Trier, Germany

I don’t want to sound like a tour guide here, but it is totally worth the trip.  Unbelievable amounts of history in this city.  I am assuming that most people don’t know much if anything about the city of Trier.  So, let me tantalize you with the fact that it was the 4^th largest city in the Roman Empire.  It actually existed as a trade city 1300 years before Rome came to conquer it.  When you walk on these streets, you are walking albeit many layers above, on the same route as men have traversed for thousands of years.  Okay, as an American that really gets me, because in some places in the US there are moments when I realize that I could be standing in a place where only a handful of people have once stood.  As a lover of history that just sends chills through me. 

We took the trip as a USO tour.  Turns out doctors at Landstuhl have a high burnout rate; therefore, a support group/unit has been created to ensure that these medical professionals don’t live at the hospital, but get out and enjoy Europe.  A couple of weeks ago a gift certificate for a substantial discount on a tour showed up on Sean’s desk and voila he used it!  The USO feels it is important for American to learn how to use the German train system.  I’m really glad we went because I discovered that I have been a strong supporter of the Germany economy instead of getting some rockin’ good deals.  Once the lesson on using the ticket machines is ended everyone then takes the train to a local city with a fabulous tour guide.  After taking a 2 hour tour and seeing the 5 UNESCO Heritage sites.  We returned to the city center to do a little shopping, have a great lunch at the Kartoffel Restaurant (Potato Restaurant) and then back to the city gate to listen to some traditional music before getting on the train to head home. 

The tour with a very little history to put it into context.

Amphitheater

Trier, which lies on the Moselle river, is Germany’s oldest city.  The Gauls had settled in the area of what would become Trier after Gaius Julius Caesar conquered the area and established the city we visited on Sept. 23 17BC (vernal equinox).  By the 2^nd century the Romans had built walls with 4 gates, a bridge, the Barbara Baths, amphitheatre and circus.  The city was so impressive that the Gallic emperors selected it as their residence, well; we all know that if the Gallic emperors settle there then it must be good, so Constantius Chlorus (Roman) would come in and take it over as his residence in 286 AD.  (all of this taking over stuff translates into wars)  The Imperial Baths (never finished) were being built by Constantine (the son) when he decided he wanted a city named for him in 316; thus Constantinople in Turkey now known as Istanbul.  During the time that Constantine was there his wife – Helena was a strong believer in Christ and she had brought some treasure to the city including “The Holy Tunic” – an under dress worn by Christ, the remains of St. Matthew the Apostle and Dreikönigsschrein Remains of the “Three Kings” which then traveled to Constantinople, Milan and their final resting place of Cologne.  The house with the sign of the three kings is in dedication to the fact that the relics were once in Trier.  

Euroshop (dollar store) is the
boyhood home of
Karl Marx

The middle ages would see Trier fall into disrepair.  Many of the buildings that were heated would have the inside walls and floors removed so they could build new buildings because the people didn't know how to heat the original buildings anymore.  The black plague killed almost 1/3 of the population and the Jews were to blame because they didn't die due to good hygiene.  Non-Jews didn't wash their hands before cooking /eating and they didn't bathe - at all.  

In modern times, the city is most famous for being the birth place and childhood home to Karl Marx.  On any given day there are a lot of Chinese tourists there to see the museum that has been erected in his honor.  We do plan to return for the museums at some point as they are full of Roman treasure and modern information on the economic theory proposed by Marx.  

Enjoy the photos, I have tried to label as many as possible so they tell the story and give you an idea of what there is to be seen. Photo Album for Trier

To read more about ancient Trier in a concise way the UNESCO heritage sites website is a great resource: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/.