9 Stunning Churches In Trier To Discover

Trier Tours

Despite its small size, there’s a lot of ground to cover in Trier if you plan to see everything, and a walking tour is a great introduction to the city.

This guided Old Town and history walk takes you to four of the churches in the article, as well as the best of the Roman sites in Trier.

Trier is on the edge of Mosel wine country, and this guided tour with wine tasting introduces you to some local vintages as well as the main sights of Trier.

This Trier wine tour includes a short cruise on the Mosel, a vintage bus trip to a vineyard, wine tasting, a meal at the vineyard and transport back to the centre of Trier.

You can also book a Trier tour from Luxembourg here.

Churches In Trier – What To See

Trier Cathedral

Trier Cathedral is the oldest church and cathedral in Germany, founded early in the 4^th century AD in the provincial capital where Christianity had first been embraced decades before. St Helena, wife of first Christian Emperor Constantine the Great, donated several relics, including the Holy Robe (supposedly worn by Jesus prior to his crucifixion), the Holy Nail (one of the nails that held him on the cross) and part of a shoe belonging to Apostle St Andrew. These greatly increased the prestige (and later, pilgrim pulling power) of the Cathedral.

Only a small part of the original church remains, with much of the body of the church dating from the Romanesque period. The apse at each end of the church is a typical German feature, and its towers give it the appearance of a medieval city as much as a church. It’s impressive from any angle – take a walk into the cloister garden between it and the Liebfrauenkirche (next door) to see it from the south side. The west front – looking onto the square outside – is absolutely magnificent.

Inside, the Cathedral also has some fine Baroque decorations, particularly the caryatids in the west choir and the over-the-top Rococo Chapel of the Holy Robe. This contrasts greatly with the austere Crypt below, where you’ll discover more relics, purportedly those of St Blaise and St Egbert. Although whose bones lie in St Blaise’s casket is anybody’s guess – five different places claim to have his skull!  

Opening hours: 6.30 am to 6.00 pm in summer, 6.30 am to 5.30 pm in winter.

Liebfrauenkirche

The Church of Our Lady is right next door to Trier Cathedral, and was built on land originally occupied by another church. It dates from the mid-13^th century, and unusually for many great medieval churches, the construction was completed in a single phase, lasting around 30 years.

It is believed to be the first example of the French High Gothic style of architecture outside France. This style began in the Ile de France region around Paris, beginning at the Basilica of St Denis and developing at the likes of Chartres, Notre Dame de Paris, Reims, Amiens and Beauvais.

The church has more of a French Gothic appearance inside than outside, with a soaring floral-patterned vault and stained-glass windows in the eastern apse. It is part of the Trier World Heritage Site along with the city’s Roman sites and the Cathedral next door.

Opening hours: Currently listed as 12.45 pm to 5.00 pm, but when I recently visited it was during the morning, so I expect the hours are broadly similar to those of the Cathedral.

St Gangolf

St Gangolf (also occasionally called St Gangulphus) is the second oldest church in Trier after the Cathedral, and is the market church of the city. It’s dedicated to Gangolf, a Burgundian martyr who is the patron saint of horses, who is also believed to help those with eye, skin or joint conditions.

Much of the church was built in the 15^th century, with later additions including some Rococo period vault painting, a 19^th-century fresco by August Gustav Lasinsky and some 20^th-century stained-glass windows.

The church’s most prominent feature is its tower, which was extended in the early 16^th century to become the tallest in Trier. Archbishop Richard von Greiffenklau was most put out by this, and arranged for the southwest tower of the Cathedral to be raised to a height noticeably taller than that of St Gangolf’s tower.

Getting there: Entry is via the ornate Baroque portal on the southern side of Trier Hauptmarkt, the city’s main market square.

Porta Nigra

The Porta Nigra is the symbol of Trier, an astoundingly well-preserved city gateway built by the Romans in the 2^nd century AD. From the outside it looks much like it would have 1,800 years ago, but walk inside and you’ll soon discover that the Porta Nigra had a second life – as a double church, crowned by a tower and spire which have long since been removed.

The Porta Nigra’s ecclesiastical history began after Poppo, Archbishop of Trier, met Simeon, a Greek hermit, in 1028.  Simeon accompanied Poppo back to Trier, where he was allowed to continue living as a hermit within the Porta Nigra.  He died seven years later, and in the following years miracles were reported at his tomb, and by 1047 he was canonized – made a saint – by Pope Clement II.

