- Trier
Roman site, UNESCO World Heritage Site
When the Romans laid the foundation stone for the Porta Nigra in AD 170, they would never have imagined how successful it would be. After all, the city gate was just one of four in Trier at the time – and one of many throughout the Roman Empire. Today, some 1850 years later, the ‘Black Gate’ is the best preserved Roman city gate north of the Alps, and the number one attraction when it comes to Roman structures in modern-day Germany.
It doesn’t even really matter that we don’t know for sure how the Romans themselves named the gate. Because what we do know is that it has been called Porta Nigra for at least 900 years. It has been part of our UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1986. And we here in Trier have been its biggest fan since time immemorial – though we do also welcome other enthusiasts into our club, as long as you have experienced our ‘Pochta’ (the name the people of Trier use for the gate) in real life. By that we mean you have touched its stones, scaled its heights and admired its contrasts. That you have walked from the light-filled halls of the upper levels to the dark rooms on the ground floor. That you have traced its secrets from its monumental ancient blocks to its filigree Baroque reliefs. And that you have felt mildly dizzy standing in the gate interior courtyard, staring up and trying to grasp the scale of it all. We promise it will make your jaw drop.
Discount Passes
Discover Germany's centre of antiquity conveniently and at reduced rates using the AntikenCard Trier. The discount pass (available in four different versions) offers admission to Trier's Roman buildings as well as other reductions around ancient Trier.
