Frankenturm

The Frankenturm stands in Trier’s old town, a sturdy medieval residential tower near the main market in Dietrichstraße. Built around 1100, it was first recorded in 1298 and named after Franco von Senheim, a 14th-century resident. Its walls copy Roman ruin styles still visible in the city at the time. Roman stone blocks form the base and corners, while upper floors use limestone and rows of reused brick. A second-century grave lintel serves as a door lintel, its inscription mentioning Amandia Seva. The tower shows Trier’s incomplete medieval defences, with only four similar houses surviving today. It once rose five storeys high but was lowered to two and a half in 1308 and later rebuilt in the 20th century. After standing empty for years, private donations funded a careful renovation that left original fabric untouched. In 2007 it reopened as a venue for tours and events run by Trier’s tourist office. Visitors find the tower free-standing after nearby buildings were removed. Inside, raw stone walls contrast with modern stairs and toilets, keeping traces of time visible. The roof slopes steeply under slate tiles, and small slit windows light the interior. From the street, twin arched windows mark the main living floor. The tower now serves as a starting point for guided walks exploring Trier’s past.