Trier Things to Do

pictured is a baroque addition to the dom. inside this beautiful cathedral is the 10th century altar of st. andrew and the treasury. one of the most interesting relics of the treasury is the holy robe which supposedly was worn by christ during his trial. this relic is only shown on special occasions.

trier's massive cathedral is the oldest in germany. it was in part started by the romans under constantine and was enlarged in the 11th, 12th, 13th, and 14th centuries. do to these enlargements and alterations this interesting cathedral has a number of architectural styles. the picture is of a romanesque part of the cathedral.

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from the hauptmarkt you can walk about three blocks on fleischstrasse to bruckenstrasse to see the karl marx house. karl marx, the founder of communism, was born in this upper middle class home in 1818. marx lived and worked here until 1883. the german social democratic party (SDP) bought the house in 1928. in 1933 when the nazi party came to power the building was confiscated and used as a print shop. in 1947 the house was opened as a museum on the life and works of marx. the museum has a collection of photos and text (in german) of the rise of the SDP and communism. a historically interesting museum to visit.

a block from the hauptmarkt is the 11th century frankenturn. this castle like building was built by franko von sehnheim as a residence. the frankenturn is one of the oldest and best preserved medieval buildings in germany.

pictured is the petrusbrunnen ( st. peter's fountain) built in 1595. the fountain has sculptures of st. peter and the four virtues. this beautiful fountain is located on the south eastern side of the hauptmarkt.

the hauptmarkt is trier's central square. pictured is a stone cross orginally erected in 958AD. the cross symbolizes trier's right to hold a market. the cross is mounted on the base of a roman column. the cross has a relief of the lamb of god.

the porta nigra (black gate) was built by the romans in the 2nd century AD. this massive gate is the oldest defensive structure in germany. during the middle ages it was named porta nigra because the sandstone blocks of the gate had weathered and turned black. in the 12th century the porta nigra housed the church of st. simeon. the church was in operation until the early 18th century. the porta nigra is open to the public for a small fee.

The Electoral Palace (Kurfürstliches Palais) is the weird pink building attached to the ancient Basilica. It was begun in 1614 as a residence for the Holy Roman Empire electors, who ruled this area from the 1200s or 1300s. The building was originally constructed in a traditional German style, but the pink side was remodeled in 1756-1761. The system of electoral archbishops was finally dissolved in Trier in 1794. The pink rococo building is still used today as city administrative offices.

While some consider this building a beautiful work of art, I believe it is terribly gaudy, and it really ruins the look and feel of the Roman Basilica to which it is attached.