Sunday, January 14, 2007
Trier
We traveled to Trier to meet up with Mike & Elaine while they were on their 2006 European trek. Since they explored the town the day we met them for supper, before we met up with them, we went back after our Berg Eltz and Rhine River excursions to explore the city on our own (while they were winging their way back to the states).
Not only is Trier a Roman city, it is also the oldest city in Germany. The city began around a wooden bridge built around 18 B.C. at the site of a fort used by the Celtic Treveri, and soon occupied the wide valley with an extensive grid pattern of streets on the site of sporadic Celtic settlements. Because it had been founded under Caesar Augustus in the area of the Treveri settlement, it was called Augusta Treverorum and later shortened to Treveri. In the year 275, the city was destroyed by the Germanic tribes only to be rebuilt even more magnificently after 293 as one of the three capitals of the Western Roman Empire alongside York and Milan.
One of the first sites we came across in Trier was the Porta Nigra. It’s the very symbol of Trier and one of the finest Roman sites available. The Porta Nigra was built toward the end of the 2nd century as a massive fortified gate and was converted into a church around 1040. Napoleon had it restored to its original appearance after 1804, when Trier was part of France. What’s amazing about the Porta Nigra is that no mortar was used in its construction. Instead, it’s made completely of stone blocks joined by iron clamps. The name, which means “black gate,” comes from its current color after enduring years of pollution.
The Porta Nigra’s inner courtyard is pretty impressive too, and could trap unsuspecting enemies from all sides. We all simply liked the view from up there. Trier’s Cathedral (Dom) and the Liebfrauenkirche (Church of Our Lady) are visible in the distance behind MacKenzie.
From the Porta Nigra, the Hauptmarkt is just a short stroll away. We had dinner with Mike and Elaine there two nights earlier, and enjoyed sitting in the market square for a delicious meal. There’s a stone cross in the center of the market square that was erected in 958 symbolizing the city’s right to hold a market. There’s also an ornate 16th century fountain (the Petrusbrunnen), visible in the photo above (with the gold statue). The city was having a special market this day, so the square was much busier than usual.
We took a bus tour of the city, and passed the Römerbrücke (Roman Bridge) over the Mosel River. Its stone pillars were built in the year 114. The upper parts of the bridge were originally made of wood, but were replaced with masonry arches during the 14th and 18th centuries, and is still in use today. More than 20,000 Roman coins have been found in the water under this bridge...thrown there by people entering the city. This is the largest gold coin hoard from antiquity ever found.
Facing the threat of a Germanic invasion, the Romans finally built a four-mile-long wall around the city in the year 180, which ultimately had five gates to allow easy access to the city -- the Porta Nigra was one of the gates. During medieval times, the city was smaller, so the walls were moved in. This is what remains of a portion of the smaller wall.
We passed what remains of the 4th century Kaiserthermen (Imperial Baths). The baths were established by the emperor Constantine and were among the largest in the Roman Empire. There’s not much left above ground today, but apparently the maze of passageways belowground are amazing.
We stopped for a view overlooking the city, and had a wonderful view of the Roman Amphitheater that was built in the year 117 and once seated more than 20,000 spectators. A lot of the stonework is gone today since the Amphitheater served as a quarry during the Middle Ages.
Here’s a view of Zachary with the Mosel River and Luxembourg in the distance (and a close-up below).
And, MacKenzie with the Konstantin Basilika (Basilica of Constantine), Trier’s Cathedral and Liebfrauenkirche behind her (with the close-up below).
Following our bus tour, the kids convinced me it was time for our traditional ice cream sampling. Benjamin surprised me this time by asking for apple ice cream. I’m not sure if he wanted it because it was green (his favorite color) or because he likes apples, but he ate most of it. And, yes, it did taste like apple.
After the short ice cream break, we headed to the nearby Cathedral (left) and Liebfrauenkirche (right). They almost look like one structure, but are very distinct on the insides.
The Cathedral dates in part from Roman times and has been enlarged and rebuilt several times. It contains a mix of Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque styles. Its Treasury is purported to contain the Holy Robe, supposedly worn by Christ at His trial, and which is only shown on very rare occasions. Our visit was not such an occasion.
