As overtourism threatens to transform Rome from eternal to infernal, National Geographic’s Andrew Nelson points travelers toward an unexpected alternative: Trier, Germany. His exploration of this western German Historic Highlights city reveals why the Romans called it their “Second Rome” and how it preserves imperial grandeur without the crowds of Italy. Between 293 and 395 A.D., this Moselle River powerhouse served as a residence for emperors, including Constantine the Great, leaving behind UNESCO World Heritage ruins where visitors can still see ancient builders’ marks and tool imprints in 1,800-year-old concrete. Fun fact: Trier’s Roman Bridge still carries modern traffic on its second-century stone pillars, making it Germany’s oldest bridge in active use.
Nelson’s Trier Roman Highlights:
- Porta Nigra – best-preserved Roman city gate north of the Alps
- Imperial Baths with explorable underground tunnel networks
- Basilica of Constantine – the largest surviving single-room Roman structure
- Rheinisches Landesmuseum with a 2,650-coin gold hoard
- Roman Bridge with nine original 2nd-century pillars
- 20,000-seat amphitheater carved into the hillside
- Neumagen Wine Ship relief showing ancient wine transport
- Trier Ceiling Frescoes from opulent Roman villas
University of Trier archaeologist Ferdinand Heimerl guided Nelson’s discoveries, promising “large and impressive Roman monuments but without as many tourists” and “an up-close experience” impossible at overwhelmed Italian sites. Nelson found this promise fulfilled – examining builders’ marks on gate stones and compass imprints in bath complex concrete without battling crowds.
The Rheinisches Landesmuseum provided Nelson with a recommended starting point. Beyond the spectacular 2,650-coin gold hoard discovered by construction workers in 1993, the museum displays the Neumagen Wine Ship (a third-century stone relief depicting Moselle wine transport) and vibrant ceiling frescoes revealing wealthy Romans’ interior decoration tastes.
The massive Porta Nigra survived thanks to an 11th-century Greek hermit named Simeon who lived inside it. After his death, it became a church, saving it from being dismantled for building materials, like Trier’s other gates. Napoleon ordered the removal of church elements in the early 1800s, restoring its Roman appearance. Built around 170 A.D. without mortar, using only iron clamps, its weathered sandstone blocks earned the “Black Gate” nickname.
Constantine’s Imperial Baths (Kaiserthermen) showcased Roman engineering through accessible underground tunnels, though their bathhouse run proved short – construction halted in 316 A.D. before later castle conversion. The Barbara Baths, though more ruined, ranked among the Empire’s largest complexes.
The Basilica of Constantine, or Aula Palatina, impressed Nelson as Constantine’s former throne room. At 108 feet tall, 220 feet long, and 87 feet wide, it rivals Rome’s Pantheon as the largest surviving rectangular single-room Roman structure. Meticulously restored after World War II bombing, it now serves as a place of worship for Protestant worshippers.
The amphitheater, carved into a hillside using typical Roman construction efficiency, once seated 20,000 for gladiatorial contests. Heimerl noted it’s “now a good place to let children run and play,” with underground passages where animals and fighters waited, offering summer shade for modern explorers.
Nelson’s practical recommendations included Hotel Park Plaza celebrating Roman history through décor, traditional German fare at Wirtshaus Zur Glocke, and 120 Moselle vintages at Oeschsle Wein- und Fischhause. His verdict: Trier delivers Rome’s grandeur without the “rubbed shoulders or sharp elbows found at Italian sites.”
For Andrew Nelson’s complete National Geographic guide to Trier’s Roman treasures, read the complete article on nationalgeographic.com