TRIER Only 100 km (60 miles) north of Ramstein is the city of Trier. Plan on spending an entire day in this historical city. Situated in the fertile Mosel River valley, Trier and its surrounds have been occupied since "pre-history". Following the Stone and Bronze Ages, the region was occupied by Celtic tribes. Trier proper was established by the Romans in the 1st century A.D. with the construction of a stone bridge and town walls. Often called the "Rome of the North", Trier served as an imperial residence for the Roman Empire. During the 4th century, Trier was home to 3 Emperors. Under Roman rule, the town grew to cover 704 acres with all of the buildings typical of a Roman city. You can still visit the ruins of the Kaiserthermen and the Barbara Baths, the second largest public bath in the Roman Empire (second only to Trajan's baths in Rome), the Emperor's audience hall, the Basilika, and the only surviving city gate, the Porte Nigra. The Kaiserthermen Roman baths occupy approximately an acre. A map at the entrance will help you figure out what role each section of the ruins served. Along with walls visible above ground, there is an extensive array of tunnels underneath the complex. If you have a lot of time to spare, it might be fun for kids to pace out the tunnels and map them onto grid paper. Those that are really orienteering savvy might even be able to use a compass, but be forewarned, the complex is not on a north-south orientation. A few blocks northwest of the Kaiserthermen are the Barbara Baths, only a third of which has been excavated. "Only the foundations and the subterranean service tunnels have survived, but the technical details of the sewer systems, the furnaces, the pools, and the heating system can be studied better than in the other two baths." The four-story Porta Nigra lies several blocks to the east of the baths. A city gate during Roman times, it was incorporated into the building of a church during Christian times. Napoleon had the gate restored to original state when he invaded/occupied Trier in 1804. You can climb to the top for a great view of the city. Following the collapse of the Roman Empire, Trier declined in importance until it became the seat of the Archbishops in the 10th century. By the 14th century, Trier was once again one of the largest cities in Germany. Extensive remnants of this period of religious rule still exist. The best way to learn about the history and significance of Trier is to visit the Rheinisches Landesmuseum adjacent to the Kaiserthermen. Established in 1877, this museum has been the repository of a vast collection of artifacts from the region. Stones, metal, glass, coins and more document the presence of man in the Trier area since "prehistory". Along with objects from the Stone and Bronze Ages, the museum boost of a significant collection of objects from the Iron Age and Celtic period circa 650 B.C. in its Prehistory Department. The history of the Gallo-Roman period, which saw a blending of the native Celtic tradition and the emerging Roman culture, can be seen in the immense Gallo-Roman Department. There are rooms dedicated to a vast number of building stones, statues, and burial stones, a room of coins, a room of mosaics, a room of oil lamps, well, you get the picture. The Merovingian-Frankish Department highlights the period between Roman occupation and Trier's rise as an Archbishopric. Artifacts demonstrating the influence of the invading Germanic tribes into the area include an abundance of weapons and burial jewelry. The Medieval and Modern Department display art and objects from the 11th to 19th centuries. Stone reliefs and sculptures dominate and show the development of a rich Christian culture in Trier. English Infophones can be rented at the entrance desk. These allow you to listen to a description of many of the displays by keying in the number indicated. A 40 page booklet in English, Rheinisches Landesmuseum Trier, Introduction to the Collections, can be obtained at the entrance desk. Guided tours can be arranged in advance though the Tourist Office, 0651-978080. According to the latest booklet, current opening hours are: Monday 10-4, Tuesday - Friday 9:30 - 4, Saturday 9:30 to 1 and Sunday 9 - 1. Hours seem to vary depending upon which source you view, so it may be wise to call ahead or be prepared for it to open as late as 10. The museum's phone number is 0651-43588. Admission is 5.50 for adults or 3.00 per adult in groups, 1.50 for children, 10.50 for families and 1.00 per person for schoolgroups. Although the displays change, you can see a number of pictures from the museum on its site at http://www.landesmuseum-trier.de/ (in German). This site also includes a good map of Trier on the Die Anfahrt page. Trier's Staadtmuseum is worth a visit too. Located next to the Porte Nigra, it houses an impressive display of paintings, furniture, and other items demonstrating life in the region during medieval and modern times. Admission is 2.60 for adults, or groups of 20 or more, 1.50 per person, pupils, students, trainees, soldiers and pensioners, 1.50 and school groups and children up to 14 years, free of charge. Other sites in Trier that I have not visited include the house of Karl Marx, a Toy Museum, and several significant church sites. For more information, visit Trier's website at http://www.trier.de/tourismus/english/sights/museums.htm From this page you can read a little about the many museums and monuments in Trier. From the bottom of any one section you can jump to another by choosing from the "See Also: Museums - Churches - Monuments - Nature. |
