Porta Nigra, Roman city gate in Trier, Germany
Porta Nigra is a Roman city gate in Trier, Germany, built from large grey sandstone blocks that rest on each other without any binding material. Iron clamps hold the stones together, and the structure consists of two tower blocks connected by a narrow inner courtyard.
The gate was built in 170 AD as one of four entrances in the Roman city wall but was never finished. A Greek monk named Simeon lived inside as a hermit starting in 1028, after which the building was converted into a church.
The structure transformed from a defensive gate to a church complex in 1028 when Greek monk Simeon established residence within its walls as a hermit.
The gate is open daily and visitors can walk through the towers and the inner courtyard to see how the building was put together. On some days, actors dressed in Roman clothing lead tours and explain the construction and purpose.
Napoleon ordered the removal of church additions in 1804 to restore the Roman appearance, but he allowed the medieval apse on the eastern side to remain. This stone half-circle from the church period is still visible today.
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