Sojourn Magazine Spring 2017

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THE OLDEST CITY IN GERMANY
ROMAN RUINS REMAIN ALMOST INTACT IN THE CITY OF TRIER
By Azhar Ahmad
Trier is on the east bank of the River
Mosel, surrounded by woods and
vineyards. Most of the main sights lie
within the outline of its Roman walls. Badly
bombed in the Second World War, the old
town is a hotchpotch of old and new.
First settled by ancient Celtic and Gallic
tribes, it was the Romans, under their first
emperor, Augustus, who put Trier on the
map, about 16BC. Nestled on the right
bank of the River Mosel, a tributary of the
Rhine, Trier became an important hub of
trade, an imperial getaway, a Second
Rome – and now bills itself as having more
Roman ruins than anywhere else north of
the Alps. These relics have earned the city
a UNESCO World Heritage rating.
Start at the Porta Nigra, an impressive
2nd-century Roman city gate. It’s the
world’s best preserved roman city gate
and Trier’s landmark. You can enter the
gate and climb to the top for a beautiful
view over the city. Then, move on to the
central market square, a lovely town
square surrounded by impressive buildings
constructed over the centuries, showing
you the rich history of Trier. Around the
square you find a great selection of shops,
bars and restaurants making it the perfect
location for a break or some (souvenir)
shopping. Germany’s oldest market cross,
dating back to the year 958, can be found
on this square.
The Trierer Dom or Dom St Peter is the
oldest cathedral in Germany and houses
an impressive collection of artworks,
architecture and holy relics. You can’t miss
this impressive piece of architecture. Once
you are inside the cathedral walk all the
way to the back where on the right side of
the building you will find a door leading
you to a stunning courtyard. From there
you can really see 2000 years of human
history represented in architecture: look up
at the cathedral and the neighboring
church to see all the different building
styles making the two structures into what
they are today. After that, visit the
Liebfrauenkirche, which is located next to
the Trierer Dom. It is one of the two
earliest Gothic churches in Germany and
offers a lovely contrast to its older
Romanesque neighbor.
The Konstantin-Basilika, Constantine’s
throne room, was built by the emperor
Constantine (AD 306–337) at the beginning
of the 4th century. It is the largest surviving
single-room structure from Roman times.
The Romans wanted the architecture to
express the magnificence and might of the
emperor. Since the middle of the 19th
century the building has been used as the
first and oldest Protestant church in
Catholic Trier. When you visit this Basilika,
walk around the building to have a look at
the Kurfürstliches Palais (Electoral Palace)
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