This brought pilgrims to Trier for the next few hundred years. The gateway was turned into a two-level church – the lower level was for laity (pilgrims and members of the public), and the upper level reserved for monks from the Simeonstift which was founded next door to the Porta. With the tower, it would have looked very different, as the model (photo above) shows.

The church was dismantled on the orders of Napoleon Bonaparte, the French Emperor who had a track record of taking a wrecking ball to notable Roman Catholic sites. It was supposedly his intention to return the Porta to its appearance in Roman times. However, the interiors of the churches were left partly intact, with many Baroque (17^th or 18^th century) bas-reliefs left undamaged.

See Also: Porta Nigra Trier – History and Guide  

Aula Palatina Basilica

Like the Porta Nigra, the Aula Palatina – also known as Constantine’s Basilica – was not constructed for religious purposes. In Roman architecture, a basilica was originally a long rectangular civic building which could serve a variety of functions, from courtroom to meeting place. A basilica could also mean a room within a palace. The connotations of the word relating to a church only came in later centuries – with the word’s meaning also changing.

The Aula Palatina is the best preserved of all ancient Roman basilicas. It was completed around 310 AD, the first Roman Emperor to convert to Christianity.  The Basilica was part of a palace complex, and other buildings (we’re not sure exactly what) would have been attached to it. It is immense, 67 metres long and 33 metres high – and one of the most impressive buildings of the entire ancient world, along with the likes of the Pantheon in Rome.

At some time during the Middle Ages the Archbishops of Trier began to use the Basilica as their residence.  The adjacent Electoral Palace was built in the 17^th century by Lothar von Metternich, and the building was returned to its original Roman state in the 19^th century. From 1856, it has been used as a Protestant church, and was rebuilt after fire damage sustained during World War Two.

Opening hours: April to October, daily 10.00 am to 6.00 pm except Sunday from 2.00 pm to 6.00 pm.  November, January to March Tuesdays to Saturdays 10.00 am to 12.00 pm and 2.00 pm to 4.00 pm, with Sundays only 2.00 pm to 3.00 pm. December same hours as rest of winter, but it’s also open on Mondays.

Getting there: It’s on Konstantinplatz, less than 5 minutes’ walk from the Cathedral. Buses 2, 4, 7, 10 and 14 also stop outside.

St Matthias Abbey

Modern-day relic hunters could have a very busy time exploring all the churches in Trier. Not least at this ancient Abbey two miles south of the city centre, which, among others, holds some of the relics of St Matthias the Apostle.

Matthias might not be the among the most widely known of the Twelve Apostles, and this is probably because he wasn’t one of the originals. He was selected to be the twelfth Apostle following Judas Iscariot’s betrayal of Jesus after the Last Supper. He went on to preach and proselytize in what is now northeastern Turkey and Georgia, and was eventually martyred.

Like many a saint, Matthias has been far more widely travelled after his death than during his life. Empress Helena donated some of his relics to Trier, and some to Padua, where the latter are now held in the Basilica of Santa Giustina.

The Abbey was founded as early as the 5^th century AD, and the present church was begun in 1127. It was meant to be dedicated to two early bishops of Trier (and saints) Eucharius and Valerius, but the relics of Matthias, donated over 700 years previously, were discovered. And being an Apostle, he took precedence when it came to naming the church.

Most of the church is from this early Romanesque building, and the façade – white with a red blind arcade and window framing – is similar to the Dreikonigenhaus (Three Kings House) in the centre of Trier. The base of the façade almost needs a double-take – a 30-foot high Baroque-come-Neoclassical mini-façade stands below the simple Romanesque front. It’s unusual, but started to grow on me by the time I left!

The interior of the Abbey church is simple, austere Romanesque, very typical of its time. The three saints’ tombs are in the Crypt.

Opening hours: 8.00 am to 7.00 pm daily.

Getting there:  You could catch the train from Trier Hbf to Trier-Süd, then walk the final 500 metres or so south along Matthiasstrasse – it’s just beyond the busy junction. Otherwise, buses 3 and 13 run there from the city centre,.

St Paulus Church

Appearances can be deceptive. From the outside, St Paulus Church looks like a venerable old Romanesque church, and there was one on the site which stood for the best part of a millennium, before being demolished in 1790.

