River Cruise Diary – Trier, Germany

We sailed as far upstream on the Mosel as we would on this voyage, docked outside of Trier and took buses into the old quarter of town.

‘Porta Nigra’, Trier, Germany (14 November 2019) 

Before this visit, I knew nothing about this city. Trier is the oldest city in Germany. There were 70,000 inhabitants when it was one of the four capitals of the Roman Empire (along with Rome, Constantinople and Alexandria). The ‘Porta Nigra’ (black gate) is the surviving portion of the passage through the Roman wall that surrounded the ancient city. During the Middle Ages, a number of church buildings were incorporated into the gate. When Napoleon controlled the region, given his dicey relationship with the church, he had the churches removed and restored the structure to its original Roman form. It remains the largest Roman edifice north of the Alps.

Trier Cathedral (14 November 2019) 

The High Cathedral of St. Peter in believed to be the oldest church in Germany. It is classic Romanesque architecture that was completed in 1270. However, the site has had a Christian edifice since Emperor Constantine converted to the faith in the 3rd century. Behind that person on the lower right of the picture is a Roman wall that dates to Constantine’s time. The Emperor lived in Trier for some time and his mother, St. Helena, another revered early Christian, has a shrine inside the cathedral. While she was buried in Rome, they claim it is her skull that is on display here in a crypt named for her.

Baroque Chapel, East Choir, Trier Cathedral (14 November 2019) 

There have been additions to the church over the centuries. This Baroque chapel was added in the late 1600’s to contain the Seamless Robe of Jesus, said to be the garment Christ wore right before the crucifixion. The ceiling reliefs are classic Baroque excess…which I chose to present here in black and white.

Inside Trier Cathedral (14 November 2019)

As with many old cathedrals, time, prevailing politics and availability of funds have seen burials and memorials added to the interior spaces. On the left is the All Saints Altar which is also the tomb of Lothar von Metternich, an Archbishop who has resided under this ornate decoration since 1623.

The Church of Our Lady, Trier, Germany (14 November 2019) 

The Marianist movement and the veneration of the Mother of Christ has led to the construction of many dedicated churches. This exquisite round chapel was added to the cathedral in the 1200’s. French architects were hired to compliment the old Romanesque structure next door by attaching this soaring space to create room for stained glass and light. The Church of Our Lady is the oldest Gothic church in Germany.

The Basilica, Trier, Germany (14 November 2019) 

Our walking tour took us to the Basilica. It has been a Protestant church since 1856 but was built in 310 as a Roman Imperial hall where no one was allowed to sit but the Emperor. It remains the largest extant hall from antiquity. Allied bombs during the Second World War blew the roof off the hall but the sturdy Roman walls held and a new roof/ceiling was added. Romans built things to last.

Karl Marx Statue, Trier, Germany (14 November 2019) 

Another claim to fame…Trier is the birthplace of Karl Marx. On the 200th anniversary of his birth (2018), the Chinese government gave the town an 18-foot statue of the guy. Naturally, there was controversy.

According to our guide, some people said, “How can you celebrate a man whose philosophy led to so much death and misery? We’ll vandalize the statue every day.” Others said, “His philosophy was bastardized and misinterpreted by the Communists. We’ll clean the statue every day.”

On the day we were there, neither activity was observed.

As noted earlier, the next morning, we sailed back to Bernkastel and tied up there for the night. Our cruise diary will resume in the Mosel River town of Cochem.