The pipe organ was absolutely beauiful, and this photo does not do it justice. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
The adjoining Liebfrauenkirche is the earliest Gothic church in Germany, and was built by architects from Lorraine in the shape of a Greek cross between 1227 and 1260. This is actually the third church built on this site. The stained glass windows were absolutely stunning, and--once again--my photos don’t capture their beauty like I wished they had.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX The nearby Konstantin Basilika (below) wasn’t always a place of worship. In fact, it was originally built around 310 by Constantine I, also known as “Constantine the Great.” This room was Constantine’s throne room and is the only surviving part of his imperial palace. It was the central structure of an extensive palace complex that represented the might and imperial grandeur of the Roman Empire and its emperor. However, in the year 407, Trier was overrun and plundered by the Franks. Just like the rest of the city, the throne room lay in ruin, with only the massive exterior walls remaining standing. Over the years, the building was used as an administrative seat, a protective castle and an archbishop’s residence. By the late 18th century, the building was being used by French Revolutionary troops as barracks for their soldiers, then subsequently turned into a military hospital. In 1856, the building was dedicated as a new house of worship, the Protestant Church of the Redeemer, with a congregation of more than 1,300.
On August 14, 1944, Trier was the target of an immense air raid. The inner city went up in flames, as did the Basilika. While rebuilding the church was discussed as early as June 1945, nothing firm happened until February 1953 when the state of Rhineland-Palatinate declared its willingness to reconstruct the Basilika. This reconstruction, however, purged the church of all traces of its 19th century artistic creations and instead worked to bring the building back to its Roman beginnings. The church was dedicated a second time in December 1956, and it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1986.
The inside of this Basilika reminds me a little of the great hall in the Harry Potter movies. It’s massive and open, and the lights hang down almost as if out of nowhere. It’s easy to believe that it’s one of the largest rooms from antiquity without supporting columns: 221 feet long, 91 feet wide and 109 feet high! Each of the square tiles in the roof are 10 feet by 10 feet. It's a very massive room!
Just like in Prague, I liked the uniqueness of the manhole covers in Trier and had to take a photo of one.
In the 4th century, the city had between 60,000 and 80,000 inhabitants, saw six emperors reign from its city's seat and, under Constantine the Great (306-316), became an early center for the spread of Christianity north of the Alps. The Germanic tribal migrations of the 5th century brought destruction at the hands of the Franks, who took over politically after 485 and thus also imported their Germanic language. Today Trier has 100,000 inhabitants and is an administrative center as well as a shopping center for shoppers from as far as Luxembourg and parts of Belgium and France...as well as the many tourists who come visit this ancient Roman city.
I’m sure we drove past (or at least near) the Karl Marx Haus while we were there, but I couldn’t find it while navigating the streets as we drove out of town. Oh well. I’m sure the kids don’t mind that we missed it.
Not only is Trier a Roman city, it is also the oldest city in Germany. The city began around a wooden bridge built around 18 B.C. at the site of a fort used by the Celtic Treveri, and soon occupied the wide valley with an extensive grid pattern of streets on the site of sporadic Celtic settlements. Because it had been founded under Caesar Augustus in the area of the Treveri settlement, it was called Augusta Treverorum and later shortened to Treveri. In the year 275, the city was destroyed by the Germanic tribes only to be rebuilt even more magnificently after 293 as one of the three capitals of the Western Roman Empire alongside York and Milan.
One of the first sites we came across in Trier was the Porta Nigra. It’s the very symbol of Trier and one of the finest Roman sites available. The Porta Nigra was built toward the end of the 2nd century as a massive fortified gate and was converted into a church around 1040. Napoleon had it restored to its original appearance after 1804, when Trier was part of France. What’s amazing about the Porta Nigra is that no mortar was used in its construction. Instead, it’s made completely of stone blocks joined by iron clamps. The name, which means “black gate,” comes from its current color after enduring years of pollution.
The Porta Nigra’s inner courtyard is pretty impressive too, and could trap unsuspecting enemies from all sides. We all simply liked the view from up there. Trier’s Cathedral (Dom) and the Liebfrauenkirche (Church of Our Lady) are visible in the distance behind MacKenzie.
From the Porta Nigra, the Hauptmarkt is just a short stroll away. We had dinner with Mike and Elaine there two nights earlier, and enjoyed sitting in the market square for a delicious meal. There’s a stone cross in the center of the market square that was erected in 958 symbolizing the city’s right to hold a market. There’s also an ornate 16th century fountain (the Petrusbrunnen), visible in the photo above (with the gold statue). The city was having a special market this day, so the square was much busier than usual.
We took a bus tour of the city, and passed the Römerbrücke (Roman Bridge) over the Mosel River. Its stone pillars were built in the year 114. The upper parts of the bridge were originally made of wood, but were replaced with masonry arches during the 14th and 18th centuries, and is still in use today. More than 20,000 Roman coins have been found in the water under this bridge...thrown there by people entering the city. This is the largest gold coin hoard from antiquity ever found.
