Porta Nigra - Trier - Ancient Roman Civilization on Waymarking.com

The Porta Nigra has a long, eventful, and fascinating history. As almost all of the ancient Roman monuments in Trier, it has been transformed so extensively to serve other purposes before finally being reduced more or less to the original Roman parts that it's hard to believe that it ever survived at all.

It was built in grey sandstone between 180 and 200 AD. Huge cut stones were set on each other and joined without mortar. They were fitted by means of iron clamps embedded in lead. The original gate consisted of two four-storied towers, projecting as near semi-circles on the outer side. A narrow courtyard separates the two gate openings on either side. For unknown reasons, however, the construction of the gate remained unfinished. For example, the stones at the northern (outer) side of the gate were never abraded. It is not clear whether the completion of the work was prevented by the lack of financial means or a siege of the city around AD 196/197. Nonetheless, the gate was used for several centuries until the end of the Roman era in Trier. The name, "Black Gate" is medieval and goes back to the weathered black patina which built up on the gray sandstone over the centuries.

In Roman times, the Porta Nigra was part of a system of four city gates, one of which stood at each side of the roughly rectangular Roman city. The Porta Nigra guarded the northern entry to the Roman city. The gates stood at the ends of the two main streets of the Roman Trier, one of which led north-south and the other east-west. Of these gates, only the Porta Nigra still exists today.

In the early Middle Ages, the Roman city gates were not used anymore in their original function, and their stones were taken and reused for other buildings. In addition, the iron and lead braces were broken out of the walls of the Porta Nigra for reuse. Today, traces of this destruction are still clearly visible on the north side of the gate. (See photo).

After 1028, the Greek monk Simeon lived as a hermit in the ruins of the Porta Nigra. Subsequent to his death (1035) and sanctification, the monastery Simeonstift was built next to the Porta Nigra to honor him. Saving it from further destruction, the Porta Nigra was transformed into a church: The inner court of the gate was roofed and intermediate ceilings were inserted. The two middle storeys of the former gate were converted into church rooms (naves), with the upper storey being used for the monks, and the lower storey for the general public. The ground floor with the large gates was sealed, and a large outside staircase was constructed alongside the south side (the town side) of the gate, up to the lower storey of the church. A small staircase led further up to the upper storey. The church rooms were accessible through former windows of the western tower of the Porta Nigra that were enlarged to become entrance doors (still visible today). The top floor of the western tower was used as church tower, the eastern tower was leveled, and an apse added at its east side. An additional gate - the much smaller Simeon Gate - was built adjacent to the East side of the Porta Nigra and served as a city gate in medieval times.

Along with the vast majority of Trier's numerous churches and monasteries, the church in the Porta Nigra and the monastery at its side were dissolved by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802. During his visit to Trier in 1804, Napoleon ordered that the Porta Nigra should be converted back to its Roman form. Only the apse was kept, and the eastern tower not rebuilt to its original height.

In 1986, the Porta Nigra was designated a World Heritage Site, along with other Roman monuments in Trier and its surroundings.

The Porta Nigra, including the upper floors, is open to visitors. In summer, guided tours are also offered by an actor dressed up as and portraying a Centurio (a Roman army officer) in full armor.

Most Relevant Historical Period: Roman Empire > 27 B.C. Admission Fee: €2.10 Opening days/times: April - September: daily 9:00 - 18:00 October and March: daily 9:00 - 17:00 November - February: daily 9:00 - 16:00 Web Site: [Web Link] Condition: Partly intact or reconstructed

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