Porta Nigra

The basics

Most sightseeing tours of Trier's Old Town stop at the Porto Nigra. Visit with a guide to learn about the city's Roman history and why it's the only one of the original four gates left standing. Tours typically visit other sites such as the lively Main Market Trier (Hauptmarkt Trier), which hosts a Christmas market; the Cathedral of St. Peter (Trier Cathedral), Germany's oldest church; and the Electoral Palace (Kurfurstliches Palais) with its striking pink rococo façade.

Things to know before you go

• History buffs won't want to miss the Porta Nigra, renowned as the best-preserved Roman city gate north of the Alps.

• You'll need to pay an admission fee to visit the four levels of the Porta Nigra, or use the Trier Antiquity Card, which combines entrance to multiple historic sites.

• The ancient site is inaccessible to wheelchair users due to its many steps and spiral staircases, but you can admire its grand exterior from the street.

How to get there

The Porta Nigra is located at the northern entrance to the Old Town and is easily reached from most of central Trier on foot. It's about a 5-minute walk from the central Hauptmarkt and a 10-minute walk from Trier train station. Buses 3 and 4 stop nearby.

When to get there

The Porta Nigra is open daily year-round. Opening hours vary throughout the year, but it typically opens at 9am and closes between 4pm and 6pm. The last admission is 30 minutes before closing. Pass by at night to see the gate dramatically floodlit, and it's even more spectacular for special events such as Christmas and New Year's Eve when it's lit up with colorful illuminations.

The UNESCO-listed monuments of Trier

The Porta Nigra is one of several historic monuments that make up Trier's UNESCO World Heritage Site. See traces of the ancient city nicknamed the "second Rome," including the ancient but functional Moselle Bridge, the well-preserved Imperial Baths, and the Trier Amphitheater, once home to animal fights, along with the Roman-era Igel Column south of the city. Next, visit the 13th-century Gothic Liebfrauenkirche (Church of Our Lady) and the Cathedral of St. Peter, which dates to AD 340.