Trier and its university

Trier is Germany’s oldest city and one of the most beautiful places in the country. Located in the valley of the Moselle river, it was one of the most important cities of the Roman empire. The Roman monuments, of which the Porta Nigra, a fortified city gate, is the most famous, bear testimony to the splendours of Roman Trier. Together with the Cathedral of St. Peter and the Church of Our Lady, the Roman Monuments are inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Trier is also the birthplace of Karl Marx (1818 – 1883). Karl Marx's birthplace with an exhibition on the philosopher's ideas and their impact on the world attract many vistotors each year. In 2018 a spectacular new sculpture of Marx by Chinese artist  Wu Weishan was unveiled.

The region surrounding Trier offers further cultural treasures like the city of Luxembourg with its old quarters and impressive fortress, the Abbey of Echternach, the former Völklingen Ironworks, the Roman mosaics in Nennig, or the Hospital of St. Nicolas in the beautiful town of Bernkastel-Kues.

The University of Trier is old and modern at the same time. It was founded in 1473 but closed down in 1798 following the events of the French revolution. The modern university was re-founded in 1970. Today, it counts more than 13.000 students. The Faculty of Law is well known for its strong international orientation. It was among the first German law faculties to offer courses on foreign legal systems in foreign languages to its students. The Trier Law Faculty also offers one of the longest running LL.M. programmes for foreign lawyers in Germany.

The faculty seal featuring Saint Yves Hélory, patron saint of lawyers.