Trier is located on the border of Germany and Luxembourg. Now it is a small tourist town, where you can see many attractions included in the UNESCO cultural heritage list. However, this was not always the case. During the Roman Empire, Trier was the largest city in Europe North of the Alps.
Trier is the oldest city in Germany. It was founded in 15 BC during the reign of Emperor Octavian Augustus. With the development of the city, all the attributes of a major Roman city appeared here: palaces, temples, baths, and an amphitheater. Under the Emperor Constantine, it was even called "Northern Rome", and there were buildings corresponding to the capital of the Roman Empire.
In a small area of the old city, you can see several buildings of the Roman era, which have great historical and cultural value: the Basilica of Constantine, the Imperial baths, the Baths of Barbara, the Porta Nigra, the Roman bridge.
The Basilica of Constantine was built in 310. In those years, it was the throne hall of the Emperor. Unfortunately, the original Basilica has not been preserved to this day, since part of its walls were integrated into the Elector`s Palace, but in 1844 it was restored in all its grandeur and beauty of huge geometric proportions.
The city was surrounded by a strong fortress wall with several gates. The Porta Nigra (Black Gate) was the largest of them, and they have preserved to this day in excellent conditions. Now they are the largest and best preserved ancient Roman gates in the world. Only ruins of the Roman thermal complexes have been preserved, but they are also impressive in their scale.
Trier Cathedral is the oldest Church in Germany. It was founded by the Emperor Constantine in 320. A huge temple complex consisting of two churches has survived to this day: The Trier Cathedral, which was completed in the Romanesque style in 1196, and the Gothic Church of the Liebenfrauenkirche, which was built in the period 1230-1260.
Of great interest is the Rhineland Regional Museum, which is considered one of the largest archaeological museums in Germany. Next to the Porta of Nigra is located the City Museum, where you can get acquainted with the history of the city from the Middle Ages to the present day. You should definitely take a walk around the old town in the Market square area.
