Roter Turm (Trier, Konstantinplatz)

The Rote Turm stands on Konstantinplatz in the centre of Trier. It is a brick tower built in 1647 as part of the Kurfürstliches Palais. At that time Philipp Christoph von Sötern was the elector of Trier. Around 1830 an extra storey was added to the tower. Since 1968 it has housed the bells of the nearby Konstantinbasilika after receiving a baroque roof.

The tower is now used by the regional administration. It contains the Upper Land Consolidation Authority for Rheinland-Pfalz. The building also serves as a service office for the regional supervisory directorate. A study of the tower by Eberhard Zahn appeared in the 1963 Trier Yearbook. The tower shares its name with another red brick structure in Trier’s Grüngürtel.

Visitors see a tall brick tower rising above the square. The baroque roof and bell chamber are clearly visible. Inside the tower there are offices and corridors used by civil servants. Outside, the Konstantinbasilika stands just beside the tower. The square itself is a quiet spot in the city centre. The tower’s red brickwork contrasts with the pale stone of the basilica.