Everything Old is New Again - Trier, Germany and Luxembourg

From the Alsace region that seems unchanged by the passing of the centuries, we traveled to two cities that have harmoniously combined historical and modern architecture.

Trier is arguably the oldest city in Germany.  It is a place where construction of a new parking lot recently revealed ancient Roman ruins slumbering just meters below the surface.  The town’s nearly 2,000 year old Black Gate punctuates a road which delivered us to a small carnival of strobe-lights, amusing rides, and boardwalk games where we drank our first glühwein of the season while watching families enjoy the festive setting.

Luxembourg’s geographic location at the crossroads of European powerhouses has allowed it to realize impressive financial success.  As it has grown, the city has managed to incorporate immense forts from the 17th, 18th, and 19th century into its modern architecture.  The Musée d'Art Moderne Grand-Duc Jean, locally known as MUDAM, offers a wonderful example of integrating past and present designs (pictured), and we were thrilled to stumble upon a special opening night exhibit that reminded us of Denver’s wonderful Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA).

These two amazing cities demonstrate unstoppable momentum; their skylines dotted with one construction crane after another.  It’s comforting to see that history can be maintained, and perhaps even enhanced, as city planners balance efforts to expand and evolve while maintaining watchful eyes on the precious need for preservation.