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  4. Bishop's Museum

Bishop's Museum, Trier

General view of 3rd-century Roman fresco, the museum's star attraction. Photo © Holly Hayes. View all images in our Bishop's Museum Photo Gallery.
Detail of Roman fresco. Photo © Holly Hayes.
A lady admires her reflection in the Roman fresco. Photo © Holly Hayes.
Carolingian fresco of St. John. Photo © Holly Hayes.
Early Christian epitaph. Photo © Holly Hayes.
General view of an upper room in the museum. Photo © Holly Hayes.

The Bischöfliches Museum (Bishop's Museum) is housed in a 19th-century building near Trier Cathedral. Once a Prussian prison, the building now houses the art collection of the Diocese of Trier, including much early Christian art.

The museum easy to miss due to its out-of-the-way location and minimal signage, but it is an excellent museum and one of the most interesting attractions in Trier.

What to See

The museum's prize possession is a 3rd-century ceiling fresco from the imperial palace over which Trier Cathedral was built. The fresco was rediscovered in 1945, and some 70,000 pieces were painstakingly reassembled over the following decades.

Another highlight is the reconstructed crypt of the Benedictine church of St. Maximin, which has important 9th-century Carolingian wall paintings.

The sepulcher of Bishop Karl von Metternich, who represented the archbishopric during the Thirty Years' War, is also worth a look.

A collection of Roman textiles and medieval church vestments, original Early Gothic statues from the Liebfrauenkirche, as well as the creations of sculptors, ivory carvers, and goldsmiths over the centuries complete the exhibits.


Quick Facts on Bishop's Museum

Site Information
Names:Bischöfliches Dom- und Diözesanmuseum Trier; Bishop's Museum; Bishop's Museum, Trier
City:Trier
State:Rhineland-Palatinate
Country:Germany
cat:Museums
faith:Christianity
style:Roman; Paleochristian
Visitor and Contact Information
Address:Windstraße 6-8, Trier, Germany
Coordinates:49.756540° N, 6.645039° E  (view on Google Maps)
Opening Hours:Mon-Sat 9am-5pm; Sun and holidays 1-5pm. Closed Mondays in winter (Nov 1-Mar 31).
Cost:€3.50 adults; €2 concessions; €4 combo ticket with Cathedral Treasury
Phone:+49(0)651/7105-255
Email:museum@bgv-trier.de
Website:www.bistum-trier.de
Lodging:View hotels near this location
Note: This information was accurate when first published and we do our best to keep it updated, but details such as opening hours can change without notice. To avoid disappointment, please check with the site directly before making a special trip.

Map of Bishop's Museum

Below is a location map and aerial view of Bishop's Museum. Using the buttons on the left (or the wheel on your mouse), you can zoom in for a closer look, or zoom out to get your bearings. To move around, click and drag the map with your mouse.

References

  1. Personal visit (January 2, 2008).
  2. "Trier Attractions." Frommer's Germany 2006.
  3. Official Website (German)
  4. Video of the Bishop's Museum - CityGuide Trier

More Information

Article Info

Title:Bishop's Museum, Trier
Author:Holly Hayes
Last updated:10/27/2009
Permalink:www.sacred-destinations.com/germany/trier-bishops-museum
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