Trier

Founded by the Romans around 30 BC as "Augusta Treverorum", Trier claims, just like Xanten, Cologne, Worms, Speyer..., to be the oldest existing German city. Trier is not only full of monuments, but as well full of stories.
Trier, the center of a diocese already within the 3rd century, was destroyed by the Alemanni (275), rebuilt under Constantine the Great, who resided here, like his son Constantine II.

With a population of more than 80.000 "Augusta Treverorum" was the largest city north of the Alps at that time. When Roman influence and power crumbled, Suebi and Vandals attacked the city, the Huns conquered the city, before the Franks took over. In 882 Trier was seized by the Vikings/Normans and nearly completly burnt down. But Trier came back all the time.

Many wellknown persons were born here,
just to name three:

- Doctor of the Church Saint Ambrose
(aka "Sant'Ambrogio", "Ambrosius von Mailand") - * 339

- Caspar Olevian, Reformed theologian, friend of Calvin
and co-autor of the "Heidelberg Catechism". - * 1536

- Karl Marx, author of "The Communist Manifesto", style icon
and most copied bearded man in the second half of the 1960s. - * 1818

Trier´s silhouette, seen from the top floor of the (former) NH-Hotel. The Cathedral ("Trierer Dom") is in the center. Sorry for that ugly blue/white concrete block.