The new St Paulus church was completed and consecrated in 1907. It has many western German Romanesque features – the round turrets, double-arched openings, blind arcades – but it was all simply a very good re-creation of the Romanesque almost a millennium after the original.

The church was closed when I visited, and I’ve subsequently learned that it is no longer in use as a church – it was deconsecrated in 2017.

St Antonius Church

St Antonius is one of the smaller Trier churches, which started out as a chapel connected to the nearby lost church of St Marien zur Brücke. It’s dedicated to the original St Anthony – of Egypt  (a desert hermit), as opposed to the later Anthony of Padua.

The body of the church is late Gothic, from the latter part of the 15^th and early part of the 16^th centuries. The nave is surprisingly high, and flooded with light from the tall east window.

Most of the church’s furnishings were added later, including the striking pulpit and staircase which were originally in the Dominican church nearby.

Opening hours: I visited around 4 pm on a weekday afternoon. I suggest trying any time between 10.00 am and 5.00 pm on a weekday or Saturday, and it’s likely to be open, though there’s nothing online confirming it.

Getting there: It’s located across the square from one of the main Roman baths in Trier, the Thermen am Viehmarkt.

St Paulinus Church

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This Baroque and Rococo Basilica on this site, whose foundation dates back all the way to the 4^th century AD.  It’s dedicated to St Paulinus, a 4^th-century bishop of Trier, who was later exiled from the city at the behest of his Arian opponents for the last few years of his life. The Church was embroiled in the Arian controversy (they rejected the concept of the Holy Trinity) for much of the century, and Pulinus was returned to Trier for re-burial in 395 AD.

The present church is the third on the site. The original church was dedicated to the martyred Theban Legion, and the dedication was later changed to St Paulinus. It burned down around 1039, and was rebuilt in the first half of the 12^th century. This second church was then blown up by French troops in 1673 – apparently to make space for an encampment.

The current church was built in the 1730s or 1740s, with most of the interior the work of Johann Balthasar Neumann. It’s one of his most beautiful churches, though he is best known as the architect of the Würzburg Residenz Palace.

Opening times: The Church is open daily, 9.00 am to 5.00 pm, except Tuesdays (open 11.00 am to 5.00 pm) and Sundays (10.00 am to 5.00 pm). Entry is free.

Getting there: It’s on Thebäerstrasse, a 10-minutre walk from Porta Nigra.

Where Is Trier

Trier is in the far west of Germany, in the Land (province) of Rhineland-Palatinate (Rheinland-Pfalz). 

It’s just a few miles from the border with the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, and less than an hour from Luxembourg City.

Here are sample distances to Trier from nearby major cities:

Cologne to Trier – 164 km (102 miles)

Koblenz to Trier – 112 km (70 miles)

Frankfurt to Trier – 185 km (115 miles)

Saarbrücken to Trier – 95 km (59 miles)

Luxembourg City to Trier – 49 km (30 miles)

How To Get To Trier

Trier is a little out on a limb as it requires an onward journey from the nearest airports, but it’s still easily accessible by road from elsewhere in Germany, as well as neighbouring countries including Luxembourg, France, Belgium and the Netherlands.

First of all, if you’re travelling to Trier from another continent, it makes sense to fly to Frankfurt Airport, then drive or take the train from there. The train takes around 3 hours 30 minutes. If you have time, it makes sense to break your journey somewhere along the Rhine – perhaps Bacharach or Cochem.

If you’re travelling from the UK or elsewhere in Europe, the Ryanair hub Frankfurt-Hahn is only 50 km (30 miles) from Trier – considerably closer than it is to Frankfurt! It’s less than an hour’s drive from there to Trier, but travelling to Trier Hauptbahnhof (main station) from there isn’t as straightforward as it could be. One Flixbus coach a day makes this trip, otherwise, you need to catch the 750 bus to Bullay then catch a train from there to Trier.

By train, it’s less than an hour from Luxembourg City, 1 hour 25 minutes or 1 hour 55 minutes (depending on which train you board) from Koblenz, and between 1 hour and 1 hour 30 minutes from Saarbrücken.

Other Things To See In Trier

Trier is home to some of the finest Roman monuments in Europe. As well as the Porta Nigra and Aula Palatina, there are enough Roman sites in Trier to fill a full day’s sightseeing.

