Trier, the oldest city in Germany

Augusta Treverorum is the Latin name of the oldest city in Germany, Trier. It was one of the most important cities of the Roman Empire, Imperial Residence and almost capital of the Western Roman Empire under Constantine the Great. The city conserves several archaeological sites and Roman monuments as witnesses of its past glories. Trier is also the birthplace of Karl Marx, one of the most influential thinkers of the XIX century. Surprisingly, a city with such historical background seems forgotten by the general public. In my recent visit to Trier, I can attest that it has been spared from mass tourism. The reason behind this oddity is that Trier is not well communicated with the rest of the world. The two airports close to Trier are Luxembourg (actually another country) and Hahn (Small regional airport in Germany). Of course, you could also reach Trier by train but even though, the city is probably not in the top of the list of a regular traveler.

Evidently, Trier's main attractions are the monuments linked with its Roman past. Porta Nigra is one of the most remarkable ones. It was the gate of the city in Roman times. The name means "black door" given the color of the stone used for its construction. You can climb it (I paid two euros). Although there are very few things to see inside, the views of the city are completely worth it. The next big attraction is Trier's Cathedral. The church was built from the remaining parts of an ancient temple built by Constantine the Great. The building is austere from outside and beautiful inside and contains many relics including the holy robe wear by Jesus. For a small fee you can enter the treasure chamber which contains several valuable liturgical objects. There is a beautiful cloister next to the church that you can also visit. Next to Trier's Cathedral is the Church of Our Lady, the oldest Gothic church in Germany. What I like about this church is its circular shape, unusual for this kind of constructions. These three monuments are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Other world heritage sites worth mentioning are the Imperial Throne Room , the Roman baths, the Roman amphitheater, and the Roman bridge. The Imperial Throne was transformed into a church (a Basilica) that was severely damaged during the Second World War. For the reconstruction, it was decided to throw out all the ornaments and statues that were added since its foundation and leave the place as close as possible to the Roman period. Next to the church is the splendid Electoral Palace built in Rococo style. I could not visit the interior of this palace but from outside you can enjoy a romantic view that includes a beautiful garden. In front of the Palace there is the Rhineland Museum, which has one of the most important collections of Roman archaeological objects in Germany (I think only Cologne has a larger collection). The museum is huge, it has many interesting artifacts, but it is not "tourist friendly". since not all the signalling are translated to English. Even though, it is a must in Trier, specially for its collection of funerary monuments (some of them conserve their original paint)  and the exquisite mosaics.

Porta Nigra

Trier's Cathedral

Imperial Throne Room

Electorate Palace

Rhineland Museum

Trier has another thing in common with Rome; it is the burial site of an apostle: Saint Matthias. He was the apostle that replaced Judas Iscariot, although he was not handpicked by Jesus. Saint Matthias remains are in a humble tomb inside the Abbey of Saint Matthias. The Abbey is outside the city center, you need almost 20 minutes walking to get there. Nevertheless there is a bus that runs frequently from the Abbey to downtown. The interior of the church is modest, you would never think that there is an Apostle buried inside. The church of Saint Paulin is the opposite of modesty, it is a Baroque gem. The interior reminds me some of the churches that I have seen in Austria. Definitively, it is worth to take some time and visit this place. Trier has also the Karl Marx museum, but I did not have time to visit this museum. 

Saint Matthias Tomb

Saint Paulin Church

If you are hungry, I recommend two places in Trier: Kartoffel Restaurant and Zum Domstein. Both places serve local cuisine. In the first one, its specialty is the dishes made with potatoes. Nevertheless, I had a Wien Schnitzel there and it was outstanding. The second restaurant has the bonus of a  "Roman menu" for those who want to eat as in the Roman times. As usual in Germany, the Konditoreien (bakeries) are a must. You should also try the Riesling wine while in Trier as much as possible. 

I recommend to stay in Trier no more than three days. From Trier you can also visit Luxembourg city, Metz (In France, highly recommended, I made a review about this place), and Saarbrücken (Germany).