Facing the threat of a Germanic invasion, the Romans finally built a four-mile-long wall around the city in the year 180, which ultimately had five gates to allow easy access to the city -- the Porta Nigra was one of the gates. During medieval times, the city was smaller, so the walls were moved in. This is what remains of a portion of the smaller wall.
We passed what remains of the 4th century Kaiserthermen (Imperial Baths). The baths were established by the emperor Constantine and were among the largest in the Roman Empire. There’s not much left above ground today, but apparently the maze of passageways belowground are amazing.
We stopped for a view overlooking the city, and had a wonderful view of the Roman Amphitheater that was built in the year 117 and once seated more than 20,000 spectators. A lot of the stonework is gone today since the Amphitheater served as a quarry during the Middle Ages.
Here’s a view of Zachary with the Mosel River and Luxembourg in the distance (and a close-up below).
And, MacKenzie with the Konstantin Basilika (Basilica of Constantine), Trier’s Cathedral and Liebfrauenkirche behind her (with the close-up below).
Following our bus tour, the kids convinced me it was time for our traditional ice cream sampling. Benjamin surprised me this time by asking for apple ice cream. I’m not sure if he wanted it because it was green (his favorite color) or because he likes apples, but he ate most of it. And, yes, it did taste like apple.
After the short ice cream break, we headed to the nearby Cathedral (left) and Liebfrauenkirche (right). They almost look like one structure, but are very distinct on the insides.
The Cathedral dates in part from Roman times and has been enlarged and rebuilt several times. It contains a mix of Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque styles. Its Treasury is purported to contain the Holy Robe, supposedly worn by Christ at His trial, and which is only shown on very rare occasions. Our visit was not such an occasion.The pipe organ was absolutely beauiful, and this photo does not do it justice. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
The adjoining Liebfrauenkirche is the earliest Gothic church in Germany, and was built by architects from Lorraine in the shape of a Greek cross between 1227 and 1260. This is actually the third church built on this site. The stained glass windows were absolutely stunning, and--once again--my photos don’t capture their beauty like I wished they had.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX The nearby Konstantin Basilika (below) wasn’t always a place of worship. In fact, it was originally built around 310 by Constantine I, also known as “Constantine the Great.” This room was Constantine’s throne room and is the only surviving part of his imperial palace. It was the central structure of an extensive palace complex that represented the might and imperial grandeur of the Roman Empire and its emperor. However, in the year 407, Trier was overrun and plundered by the Franks. Just like the rest of the city, the throne room lay in ruin, with only the massive exterior walls remaining standing. Over the years, the building was used as an administrative seat, a protective castle and an archbishop’s residence. By the late 18th century, the building was being used by French Revolutionary troops as barracks for their soldiers, then subsequently turned into a military hospital. In 1856, the building was dedicated as a new house of worship, the Protestant Church of the Redeemer, with a congregation of more than 1,300.
On August 14, 1944, Trier was the target of an immense air raid. The inner city went up in flames, as did the Basilika. While rebuilding the church was discussed as early as June 1945, nothing firm happened until February 1953 when the state of Rhineland-Palatinate declared its willingness to reconstruct the Basilika. This reconstruction, however, purged the church of all traces of its 19th century artistic creations and instead worked to bring the building back to its Roman beginnings. The church was dedicated a second time in December 1956, and it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1986.The inside of this Basilika reminds me a little of the great hall in the Harry Potter movies. It’s massive and open, and the lights hang down almost as if out of nowhere. It’s easy to believe that it’s one of the largest rooms from antiquity without supporting columns: 221 feet long, 91 feet wide and 109 feet high! Each of the square tiles in the roof are 10 feet by 10 feet. It's a very massive room!
Just like in Prague, I liked the uniqueness of the manhole covers in Trier and had to take a photo of one.In the 4th century, the city had between 60,000 and 80,000 inhabitants, saw six emperors reign from its city's seat and, under Constantine the Great (306-316), became an early center for the spread of Christianity north of the Alps. The Germanic tribal migrations of the 5th century brought destruction at the hands of the Franks, who took over politically after 485 and thus also imported their Germanic language. Today Trier has 100,000 inhabitants and is an administrative center as well as a shopping center for shoppers from as far as Luxembourg and parts of Belgium and France...as well as the many tourists who come visit this ancient Roman city.
I’m sure we drove past (or at least near) the Karl Marx Haus while we were there, but I couldn’t find it while navigating the streets as we drove out of town. Oh well. I’m sure the kids don’t mind that we missed it.
Labels: Benjamin, Germany, MacKenzie, Travel, Zachary
