Trier Dom (St. Peter's Cathedral), Trier

Trier Dom (St. Peter's Cathedral), Trier (must see)

St. Peter's Cathedral is Germany's oldest church and Trier's oldest building still serving its original purpose. The cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

It is thought that Emperor Constantine the Great commissioned the cathedral and built it on top of a Roman palace. The next-door Church of Our Lady was also built on top of the original Roman complex.

Bishop Maximin oversaw the cathedral's construction in the fourth century. This impressive cathedral was four times the size of the current cathedral and features four basilicas.

Parts of the present-day church's brick walls and piers are from the original cathedral. The cathedral has been damaged and rebuilt several times over the centuries. St. Peter's Cathedral is mainly Romanesque but features Gothic vaults, Baroque chapels, and Renaissance sculptures.

Visitors will find Roman brickwork on the north facade. The cathedral's stunning west facade was built in the 11th century. The Chapel of the Holy Robe was added to the east choir in the 18th century.

There is a Latin inscription above the tallest tower's clock. The inscription can be translated as "You do not know what time the Lord is coming."

The interior features three Romanesque naves with Gothic vaults. Four original Roman columns have been transformed into cruciform piers.

The invaluable Holy Robe is featured in a Baroque chapel. The relic is thought to be the robe Jesus wore during his crucifixion, and Saint Helena discovered the relic in the fourth century. Since 1512, the cathedral has held irregular pilgrimages to allow the faithful to view the Holy Robe. The last pilgrimage was held in 2012.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Trier. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Trier Dom (St. Peter's Cathedral) on Map

Sight Name: Trier Dom (St. Peter's Cathedral)
Sight Location: Trier, Germany (See walking tours in Trier)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Trier, Germany

Create Your Own Walk in Trier

Create Your Own Walk in Trier

Creating your own self-guided walk in Trier is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Trier Introduction Walking Tour

Trier Introduction Walking Tour

Trier is Germany’s oldest city and features beautiful Roman ruins, impressive medieval architecture, stunning churches, and fascinating museums.

While an inscription on the famous Red House states that the city was founded 1300 years before the Romans arrived, this has never been proven. The Celtics originally founded Trier during the fourth century BC. The Romans arrived in the first century...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.4 Km or 2.1 Miles
In The Footsteps of Karl Marx

In The Footsteps of Karl Marx

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Here, the father of socialism and one of the most important philosophers of the 19th century, who, as an adult, managed to change the course of the world's history, had spent the first 17 years of...  view more

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Travel Distance: 1.8 Km or 1.1 Miles
Trier's Roman Ruins Walking Tour

Trier's Roman Ruins Walking Tour

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Founded in 15 BC by the Roman emperor Octavian Augustus, this oldest city in Germany is a home to the...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.9 Km or 3 Miles