Trier - Cathedral of 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, the center of a diocese already within the 3rd century, was destroyed by the Alemanni (275), rebuilt under Constantine the Great, who resided in "Augusta Treverorum". Under his the reign Maximin of Trier (329–346), the fifth Bishop here, started the construction of an giant ecclesial ensemble with four basilicas and a baptisterium. This was done on the foundations of a Roman settlement - and had a floorplan about 4 times larger than the Cathedral of today.

The buildings, ruined by the Franks, got rebuilt and destroyed again by the Vikings (Normans) in 882. In 977 Emperor Otto II installed his senior official Egbert of Trier as Bishop. Egbert started a building process, that reused lots of the ruined structures. The result can be seen today. The western apse was consecrated in 1224, but the building continued over the centuries.

Constantine´s mother Helena lived in Trier for quite some time. Saint Ambros of Milan, born in Trier, wrote that Saint Helena travelled to Jerusalem at the age of 76. There she not only discovered the Holy Sepulchre, Golgotha and the True Cross but returned loaded with relics. She brought to Trier the relics of the Apostle Matthias (now in St. Matthias) - and the "Holy Robe". The "Holy Robe" (aka "Heiliger Rock") was first mentioned to be here in 1198, what may have ended a rivalry between the Cathedral in Trier and the Abbey in Pruem (60kms north), as Pepin the Short had given "Jesus´Sandals" to that abbey in 752.

The Gothic cloister, joining the Cathedral and the neighbouring Liebfrauenkirche. The whole area got severely damaged in WWII, one tower of the Cathedral collapsed after being hit, in August 1944. The reconstruction of the episcopal complex, including this cloister, started directly after the war.