Yesterday was a thought-provoking day. We decided to take a day trip to Trier, the "Rome of the North." I visited Trier two years ago and it is one of my favorite cities in Germany. I walked the streets listening to lectures on early medieval Europe and immersed myself in Trier's architectural marvels. It was my long walk in the country. This time around, I had company.
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| Approaching the town square |
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| *sigh* |
Mac loved Trier so much he decided to eat his sunglasses, nap, and wear historical garb.
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| So sophisticated |
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| Super tough Viking |
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| Sir Toodles |
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| Mac tests the laws of elasticity |
Trier boasts several incredibly well-preserved Roman structures that are within a moderately easy walk of each other. We only made it to two of the structures this time, but they are perhaps the most striking.
The Porta Nigra, or Black Gate, is a 2nd century Roman gate that contains the remnants of an 11th century church within. I love standing in front, imagining all the people over all the centuries who stood where I am standing and lived life in a way so different from mine.
The High Cathedral of St. Peter is the oldest church in Germany and one of the oldest in the western world. Built by Constantine in the 4th century, the cathedral bears physical witness to centuries of architectural development.
The original classical architecture can still be seen even though Romanesque, Gothic, and baroque elements were added over time.
The Church of Our Lady, which connects to the cathedral, was built in the 13th century and provides one of the earliest examples of the French High Gothic style.
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| The Porta Nigra |
The Porta Nigra, or Black Gate, is a 2nd century Roman gate that contains the remnants of an 11th century church within. I love standing in front, imagining all the people over all the centuries who stood where I am standing and lived life in a way so different from mine.
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| The Trierer Dom |
The High Cathedral of St. Peter is the oldest church in Germany and one of the oldest in the western world. Built by Constantine in the 4th century, the cathedral bears physical witness to centuries of architectural development.
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| A Gothic arch replaces a Roman arch (you can see the remains of the Roman on the right and left of the picture). |
The original classical architecture can still be seen even though Romanesque, Gothic, and baroque elements were added over time.
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| The varied interior of the cathedral |
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| The baroque western apse |
The Church of Our Lady, which connects to the cathedral, was built in the 13th century and provides one of the earliest examples of the French High Gothic style.
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| Ben takes in the Liebfrauenkirche. |
The quiet beauty and reverence within the cloister is deeply moving.
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| The arcade surrounding the cloister |
I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that stuff like this is an hour away from where I live. And that is why yesterday was so thought-provoking. When I visited Trier two years ago, it was a day of wonderful solitude, relaxation, and intellectual stimulation. Because I was on vacation. Now, I live amidst such sights. I am not on a break from my normal life. My normal life, with its struggles, messes, and frustrations, has tagged along. Perhaps even more confusing is that the mundanity of life has tagged along. I still have to feed my son, get along with my husband, and go grocery shopping. This experience is not a perpetual high, although there are flashes of joy. Part of this transition is learning how to adjust my expectations of myself and of my whereabouts. To realize that it's ok to not always be enthralled by my surroundings. To understand that this doesn't mean I don't love medieval history the way I used to. And to accept that a day of Quiet and coffee is sometimes just the ticket.
Is The Church of Our Lady the picture we used in your "favorites" tab? It looks familiar. :) I can't stop staring at the picture with the window boxes full of pink flowers, and the picture of Mac and the eye patch cracks me up!
ReplyDeleteI love your reflections in your last paragraph. It reminds me that no place is perfect, despite the amount of time I spend day dreaming about our next vacation spot. Boring, daily-life stuff mixed in with Cathedrals would throw me off. But... maybe that just means the mundanity isn't so mundane after all. :)
Yes it is! Good eye! Thank you for the feedback.
DeleteAnd thank you. No place is perfect. I think it is the mix of daily-life and stuff-of-my-dreams that is throwing me off, like you said. But what a good point you have. Thank you, friend, for a refreshing perspective.
Mmmm. I love your pics- it makes me want to come visit and have no agenda, other than hanging out with you, and going wherever you take me! I miss you terribly. Trying to avoid cussing in public. Please let's talk soon. Love your thoughts, by the way.
ReplyDeleteThank you, friend. That means a lot. Please come visit, sans agenda. And let's chat soon. Cussing in private is allowed:) Even encouraged. Love you.
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