Porta Nigra, Roman city gate in Trier, Germany
The Porta Nigra features two four-story towers connected by a narrow courtyard, constructed with grey sandstone blocks assembled without mortar or cement.
Built in 170 AD as one of four gates protecting the Roman settlement, the Porta Nigra remained incomplete yet became the largest Roman city gate north of the Alps.
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 monument opens daily from 9 AM, with closing times varying seasonally between 4 PM in winter and 6 PM in summer, offering guided tours by actors in Roman attire.
Napoleon Bonaparte ordered the restoration of the gate to its Roman form in 1804, removing religious additions while preserving specific architectural elements from medieval periods.
Location: Trier
Inception: 180
Architectural style: ancient Roman architecture
Accessibility: Wheelchair inaccessible
Operator: Generaldirektion Kulturelles Erbe Rheinland-Pfalz
Part of: Roman Monuments, Cathedral of St. Peter and Church of Our Lady in Trier UNESCO World Heritage Site, Trier
Website: http://zentrum-der-antike.de/monumente/porta-nigra/die-porta-nigra.html
GPS coordinates: 49.75972,6.64389
Latest update: November 2, 2025 20:40
European crypts and catacombs form a network of underground burial chambers beneath urban streets. These spaces house tombs, skeletal remains, and religious monuments from different historical periods. The chambers contain frescoes, mosaics, stone carvings and architectural elements that combine Roman, Egyptian and Christian designs. The structures reveal burial customs and religious practices from the 1st through 19th centuries.
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