Day 2
Our second day started with an early morning guided tour of the city with our wonderful guide Helga. Her rich descriptions and stories brought the city to life, providing us with a deeper look into the city's rich history and culture. We were able to visit St. Peter's cathedral and The Church of Our Lady, viewing the beautiful interiors. Helga shared the legend behind the ruin of an original Roman column that remains in front of St. Peter's Cathedral, in fact in Trier many children sit and take a picture on the column each year because it is said to ensure that they make good grades! In addition we were able to view Constantine's Basilica, the Elector's Palace and the Palace Gardens again, this time with Helga's exceptional guidance.
The construction of St. Peter's Cathedral began in 326 AD under supervision of Constantine the Great. The original structure was four times as large as the present day cathedral. After extensive damage in the 5th and 9th centuries the cathedral was renewed in 1035 with additions in the Romanesque style. The cathedral's interior combines Romanesque structure with Baroque decoration, along with Gothic vaulting and archways. The cathedral is said to be home to the Holy Robe of Christ brought back from Jerusalem by The Empress St. Helena.
The Church of Our Lady is the earliest Gothic church in Germany, built in the architectural tradition of French Gothic cathedrals. Completed around 1260 the church replaced the southern portion of the original Roman double church. In 1986 the church was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. Unique to the church is the cruciform floor plan with cross shaped vaulting forming rounded niches creating a plan that resembles a twelve petal rose, which is a symbol of the Virgin Mary. We were able to tour the interior, viewing the beautiful stain glass throughout.
After our tour with Helga came to an end we headed to the quintessential German town of Beilstein situated along the Mosel River. We boarded our bus for the first time, otherwise know as our 'home away from home' and headed for Beilstein on our way to Burg Eltz. We stopped in for lunch at Hotel Haus Lipmann, which served amazing food along with some spectacular views of the Mosel. We explored the tiny town after lunch walking through the vineyards and admiring the multitude of flower boxes. We managed to sample some outstanding homemade raspberry cheesecake before departing for Burg Eltz.
Burg Eltz is situated in a valley, surrounded by the Elzbach River on three sides. This location has protected Burg Eltz from destruction during war times, allowing the castle to remain as it was constructed in the 12th century. Burg Eltz continues to be owned by a branch of the same family that lived in the castle 33 generations ago. The current Eltz family still retains a part of the castle for personal use and ladies... the newest heir is still looking for a bride, which means there is still a chance to fulfill your fairy tale fantasies and live in a castle. Guided through the interior of the castle we were able to visit multiple rooms arranged and decorated in period style, unfortunately no pictures were allowed inside the castle.
Back in Trier we enjoyed dinner on our own. We chose Das Weinhaus (The Wine House), situated on a quiet neighborhood street near our hotel. Looking back this restaurant would turn out to be one of my favorites with its warm, intimate and inviting atmosphere. We dined on pumpkin soup, steak and wine. The manager of the restaurant chose a wine for us, delivering the glasses to the table. The memory of looking out the window of that cozy restaurant into the cold nighttime streets of Trier will be one I will never forget.
Copyright 2016 Karly Eller