"Trier" a Trier Travel Page by antistar

Trier is easily one of the highlights of any trip to Germany, and so it's no surprise that it pulls in the tourist hoards. Formed as Augusta Treverorum by the Romans after the Gaul campaign sent the once friendly Treveri tribe across the Mosel to their Germanic brothers. It became a balwark of the Roman empire, a city at the edge facing out to the barbarian tribes that would one day become the empire's downfall.

The Romans left a hefty footprint. The small town has a highly concentrated collection of Roman ruins, some of which are incredibly well preserved, including one of the enormous main gates, the amphitheatre, and the impressive underground complex of the old baths. In addition, the prestige that came with being such an important Roman city meant that it retained much of that prestige throughout the centuries. That legacy has left a host of fantastic buildings and landmarks, all rich in history.

Oh, and it's also the birthplace of Karl Marx.

Not bad for a city that isn't even a hundred thousand people.

It might be less than a hundred thousand people, but the tourist crowds seem to almost double that figure. It seems largely made up of day trippers. The city is right on the border with France, Luxembourg and Belgium and the Netherlands are close by too. This makes it an attractive place for people to visit, and adds to the throngs. It also means that there are plenty of places nearby to visit. Considering that Trier is so small you can manage to see everything in a day, it's worthwhile making Trier your base for trips down the Mosel, cross border visits to Luxembourg or France, and exploring the industrial heritage of neighbouring Saarland.