Porta Nigra

The Porta Nigra is the best preserved Roman city gate north of the Alps - an incomparable connection between the ancient past and today's modern city. The old city gate dates from 170 AD, when the Romans liked to build public buildings out of large blocks. The Porta Nigra has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a protected cultural asset under the Hague Convention since 1986.

Testified since the Middle Ages, the name Porta Nigra is probably derived from the dark color created by the weathering of the Kordel sandstone. First mentioned is the name in the Gesta Treverorum from the 12th century. The passage reads in German translation: "They (the Treverer) called it Marstor to Mars, whom they regarded as the god of war; when they went out to war, they marched out to this gate. Black Gate but it was named for the mourning in which they returned by it when they fled the field. "

Trier celebrated in 1984 the 2000th anniversary of the founding of the city. The old Augusta Treverorum was one of the most important administrative seats of the Roman Empire and most important city of Germany in Roman times.

But there is an old inscription on the Red House ....
Ante Romam Treviris stetit annis mille trecentis perstet aeterna pace fruatur. "Trier stood before Rome for thirteen hundred years, may it continue, rejoicing in eternal peace."

The landmark of Trier, right at the beginning of the pedestrian zone. Since every tourist needs a photo here and every 'Latin class' from Germany has to come here on a school trip, it is usually correspondingly full. At off-peak times, in bad weather or in winter, you have a very good chance of a little more rest.

Roman gate built around 180 AD, a landmark of Trier.

Very impressive example of Roman architecture. I do not know anything like that in Germany anymore

The Porta Nigra (Latin for "Black Gate") is a built from 170 AD. Ancient Roman city gate on Porta Nigra Square and landmark of the city of Trier. The name Porta Nigra dates back to the Middle Ages. The inhabitants of Trier usually designate the gate only as "Porta". Great starting point for exploring the city!

Built from 7,200 stone blocks without mortar, the gate was integrated in the 11th century in a church, the second tower was dismantled. The gate was no longer recognizable.
In 1804, Napoleon decreed the dismantling of church annexes.

opening hours
Monday - Sunday: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

The Porta Nigra, Trier's landmark, is the best preserved Roman city gate north of the Alps and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The city gate was built from approx. 7200 stone blocks around 170 AD, it has been preserved to this day due to the massive construction.

The Porta Nigra (height 29m) is an earlier Roman city gate built from 170 AD and a symbol of the city of Trier. The name Porta Nigra comes from the Middle Ages. The residents of Trier usually only refer to the gate as "Porta". The Porta Nigra has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage in Trier since 1986.

The Porta Nigra (Latin for "Black Gate"; formerly also Porta Martis and Römertor) is a former Roman city gate built from 170 AD on Porta Nigra Square and is a symbol of the city of Trier. The name Porta Nigra comes from the Middle Ages. The inhabitants of Trier usually only call the gate "Porta".

The Porta Nigra has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage in Trier since 1986. Furthermore, it is a protected cultural asset under the Hague Convention. The Porta Nigra is the best preserved Roman city gate in Germany.

Very impressive, the Porta Nigra of Trier. I can not say more, just breathtaking.

The first significant and probably best known landmark of Trier, which shows itself to the interested visitor from the train station. It's about 700m on foot. From here you can start wonderful hikes or discovery tours in Trier.

The entrance fee of 4 € is worth it for the view, but a guided tour is even more worthwhile, because you can find out about Augustus, Simon and Napoleon and what they have to do with the Porta Nigra.

When the Romans in 170 AD laid the foundation stone for the Porta Nigra, they could hardly have foreseen its success story. After all, the city gate was only one of four in Trier at the time - and of many in the entire Roman Empire. Today, around 1850 years later, the “Black Gate” is the best preserved Roman city gate north of the Alps and THE attraction when it comes to Roman rule in the areas of today's Germany.

A really impressive building. Only at the second time in Trier I had the opportunity to look at it

THE landmark of Trier par excellence

A visit to Trier as the oldest city in Germany founded by the Romans is worthwhile.

The Porta Nigra, Trier's landmark, is the best preserved Roman city gate north of the Alps and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city gate now serves as the central information center on the Roman city, which is shown there in an impressive model. Multimedia guides bring the history of the Porta Nigra to life from its beginnings in antiquity to its use as a church complex. Alternatively, the content of the multimedia guide can be accessed on site free of charge using your own smartphone. Visitors to the Porta Nigra experience a new generation of digital guidance. A multimedia installation illustrates how the ancient city gate could become a place of veneration of saints in the Middle Ages.
The city gate was built from approx. 7200 stone blocks around 170 AD, and thanks to the massive construction it has been preserved to this day. With the end of the Roman Empire and the change of time, the city gate was used in a variety of ways. In the 11th century, the building served as a dwelling for the monk Simeon, who lived as a hermit. With his death, the city gate was converted into a church complex - another reason why it has been preserved to this day. The following centuries were marked by renovation and maintenance measures. Under Napoleon's rule, the church was dissolved in 1803 and a restoration of the ancient design was ordered. Even today, measures for the renovation and maintenance of the Porta Nigra are taking place.

When the Romans in 170 AD laid the foundation stone for the Porta Nigra, they could hardly have foreseen its success story. After all, the city gate was only one of four in Trier at the time - and of many in the entire Roman Empire. Today, around 1850 years later, the “Black Gate” is the best preserved Roman city gate north of the Alps and THE attraction when it comes to Roman rule in the areas of today's Germany.

Our porta, the center of Trier

The construction of the city gate began in 170 AD as the northern entrance to the city of Augusta Treverorum (Augustus city in the land of the Treveri). The dating of the gate was long controversial and ranged from the 2nd to the 4th century AD. In January 2018, the start of construction based on a dendrochronological examination of wooden remains of the city wall was set to the year 170 AD, as these 169 / 170 had been felled.

In various places there are signs carved into the stones, some of which are upside down. These are probably stonemason's marks that help reconstruct the construction of the gate. The signs in the west tower contain dates, but without the year, so that an absolute dating of the Porta Nigra is not possible in this way. However, the marks can be used to estimate the time it took to build the gate, as they marked several parallel cuboids lying one above the other. If these times are extrapolated to the entire structure, taking into account a sensible subdivision into construction lots and excluding winter as a construction period, the Porta Nigra would have been completed as a shell within two to four years.

The construction begun under Emperor Mark Aurel was never finally completed. For example, the holes to accommodate the hinges of the gates have already been pre-made. The bosses of the unfinished cuboids still protrude into the axis of rotation of the gates, so that a movable gate could never be installed.


(de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porta_Nigra)

Must visit

The Porta Nigra is a great building. You have to go there when you are in Trier.