Trier: Germany’s Oldest City

Trier is Germany’s oldest city, having been founded in 16 BC as a Roman encampment by Empower Caesar Augustus. Although it was a cold, rainy day, our knowledge guide to the city’s antiquities made for a very interesting visit. Trier is a principal city of the Moselle Valley and a once mighty outpost of the Holy Roman Empire. Remains of Rome’s power and influence are scattered everywhere, seamlessly mixing into the vibrant, modern city.

Trier has three major historic churches, one Protestant and two Catholic. The Protestant church, destroyed by Louis XIV and restored on the original Roman foundation which had brick walls 10′ deep, is massive. Nazis occupied the church during WW II, but today it is a vibrant Lutheran parish.

Liebfrauenkirche (Church of Our Lady) is one of the earliest Gothic churches in Germany.

The magnificent Cathedral of Trier was built under the direction of Helena (mother of Emperor Constantine.)

One of Germany’s most famous sons, Karl Marx, was born in Trier in 1818.

The historic heart of Trier is the colorful Hauptmarkt. The square is anchored by an ornate fountain dating back to 1595. St. Peter, the city’s patron saint, stands on the fountain’s top pedestal. The tower of St. Gangolf’s Church rises above the colorful buildings around the square. The historic Market Cross, one of Europe’s oldest market crosses, has been standing as a blessing to the square since 958 AD.