We're back! Somewhat weary and glad for a quiet evening of reading, blogging and yes, napping again!
Lony and Jemp picked us up after lunch and we took a short drive over to Trier, Germany. Trier is the last place in Europe Grandpa Tripe was posted and where Mom went to school for a year. We knew that we wouldn't see the barracks - one of the buildings was turned into a 2-room school for Canadian kids - as they were taken down many years ago but, we did want to see the many other popular sites.
As you can tell by now, I am continually observing the similarities and differences between life here and life in Canada. Here's a really smart design for parking your vehicle in a car park. As you enter the parkade (in Trier), there are digital signs that indicate if the parkade is full or if there are spaces available. Once you get your little ticket and through the gate, there are more signs pointing to the levels that have open spots AND how many at each level! Off we went to Level A (A for Anne!) where we found lights above each parking stall on the ceiling. Those occupied by a vehicle had red lights above it. The empty stalls had green lights. Brilliant! It's the little things.
Okay, back to the day trip. We walked to the centre of Trier, to Hauptmarkt. This is the central market place that is bordered by some pretty amazing structures. In the picture, look for the tall lady wearing a yellow sweater; that's Lony who is next to Jemp and Mom. Gives some perspective.
The weather was cool and while milling about, we had to take cover twice from the rain. The umbrellas were in the car!
A brief understanding of Trier, Germany: According to the information on Wikipedia (love this site), Mom and Jemp, this city is believed to be the oldest city in Germany dating back to 16 BC. There is an inscription on a building in the market square that translates to, "Thirteen hundred years before Rome, Trier stood / may it stand on and enjoy eternal piece. Amen." Had I researched Trier before going, I would have taken a picture of that.
The Roman Empire was present in the 1st century BC which explains the architecture and Roman baths. Per Wikipedia, Trier celebrated its 2,000th anniversary in 1984. Hang on, gotta pick up my jaw from the floor. TWO THOUSAND YEARS!?
There were many, many wars fought in and around Trier during those years. In relation to the purpose of this blog, over 60,000 British prisoners of war, captured at Dunkirk and Northern France, were marched to Trier where they were held until being sent to German prisoner-of-war camps. Trier was heavily bombed in 1944 during WWII. Grandpa was stationed there in 1953.
While Lony ran an errand, Mom, Jemp and I wandered down toward the Porta Nigra. We took time to take some photos of the elephants (a little teaser for ya) and, naturally, sat for a cold beer (Bitburger) and water in front of the Porta Nigra.
What the heck is the Porta Nigra? Honestly, I had no clue until Mom and Jemp educated me. Porta Nigra is, "...today the largest Roman city gate north of the Alps and has been designated as a World Heritage Site." It was built between 186 and 200 AD.
Per Wikipedia: "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... Of these gates, only the Porta Nigra still exists today."
Next stop, the Cathedral of Saint Peter, another World Heritage Site. Wiki tells us that this church was built on the foundations of Roman buildings and is the largest church in Germany. With all of the wars over the centuries, it is a wonder this structure stands intact.
What Wiki isn't telling us is that this church is "The Sanctuary of Christ's Seamless Robe." Not to be confused with his "Death Shroud". Here is the sign posted in the church "for prayers only".
This "Seamless Robe" or "Holy Tunic" is believed to have been worn by Jesus either during or just before his crucifixion. There are several traditions that claim to have this robe. The Cathedral of Trier is one of them. Each year since 1996 there is an annual ten-day religious festival and viewing of the tunic. The last viewing was April 13 - May 13, 2012. We did not see the tunic or know where in the church it is enshrined.
Here are some photos of the amazing interior. They do not encompass all that there is to be seen in there. There were a lot of people in this cathedral and all were respecting the quiet atmosphere that was being asked of them, even the children.
Per Wikipedia: "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... Of these gates, only the Porta Nigra still exists today."
Next stop, the Cathedral of Saint Peter, another World Heritage Site. Wiki tells us that this church was built on the foundations of Roman buildings and is the largest church in Germany. With all of the wars over the centuries, it is a wonder this structure stands intact.
What Wiki isn't telling us is that this church is "The Sanctuary of Christ's Seamless Robe." Not to be confused with his "Death Shroud". Here is the sign posted in the church "for prayers only".This "Seamless Robe" or "Holy Tunic" is believed to have been worn by Jesus either during or just before his crucifixion. There are several traditions that claim to have this robe. The Cathedral of Trier is one of them. Each year since 1996 there is an annual ten-day religious festival and viewing of the tunic. The last viewing was April 13 - May 13, 2012. We did not see the tunic or know where in the church it is enshrined.
Here are some photos of the amazing interior. They do not encompass all that there is to be seen in there. There were a lot of people in this cathedral and all were respecting the quiet atmosphere that was being asked of them, even the children.
