Trier Germany

On November 20th I took my parents to Trier.  It is Germany's oldest city.  It was founded by Augusta in 16 BC.  Trier was a Roman town for 400 years.

 

I am not sure if this pictures does it justice, but we drove by lots of vineyards that were basically vertical.  It is truly amazing where they grow things.

 

 

 

This is the Cathedral (Dom).  It is the oldest Christian church in Germany.  After Emperor Constantine legalized Christianity in the Roman Empire his mother, Helena, allowed part of her palace in Trier to be used as the first church on the spot.

 

Mom and Dad in the Cathedral.  Check out the ceiling, it is so ornate. 

 

They had these all over the church - they are different saints in each one.

 

This elaborate altar is not a religious shrine, but a memorial for a single rich archbishop. 

 

Many of these altars lining the nave are dedicated not to saints, but to bishops.  These ornate funeral altars were a fashionable way for the powerful archbishop-electors to memorialize themselves. 

 

You know me and the organs -check out the detail on this one.

 

There are many of these out in the middle of the cathedral - some are extremely old and a few are new.

 

The backside of the cathedral.

 

Next we headed over to the Archaeological Museum.  It has the best collection of Roman art in Germany.

 

One nice thing is they had audio guides through this museum.  It was very interesting, it started back in BC about Trier. 

 

I love how the bear is covering the wart hog's eyes!  It cracked me up!!!

 

So I had to get a picture with this - a wine ship!!!  Yep I need one of these.  :-) 

 

This is a replica to one of the four gates that was around the city.

 

Back then they buried the men with their weapons.

 

Not sure exactly why this was out front - but it was pretty interesting or different.

 

This is the Basilica/Imperial Throne Room.  It is the largest intact Roman structure outside of Rome.  It is best known as a basilica, but it actually started out as a throne room. 

 

Inside it is HUGE, vast, and basically empty.  On top is a 65-foot-wide round arch over the apse.  They actually had heated floors back in the Roman days - can you believe it?  Genius!!  I do love heated floors!  Also the room is so big there really isn't any way to heat it, so the pews have heated seats.  Even a better idea.  Mom and I sat there for awhile warming up.  :-)  This remains the leading Protestant church in Trier.

 

 

We headed back to the city center for some lunch and the sun started shining even more.  Beautiful!!!!

 

This is St Peter's Fountain in the market square. 

 

You can see them setting up for the Christmas market on the left.

 

Mom and dad enjoying a drink on a quaint little German restaurant.  They finally had some good German food.  Only took about 4 weeks being in Germany.  :-)

 

This is the most impressive Roman fortification in Germany, it was built without mortar - only iron pegs hold the sandstone blocks together.  The other three gates were destroyed.  This was a great little town!!!  We all had a wonderful time!!