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Germany: Inside Trier Cathedral

The Cathedral in Trier is the oldest church in Germany.

The history, and Cathedral itself, is impressive. It started as a Roman palace built by Constantine. In 330 the palace was leveled and replaced by a Christian church. It was the largest in Antiquity. According to the city’s web site, it was “four times as big as the present-day church and covering the area of the Cathedral and the Church of Our Lady, the Cathedral Square, the adjoining garden, and the houses almost up to the market.”

That version of the church was destroyed in the in the 5th and 9th centuries. And rebuilt. Another part was torn down around 1200 and rebuilt as today’s Church of Our Lady.

The gothic Church of Our Lady has fantastic stained-glass windows, and you can see an excavation of the Roman ruins (thru a glass window in the floor). The Cathedral Dom has some great plasterwork and an interesting black and white pattern on the organ. And a nice garden.

Also notable: The Cathedral is home to the seamless robe of Christ. Legend says it was worn by Christ shortly before his crucifixion. There was no mention of it before the 12th century and even the church admits it can’t be authenticated. Oh, and you can’t look at it. Even during Holy Robe Days, it remains sealed up in a box (but you can enter the robe’s chapel).

I’m skeptical. Not so much because you can’t see it or that the church isn’t saying it’s the real deal—more because of the whole “seamless” thing. I’ve had a shirt without a seam before. It was called a tube top. Maybe that’s why they keep it locked in a box.

See all posts from Trier and our week in Mosel.

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From Trier's Cathedral Dom. Shot May 26, 2012 in Trier, Germany

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From Trier's Church of Our Lady. Shopt May 26, 2012 in Trier, Germany

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Germany: The Roman ruins of Trier

The #1 reason for visiting Trier: The Roman ruins.

As the capital of the Roman province of Gallia Belgic and the Western Roman Empire, Trier experienced great prosperity in the 2nd and 3rd centuries. This was when the Porta Nigra, the Roman baths (there are three) and amphitheater were constructed. Trier is the best (and only) place to see Roman ruins north of the Alps.

It’s a bit of a walk to the amphitheater; we didn’t go. Honestly, after seeing the Colosseum in Rome, it would have been a let down. It would, however, be cool to see the Roman games reenacted here during the Brot and Spiele festival.

The Brot and Spiele is Trier’s annual Roman festival. It runs August 31 to September 2, 2012. And it’s tentatively on my calendar. Aug 31 is also open door days at Chimay and open weekend at 3 Fonteinen, so we’ll see…I have a feeling beer beats culture.

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From Porta Nigra. Shot May 26, 2012 in Trier, Germany

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From Roman Imperial Baths. Shot May 26, 2012 in Trier, Germany

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Germany: The ancient city of Trier

Trier is Germany’s oldest city, founded in 16 BC. But archaeological evidence shows there was a settlement here 7,000 years ago (in the New Stone Age). To say Trier has a rich history is a bit of an understatement. Read more about it here.

Trier is an ancient Roman capital, the birthplace of Saint Ambrose, home of Constantine and Karl Marx, and the oldest seat of a Christian bishop north of the Alps. Not to mention, the best place to see Roman ruins outside of Italy (much of which were built by Constantine).

Today, Trier is an interesting mishmash of old and new. It’s unique among the villages of the Mosel Valley, which, though I love them, can be a bit redundant.

In Trier, you can walk from the Porta Nigra through 19 centuries of architecture. We did just that on a Saturday as a day trip from Leiwen. We had lunch at the Kebap Haus on the square and walked through a not-very-impressive market, the Dom, the Church of St. Gangolf and the medieval Jewish quarter. Then around to the Roman ruins and back again.