stadmuseum Simeonstift Trier
If you want to explore the history of Trier further, the City Museum is the place to do it. Exhibits take you through history from antiquity to modern day with sculptures, models, painting and more. Investigate the role tourism, religion and other factors influence life in Trier.
Igel Column
Standing 75 feet tall, the Igel Column is the largest preserved gravestone north of the Alps and is a Unesco World Heritage site. It is still in its original location just outside of Trier. It wasn’t destroyed like so many other tombs because it was mistakenly believed to belong to the family of Constantine the Great. In reality it belongs to a textile merchant who wanted everyone to know how wealthy and powerful his family had been. Guess it worked! If you can’t make it out of town there is a replica in the Landesmuseum.
Roscheider Hof
I love open air museums. I was so sad we didn’t make it to Roscheider Hof. There is a village of half timbered buildings featuring a town hall, school and various workshops. In the courtyard complex there are living spaces from different periods and exhibitions on an array of topics from schnapps making to laundry. Beautiful gardens, flowering fruit trees and pastures for sheep make up the outdoor areas of the museum. The museum is located about 6 miles outside of town so it is easiest reached by car but can be done via public transportation.