Travel Guide Treves

Welcome to the oldest city in Germany! Trier (Trier in German) plunges its roots at the confluence of two civilizations: Celtic and Roman. While there are few traces of the first, the second is omnipresent. This city was Northern Rome: every monument, atmosphere, element of culture reminds us of it today. Founded in the year 17 BC near Celtic sanctuaries, the Roman city took the name Augusta Treverorum, the City of Augustus in the country of Trévires. At the end of the th century after the reign of Diocletian, the beautiful City of Treveris became Capital of West Roman emperors. Constantine, the first Christian emperor, left important traces of his reign, and one can see even today the Roman origins of the Cathedral (Dom). There is no doubt about the importance of Trier the Roman: in the fourth century, the city had 80 000 inhabitants! (It now has 100 000). Christian influence only grew. Thus, from the th century, the city became the seat of the archdiocese. She is then Sancta Treveris, the Sainte-Trier. The archbishops are also princes-electors, and the rococo architecture gradually complements the masterpieces of antiquity without, however, supplant them. The late 1815 th century brought an end to this era and Trier went under French domination, then Prussian in. Finally, the birth, in 1818, of a child who will be known later as Karl Marx… Trier became the th Century an important river port and a university centre. The mix of genres and the opening of spirit have remained alive in this very pleasant city, with almost southern appearance.