Trier, Germany’s oldest city, is often referred to as “the Rome of the North.” The city’s history books show that the location was first mentioned in 30 B.C. as a place for soldiers to assemble against Celtic warriors. By 18/17 B. C. the first bridge and fort were established.
Porta Nigra (image above) was erected as part of the stone wall in 180 A. D.

Today marked my first visit to this historic city and its countless sites. I am in the process of sorting through images for a more detailed blog post at a later date. Enjoy just a few of the images I captured earlier today during our stroll through the city streets and the market place.

Artfully painted elephants line streets and mark sites throughout the city until October 18th.. The project was conceived to support efforts combating the decline of the Indian elephant population. The next location for this outdoor exhibition will be Tokyo, Japan.

When in Europe cathedral visits are a must. Trier Cathedral (building began during the 6th century A. D.) and St. Mary’s Basilica captured my attention and much time was spent exploring the impressive structures inside and out. The location of the west chorus with its richly decorated ceiling by G. D. Rossi. Intricate wood inlay line the curved wall below the domed blue and while ceiling.

The Basilica main entrance provided a glimpse of what awaited us inside: Detailed and brightly coloured stained glass windows cast colourful light on the painted walls and pillars.

It can’t all be a walk through history and antiquity… with my sister and brother-in-law good food and a cup of coffee are part of any excursion. A little glimpse of the mid-afternoon break and delicious offering in one of the cafe’s lining the market area near Porta Nigra.

16 Sep This entry was published on September 16, 2013 at 4:43 pm. It’s filed under History, Journaling, Landscape photography, Photography & Events, Travel and tagged day trip, Germany, oldest city in Germany, outdoor exhibition of the Elephant Parade, Porta Nigra, Trier, walking Trier. Bookmark the permalink. Follow any comments here with the RSS feed for this post.