Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [443]
Adjacent to the Porta Nigra (and reached via the same entrance), in a one-time monastery, is Stadtmuseum Simeonstift ( 718 1459; An der Porta Nigra; adult/under 10yr/student/family €5/free/3.60/8; 10am-6pm Tue-Sun). Completely renovated in 2007, it brings alive two millennia of local history with carefully chosen objects, many of them exquisite. Highlights include the Trier Kino (Trier Cinema), where you can see 78 short films of Trier, some made as far back as 1904. Admission includes a free audioguide in German, English or French.
A block southwest is the 13th-century Dreikönigenhaus (Simeonstrasse 19; interior closed to public), a late Gothic residence with a geometrically painted facade. Originally, the entrance was up on the 1st floor, reachable by stairs that could be retracted in case of danger.
Two blocks further on is the Hauptmarkt, where a food market is still held daily except Sunday. Anchored by a festive fountain dedicated to St Peter and the Four Virtues, it’s surrounded by medieval and Renaissance architectural treasures, such as the Rotes Haus (Red House), home to an attractive cafe, and the Steipe, which now houses the Spielzeugmuseum (Toy Museum; 758 50; Dietrichstrasse 51, 2nd fl; adult/under 11yr/11-18yr €4/1.50/2; 11am-6pm Tue-Sun Apr-Oct, to 5pm Nov-Mar), chock full of miniature trains, dolls and other childhood delights. The Gothic St-Gangolf-Kirche ( daily) is reached via an angel-bedecked baroque portal.
A block east of the Hauptmarkt looms the fortresslike Dom (www.dominformation.de; 6.30am-6pm Apr-Oct, 6.30am-5.30pm Nov-Mar), built above the palace of Constantine the Great’s mother, Helena. The present structure is mostly Romanesque with some soaring Gothic and eye-popping baroque embellishments. To see some dazzling ecclesiastical equipment and peer into early Christian history, head upstairs to the Domschatz (cathedral treasury; adult/child €1.50/0.50; 10am-5pm Mon-Sat, 12.30-5pm Sun & religious holidays Apr-Oct, 1.30-4pm Mon, 11am-4pm Tue-Sat, 12.30-4pm Sun & religious holidays Nov-Mar) or go around the corner to the Bischöfliches Dom- und Diözesanmuseum ( 710 5255; www.bistum-trier.de/museum, in German; Windstrasse 6-8; adult/student €3.50/2; 9am-5pm Tue-Sat, 1-5pm Sun & religious holidays, also open Mon Apr-Oct). The prized exhibit here is a 4th-century Roman ceiling from Helena’s palace, in vivid colours, that was pieced together from countless fragments.
Just to the south is the Liebfrauenkirche ( closed for repairs until mid-2010), one of Germany’s earliest Gothic churches. The cruciform structure is supported by a dozen pillars symbolising the 12 Apostles and, despite its strict symmetry, has a light, mystical quality.
The brick Konstantinbasilika (Konstantinplatz; 10am-6pm Mon-Sat, noon-6pm Sun & holidays Apr-Oct, 11am-noon & 3-4pm Tue-Sat, noon-1pm Sun & holidays Nov-Mar) was constructed in AD 310 as Constantine’s throne hall. Its dimensions (67m long and 36m high) are truly mind-blowing considering that it was built by the Romans. Later part of the residence of Trier’s prince-electors, it is now a typically austere Protestant church.
The adjacent Kurfürstliches Palais (Prince-Electors’ Palace; interior €0.50; 9am-4pm Mon-Thu, 9am-1pm Fri), a pink rococo confection entered from the south (garden) side, looks out over the lawns, pools and fountains of the formal Palastgarten (palace garden), perfect for sunbathing on warm summer days.
The adjacent Rheinisches Landesmuseum (Roman Archaeological Museum; 977 40; www.landesmuseum-trier.de, in German; Weimarer Allee 1; adult/student/family incl audioguide €5/3/10; 9.30am-5.30pm Tue-Sun) affords