Fortified late Roman palace, Trier-Pfalzel

Even emperors need a little rest from time to time. After all, strenuous government business and the confines of the city take their toll. They found relaxation just outside Trier, directly on the Moselle. Today's name "Pfalzel" is derived from the Latin word "palatiolum", which translates as "small palace". And what was right for the emperor should also benefit the archbishop.

From the early Middle Ages, the palatial castle complex first developed into a nunnery and then a canonry.The archbishops of Trier expanded the grounds and repeatedly retreated to Pfalzel when disputes with the bustling Trier burghers made the town itself too uncomfortable.The ramparts with their bastions and the fortified remains of the archbishop's castle are still preserved today.But the town centre is also worth a visit: among other things, the oldest inhabited Roman stone house in Germany and the former collegiate church (partly rebuilt and partly extended in its current state), whose origins date back to the early Middle Ages, can be found here on the church square.