Exterior Large sections of
Roman brickwork are visible on the north façade. These belong to an originally square building, of which ancient masonry still stands on the opposite side. These preserved parts of the core building from around 340 make the cathedral the oldest church building still in use in Germany. The somewhat older Trier
Aula Palatina of
Constantine the Great (around 311) was, however, not built as a church, but as an
Aula Regia, and the core building of
St. Gereon's Basilica, Cologne, from between 350 and 365, which also still partially exists, was built as a mausoleum. While Trier
(Augusta Treverorum) belonged to the province of
Gallia Belgica, Cologne
(Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium) was the capital of the Roman province of
Germania Inferior. These were the two largest
ancient Roman cities in present-day Germany. The imposing
westwork of Trier Cathedral consist of five
symmetrical sections and is typical of
Romanesque architecture under the
Salian emperors (11th century). The westwork was started by
Poppo von Babenberg (1010–47) and completed by
Eberhard (1047–66). Its four towers are more or less symmetrically placed on both sides of the western
apse. The
Latin inscription above the clock on the tallest tower reads
"NESCITIS QVA HORA DOMINVS VENIET" ("You do not know what time the Lord is coming"). The east choir is less prominent, due to its built-in location and the addition of the Chapel of the Holy Tunic in the early 18th century. Römisches Mauerwerk am Dom in Trier. 02.jpg|Roman brickwork at the north façade Trier BW 2013-04-14 15-57-49.jpg|Westwork with four towers Détail façade Cathédrale de Trèves 290608 1.jpg|Detail westwork in Salian style Trier Dom St. Peter 10.JPG|East choir and Chapel of the Holy Tunic Trier Dom Heiltumskammer Wappen.jpg|Coat of arms of
Johann Hugo von Orsbeck, from 1676 to 1711
Archbishop of Trier File:Trier, 08-12-2023 (actm.) 25.jpg|Detail of the exterior. (barred window)
Interior The interior measures 112.5 by 41 meter. It consists of three largely Romanesque
naves with
Gothic vaulting. The original Roman structure is difficult to read on the inside but its basic rectangular form may still be recognized in the three easternmost bays of the
nave. The four original columns were reused in the 11th century but changed into cruciform
piers. A
Baroque chapel for the relic of the
Seamless robe of Jesus, recovered from the previous main altar in 1512, was added behind the east choir and is visible through an opening in the wall. The west choir is also decorated in the style of the German Baroque, and so are the chapels of Our Lady and the Holy Sacrament (with the "Golden Gate", part of the former
rood screen), and most of the altars in the church. A Romanesque
tympanum depicts Christ with the Virgin Mary and Saint Peter. The main church organ appears old but dates from 1974. File:Trier Dom BW 23.JPG|Interior view towards the west File:Trier - Dom, Westkuppel 2007-10-14.jpg|Baroque west choir ceiling File:Trier Dom R07.jpg|Golden Gate File:Hauptorgel Trierer Dom (2009-05-20 Sp).JPG|Church organ
Burials •
Henry I, archbishop of Trier († 964) •
Udo, archbishop of Trier († 1078) •
Baldwin, archbishop of Trier († 1354) •
Bohemond II, archbishop of Trier († 1367) •
Richard von Greiffenklau zu Vollrads, archbishop-elector of Trier († 1531) •
Lothar von Metternich, archbishop-elector of Trier († 1623) •
Johann Hugo von Orsbeck, archbishop-elector of Trier († 1711) •
Franz Georg von Schönborn, archbishop-elector of Trier († 1756) File:Trier Dom BW 11.JPG|Greiffenklau Altar, 1531 File:Trier Dom BW 20.JPG|Metternich Altar, 1623 File:Trier Dom BW 22.JPG|Orsbeck Altar, 1711 File:Grabaltar für Erzbischof Franz Georg von Schönborn, Trierer Dom-3506.jpg|Schönborn Altar, 1756
Treasury and relics The
Seamless Robe of Jesus, the robe said to have been worn by Jesus shortly before his crucifixion, is the best-known relic of the cathedral. It is kept in an annex chapel and shown to the public infrequently, most recently in 2012. The skull of
St. Helena, the mother of
Emperor Constantine, is displayed in the east crypt of the cathedral. Her drinking cup is kept in the cathedral's treasury as well as the so-called Egbert Shrine. This is a decorated portable altar that contained the sole of a sandal of St. Andrew and other relics. Another reliquary from the same period contains a
Holy Nail from the Cross of Jesus. Both objects are considered highlights of
Ottonion goldsmithery. File:The Holy Tunic of Jesus Christ in Trier, Germany.JPG|
Holy Tunic File:CaputSHelenae 0578a.jpg|Skull of St. Helena File:2018 Trier, Domschatzkammer, Andreas-Tragaltar 02.jpg|Egbert Shrine File:2018 Trier, Domschatzkammer, Reliquiar des hl Nagels 1.jpg|Holy Nail Reliquary
Cloisters The Gothic
cloisters were built between 1245 and 1270. They connect the Cathedral and the
Liebfrauenkirche. In the western section of the cloisters is a chapel where the cathedral's canons were buried. On the outside wall is a bell from 1682. Adjacent to the cloisters are several annex buildings. The so-called "Romanesque Room" was the former cathedral school. The "Gothic Room" was used for distributing bread to the poor. File:Cloister of the Cathedral of St. Peter (Trier).jpg|Cloister yard File:Trier - Dom, Kreuzgang (2017-05-30 Sp).JPG|Cloister corridor File:Trier Dom BW 2017-06-16 15-27-18.jpg|Traced window File:Trier D PM 011597.jpg|Statues of bishops
Bells The cathedral has 10 ringing bells in total hung only in the South Tower. All were cast in 1949 by the Otto bell foundry in Bremen-Hemelingen. The largest bell or
bourdon is called "Christus & Helena" and it weighs 8 tons. In Germany, the bells are always numbered from largest to smallest, Bell 1 is always the
tenor or
bourdon. 5 of the 10 bells work for the clock which play a unique clock chime, each stroke of the 4 bells in order represents a quarter-hour has past; Bell 8 strikes for the quarter-hour, Bell 6 strikes for the half-hour, Bell 7 strikes for the quarter to hour and finally Bell 4 strikes for the hour. After the melody is played, Bell 2 which is the 2nd bourdon chimes the hours. == See also ==