The Roman Amphitheatre, next to a vineyard on the city’s outskirts, once held around 20,000 spectators, and you can explore a small excavated area below ground as well as the arena and stands where spectators would sit in ancient times. There are also three well-preserved Roman baths and a Roman bridge to see – check out my guide to the best Things To Do In Trier for more information.

Here are the links to my articles on visiting the famous Trier Cathedral and the UNESCO-listed Porta Nigra Trier.

I also recommend the outstanding Roscheider Hof open air museum near Konz, a short train and bus ride from Trier. It’s one of the best of its kind in Europe, with a mixture of reconstructed half-timbered farm and village buildings, and an amazing range of shops and businesses from the 19^th and early 20^th centuries. We spent a whole day and could easily have spent longer there.

Where To Stay In Trier

Trier has a wide range of hotels, many of which are chain establishments in the 3- and 4-star bracket. Here are some of the best places to stay in Trier:

**** – Mercure Hotel Trier Porta Nigra – perfect location right across the street from the Porta Nigra

**** – Park Plaza Trier – luxury option just a few metres from the Hauptmarkt, the stunning main square in Trier

*** – Hotel Deutscher Hof – comfortable mid-range hotel a few minutes’ walk south of the city centre, and very close to several of trier’s Roman sites

*** – ante porta DAS STADTHOTEL – great 3-star option only five minutes’ walk from Porta NIgra

Churches In Trier – Final Words

I hope you’ve enjoyed this guide to the churches of Trier. The city is, of course, best known for its rich Roman heritage, but it’s well worth going out of your way to see the city’s churches. I rate it one of thebest places to visit in Germany. As I managed to leave one or two stones unturned, I’ve got an excuse to go back one day.

It’s also one of the best border towns in Europe to visit, just an hour’s train ride from Luxembourg City and only a few miles from the border of this tiny, enchanting country.

Trier is a gateway to the Mosel Valley, one of the most beautiful river valleys in Europe and a famous wine-producing region. Take a look at my guides to the best things to do in Cochem, with its fairytale Reichsburg Castle, and Beilstein Mosel , one of the most beautiful villages along the river.

If you’re planning to head south along the Saar River, take a look at my guide to the UNESCO-listed Völklingen Ironworks. This vast Ironworks was a behemoth of 19^th– and 20^th-century heavy industry, and it has been amazingly preserved. Parts of it are used as an art gallery, while some remnants of the works have themselves been turned into works of art.  It’s one of the best off the beaten path World Heritage Sites in Europe.

Völklingen is just a few minutes’ train ride from the Saarland’s regional capital. Check out my guide to the best things to do in Saarbrücken.

Travelling in the opposite direction from Trier, the World Heritage Upper Middle Rhine Valley is only 1 hour 25 minutes away by train. Check out some of my articles on this fascinating part of Germany:

9 Best Rhine River Towns To Visit

20 Amazing Rhine River Castles

Marksburg Castle – the greatest fortress on the Rhine

Things To Do In Boppard – one of the most beautiful Rhine towns

Things to do in Oberwesel – underrated Rhine town with fine Castle hotel and two stunning churches

Things To Do In Bacharach – perhaps the most beautiful town on the Rhine, a favourite of Victor Hugo

Things To Do In Rüdesheim – the world-famous wine village of the Rhine

And check out some of my articles on churches in Germany to visit:

Churches in Berlin – from rare glimpses of medieval Berlin to its 18^th-century heyday

Frauenkirche Dresden – the iconic rebuilt Baroque masterpiece

6 Best Churches In Dresden To Visit – Baroque beauties in the ‘Florence on the Elbe’

Nikolaikirche Leipzig – the church that helped start a Revolution

Thomaskirche Leipzig – the famous church of Johann Sebastian Bach

Visiting Naumburg Cathedral  – astonishing World Heritage-listed church, home to the ‘most beautiful woman of the Middle Ages’

Churches in Nuremberg – great Gothic wonders in Germany’s former Imperial City

Churches in Quedlinburg – Romanesque and Gothic wonders in the half-timbered ‘cradle of Germany’

Things To Do In Gernrode – tiny Harz Mountains town, home to the incredible St Cyriakus Church Gernrode

For more places to visit in Germany, browse our Germany travel guide

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