Trier Battern Family Travels Trier |
TRIER Only 100 km (60 miles) north of Ramstein is the city of Trier. Plan on spending an entire day in this historical city. Situated in the fertile Mosel River valley, Trier and its surrounds have been occupied since "pre-history". Following the Stone and Bronze Ages, the region was occupied by Celtic tribes. Trier proper was established by the Romans in the 1st century A.D. with the construction of a stone bridge and town walls. Often called the "Rome of the North", Trier served as an imperial residence for the Roman Empire. During the 4th century, Trier was home to 3 Emperors. Under Roman rule, the town grew to cover 704 acres with all of the buildings typical of a Roman city. You can still visit the ruins of the Kaiserthermen and the Barbara Baths, the second largest public bath in the Roman Empire (second only to Trajan's baths in Rome), the Emperor's audience hall, the Basilika, and the only surviving city gate, the Porte Nigra. The Kaiserthermen Roman baths occupy approximately an acre. A map at the entrance will help you figure out what role each section of the ruins served. Along with walls visible above ground, there is an extensive array of tunnels underneath the complex. If you have a lot of time to spare, it might be fun for kids to pace out the tunnels and map them onto grid paper. Those that are really orienteering savvy might even be able to use a compass, but be forewarned, the complex is not on a north-south orientation. A few blocks northwest of the Kaiserthermen are the Barbara Baths, only a third of which has been excavated. "Only the foundations and the subterranean service tunnels have survived, but the technical details of the sewer systems, the furnaces, the pools, and the heating system can be studied better than in the other two baths." The four-story Porta Nigra lies several blocks to the east of the baths. A city gate during Roman times, it was incorporated into the building of a church during Christian times. Napoleon had the gate restored to original state when he invaded/occupied Trier in 1804. You can climb to the top for a great view of the city. Following the collapse of the Roman Empire, Trier declined in importance until it became the seat of the Archbishops in the 10th century. By the 14th century, Trier was once again one of the largest cities in Germany. Extensive remnants of this period of religious rule still exist. The best way to learn about the history and significance of Trier is to visit the Rheinisches Landesmuseum adjacent to the Kaiserthermen. Established in 1877, this museum has been the repository of a vast collection of artifacts from the region. Stones, metal, glass, coins and more document the presence of man in the Trier area since "prehistory". Along with objects from the Stone and Bronze Ages, the museum boost of a significant collection of objects from the Iron Age and Celtic period circa 650 B.C. in its Prehistory Department. The history of the Gallo-Roman period, which saw a blending of the native Celtic tradition and the emerging Roman culture, can be seen in the immense Gallo-Roman Department. There are rooms dedicated to a vast number of building stones, statues, and burial stones, a room of coins, a room of mosaics, a room of oil lamps, well, you get the picture. The Merovingian-Frankish Department highlights the period between Roman occupation and Trier's rise as an Archbishopric. Artifacts demonstrating the influence of the invading Germanic tribes into the area include an abundance of weapons and burial jewelry. The Medieval and Modern Department display art and objects from the 11th to 19th centuries. Stone reliefs and sculptures dominate and show the development of a rich Christian culture in Trier. English Infophones can be rented at the entrance desk. These allow you to listen to a description of many of the displays by keying in the number indicated. A 40 page booklet in English, Rheinisches Landesmuseum Trier, Introduction to the Collections, can be obtained at the entrance desk. Guided tours can be arranged in advance though the Tourist Office, 0651-978080. According to the latest booklet, current opening hours are: Monday 10-4, Tuesday - Friday 9:30 - 4, Saturday 9:30 to 1 and Sunday 9 - 1. Hours seem to vary depending upon which source you view, so it may be wise to call ahead or be prepared for it to open as late as 10. The museum's phone number is 0651-43588. Admission is 5.50 for adults or 3.00 per adult in groups, 1.50 for children, 10.50 for families and 1.00 per person for schoolgroups. Although the displays change, you can see a number of pictures from the museum on its site at http://www.landesmuseum-trier.de/ (in German). This site also includes a good map of Trier on the Die Anfahrt page. Trier's Staadtmuseum is worth a visit too. Located next to the Porte Nigra, it houses an impressive display of paintings, furniture, and other items demonstrating life in the region during medieval and modern times. Admission is 2.60 for adults, or groups of 20 or more, 1.50 per person, pupils, students, trainees, soldiers and pensioners, 1.50 and school groups and children up to 14 years, free of charge. Other sites in Trier that I have not visited include the house of Karl Marx, a Toy Museum, and several significant church sites. For more information, visit Trier's website at http://www.trier.de/tourismus/english/sights/museums.htm From this page you can read a little about the many museums and monuments in Trier. From the bottom of any one section you can jump to another by choosing from the "See Also: Museums - Churches - Monuments - Nature. |
