What’s Old And Cool? Thanks But Wrong, It’s Trier, Germany.

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I try not to get too hysterical about historical, but Trier is the oldest town in Germany. It was the centre of the Roman Empire in the 2nd - 4th centuries but was first inhabited in about 17 BC. It is a city that has been formed and ravaged by wars for centuries but many buildings were spared damage, a situation recognised by numerous UNESCO protected sites in Trier.

At the fall of Roman occupation in 480 many buildings were looted for their stone and metal fittings, that were then used on newer projects around Trier. The Porta Nigra and the amphitheater were just two that lost materials, making restoration almost impossible. Trier was bombed in WW2 but has been faithfully restored to its former glory.

We arrived on a warm spring day and walked to our accommodation, passing colourful buildings from different eras, all now conducting modern commercial activities. Dentists, accountants, lawyers, all occupy the special spaces that follow the road from the station, none of which were in the original Trier.

On a warm day, strolling through the main Square , you could well place yourself in Italy. Many ice cream vendors and cafes sit between popular brand shops and Trier doesn’t really seem to have its own identity. German is the language but it is nothing like Berlin and reportedly identifies heavily with Luxembourg, a mere 45 minutes away by Train. People make the daily trip just to shop and have a day out. It’s no further, time wise, than going to Melbourne from where we live.

It’s a festive feeling during our stay but I have the feeling this is standard Trier and it’s popularity is obvious. The smell of pizzas, sausages and many other dishes vying for our attention, combined with pastries, ice creams and strudel shops, have all of the important food groups covered. As you wander, tulip displays decorate the Square and compliment the pointy gabled roofs that frame the Square in an uncoordinated mish mash of pastel colours.

Trier was not on our radar to visit but after hearing of its age and its relatively quiet environment, it was a good place to chill out at towards the end of the trip. The ‘man flu’ persists and I eat a fourth ’meal’ of the day in medications. We are back in Luxembourg for a few days and will the catch the train to Paris. This Saturday involves a visit to a French village called Nancy for the Saturday Market , a visit to the baroque town square and a slap up lunch for our last day at Tim and Natalia‘s place before leaving on the 22nd. The original plan was to have one night in Paris but strikes in France rendered our train ticket useless so I changed it to an earlier time. It could be a blessing as we will have 2 quiet days before the 26 hour flight home.

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Photos

Renaissance Buildings circa 1600.
The Minor Jewry Gate, built in1229, is between two of them.

Minor Jewry Gate, 1219
Trier had a very large, lively Jewish community between the 11th century and 1418, when they were expelled from the city. Located near the Main Square, the area around this gate was densely populated by Jewish families.

Kids In The Cathedral, Trier
Consistent with our luck, Trier hosts hundreds of school children for 2 days as part of an annual religious festival. They are in small groups and wander away if not watched; they need a sheepdog. I also know most children, given the choice will eat blue ice cream cone. Apparently blue is a flavour.

11th Commandant,.......
Thou shalt not covet a priests ice cream .
Check out the priest’s face. He doesn’t think giving is better than receiving, or he mightn’t like nuns much. Looking at the ages, a recruiting drive is badly needed.

The Imperial Palace.
Flanked with noble statues, bright tulips and manicured gardens and lawns, it looks like it should be in 17th century France. The entry to the building has gold features and statues.The tall building to the left is the 11th century Konstantin Basilica. It was the throne room of the Roman Empire in the 5th and 6th centuries.

The Roman Amphitheater
Built between 160-200 AD, it was estimated to hold 20000 people. Aside from animal hunts and gladiatorial battles, it also staged religious festivals and musical recitals. There is a cellar below and a lift was added in the 3rd century to elevate performers to the arena.

Cigarette Machines In The Front Yard
What’s going on here? These vending machines are in someone’s front yard. Clearly no age control in Germany. Maybe a good little earner for the appartment owner.

Kaiserthermen or Roman Baths.
This was a multilevel complex built in the 4th century as part of the imperial residence and covered over an acre of land, Romans knew how to live well and the impressions of how this looked display opulent decadence rarely seen now. In the Middle Ages a wealthy Trier family turned the main section into a castle while other sections became 2 churches.

Underground In The Roman Baths
The basement area of the baths was basically the workhouse where maintenance, heating and other operational activities were undertaken.

Street Scene At Night, Trier.
Tulips light up the night in front of our accommodation.

Porta Nigra or The Black Gate
Built between 160-200 AD at the same time as the amphitheater and 6kms Of Wall, the North Gates were the main entrance into Trier. In the Middle Ages the Gates were saved from scavenging by a hermit, Simeon, who was later canonised and had a church on the site named after him to reward his efforts.

Inside The Porta Nigra
This area was used as a church which preserved the area for a few hundred years and when the French ruled between 1794-1814 it was transferred into state ownership.

Built In 1900.
Now, this was built 6 years before my house ( no photo available) and I can assure you that a different architect designed it. In fact, I’m sure no architect was involved in my abode but I’m pretty content where I am, thanks.

Old Roman Bridge
Pick out the unnecessary word. If you guessed ‘old’, take a lolly from the jar. This bridge was built in about 144-152 and was the 3rd Roman Bridge.The basalt pillars still sit on oak pylons and support the bridge structure. It is still in use and has therefore carried traffic for 1850 years.