German Historic Cities Spotlighted
Germany Travel features in-depth guides to historic cities including Bamberg's cozy ambiance, Regensburg's World Heritage and shopping, Rothenburg's medieval atmosphere, and Trier's Roman heritage. Each city offers a distinct blend of history, architecture, and modern culture. @Wtravelindex_d links to Stern's "11 most beautiful old towns in Europe."
Trier’s Porta Nigra, or "Black Gate," is the largest Roman city gate north of the Alps and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Built around 170 CE from grey sandstone, its name comes from the darkened color it acquired over the Middle Ages; its original Roman name is unknown. Of the four Roman gates that once stood in Trier, only the Porta Nigra survives. The gate's survival is largely thanks to a hermit monk named Simeon who took up residence in its eastern tower in the 11th century. After his death, the structure was converted into a church, which protected it from being dismantled for stone. In 1804, Napoleon ordered the church additions to be removed to restore the gate to its original Roman appearance. Regensburg's Stone Bridge, completed in 1146, was an engineering marvel of its time and the city's only bridge across the Danube for over 800 years. This bridge opened up major international trade routes, ushering in a golden age for the city as a hub for wealthy merchant families. For centuries, from 1663 to 1806, the city was the permanent seat of the Imperial Diet of the Holy Roman Empire. Bamberg, like Rome, is built on seven hills and is sometimes called "Franconian Rome." The town's layout, which strongly influenced urban design across Central Europe, was granted UNESCO World Heritage status. Spared from bombing during WWII, the city boasts around 2,400 original half-timbered houses. A unique part of its heritage is the inner-city commercial horticulture practiced since the Middle Ages. Rothenburg ob der Tauber’s decline after the Thirty Years' War inadvertently preserved its 17th-century state. A famous local legend, the "Meistertrunk," tells of a mayor who saved the town from destruction in 1631 by drinking over three liters of wine on a dare from an enemy general. Though romanticized, the town did suffer, being sacked multiple times. During World War II, 40% of Rothenburg was destroyed by bombing on March 31, 1945. The historic center, however, was largely spared from further destruction due to the intervention of U.S. Assistant Secretary of War John J. McCloy, whose mother had admired the town. After the war, it was carefully rebuilt with donations from around the world.
