Konturen der Stadt

To mark the 150th anniversary of the demolition of Trier's city wall in 2025, an exhibition at the Stadtmuseum is focussing on the city wall and the development of the city. Starting with the remains of the wall that came to light during excavations in the cellar of the Simeonstift during the construction work for the extension and in which the intertwining of antiquity, the Middle Ages and modernity becomes clear, the exhibition builds a bridge to the time of the wall's demolition and the present day.

The abolition of the grind and slaughter tax introduced by the Prussians on 1 January 1875 sealed the fate of Trier's city wall. After almost 1700 years of eventful construction and destruction, the city fortifications had had their day. The focus turned outwards and towards modern urban development, for which the wall no longer set contemporary boundaries.

Today, the city wall, which had already changed considerably over the centuries, has largely disappeared from the cityscape. And yet it has left a lasting mark on the city and there are remnants and memories of the walls, which were far more than just a fortification. In the basement of the city museum, there are remains of several construction phases dating from antiquity to the present day. They give an impression of a structure that not only included the Porta Nigra and the neighbouring Simeonstift. The ring of avenues is just as much a part of the history of the city wall as the Imperial Baths and the banks of the Moselle. Join us on a journey through time along the wall, which tells us more about the history of Trier than it might seem at first glance.