The Porta Nigra, or ‘Black Gate’ (Latin: Porta Nigra), is one of the most important architectural monuments of ancient Rome, located in Trier. It is the best-preserved Roman city gate in Germany and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1986. Formerly also known as the Porta Martis and the Roman Gate, Porta Nigra has become a symbol of Trier, while also witnessing the rich history of the city, which was once called Augusta Treverorum.
Construction of the structure began in 170 AD during the reign of Emperor Marcus Aurelius. The gate was intended to serve as the northern entrance to the city and was part of a larger urban plan that also included other city gates such as Porta Alba, Porta Media and Porta Inclyta. The dating of the gate has been controversial for centuries, but it was eventually established that its construction took place between 170 and 174 AD. This was confirmed by dendrochronological studies, which showed that the timber used in the construction came from trees felled between 169 and 170 A.D. The gate was made of some 7200 sandstone blocks, some of which weighed up to six tonnes. Although the structure was intended to serve an important defensive function, its construction was never completed. The half-columns in front of the façade remained in a rough state, and the hinge holes for mounting the gates were never fully adapted for use. Today, traces of the unfinished work are visible.
The completed gate on a model depicting the Roman Augusta Treverorum. Photo by Stefan Kühn, Wikimedia Commons
Over the centuries, the Porta Nigra served various functions. In 1035, the Sicilian monk Simeon settled in the gate as a hermit. After his death, Pope Benedict IX declared him a saint and the Roman monument gained the status of a place of worship. The building was then transformed into a two-storey church with an apse and a monastery. The conversion probably saved it from demolition, so that it has survived to the present day. In the 18th century, the church underwent Baroque modernisation, and in 1802 Napoleon Bonaparte ordered the church and monastery to be liquidated. Between 1804 and 1809, the medieval extensions were demolished, restoring the gate to its original Roman appearance. Since then, Porta Nigra has served as a museum and has also been used as a city gate. During the Second World War, the building was slightly damaged and rebuilt.
The gate integrated into the church buildings, year 1646 and the building today. Photo: https://archive.org/details/trierschl00schluoft/ and Krzysztof Golik, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Today the Porta Nigra is one of Trier’s most important monuments and a popular tourist attraction. Since 2005, it has been part of the Roman adventure tour “Mystery of Porta Nigra”, during which actors in historical costumes introduce visitors to the history of Roman Trier. During the tour, visitors can see what life was like in the city 1,800 years ago. In 2014, there was a fire in the eastern gate tower, which caused minor damage. Fortunately, Porta Nigra survived the incident and its importance as a valuable monument has remained.
Porta Nigra in 1890 and 2008. photo by Eduard Pesé – http://e-pese.de/trier/trier.html and Berthold Werner, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
The name ‘Porta Nigra’ dates back to the Middle Ages and comes from the dark colour of the sandstone from which it was built. In documents from the 12th century, the gate was also called Porta Martis, in honour of Mars, the god of war. According to legend, the gate was supposed to be the place through which Roman soldiers went to war, as well as returning after losing battles, to symbolise the ‘mournful’ return to the city. Despite this legend, modern research has shown that the name ‘Black Gate’ refers to the natural darkening of the sandstone due to weathering.
The gate in 1904 and 2021. photo by Charles E. Flower, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons and Thomas Wolf, www.foto-tw.de, CC BY-SA 3.0 DE, via Wikimedia Commons
Today, Porta Nigra ranks among the best-preserved Roman monuments outside of present-day Italy. It is not only an important historical site but also a symbol of Trier, a city that was once one of the most important centres of the Roman Empire north of the Alps.
Source: trier-info.de, sekulada.com
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