Constantine Basilica in Trier Photo

Photographer’s Note

Yesterday I showed you the situation of the Constantine Basilica in the center of Trier. Here I show you the interior of this most impressive building which today is used as a Protestant church.

The huge "Constantine Basilica", a basilica in the original Roman sense, was the throne hall of the Roman Emperor Constantine in the time when he ruled the Roman world empire from Trier. Trier was the residence of the Roman emperor since the year 293 and the center of Roman politics. Here Constantine had his biggest palace area before he installed his seat of government in Konstantinopolis in the years 324/326.

The basilica was built at the beginning of the 4th century and still today it's the biggest antique building north of the Alps. Its still impressive measures: 67 m long, 27,5 m wide and 30 m high. The walls are made out of bricks and mortar and they have a size of 2,70 m near the foundation and near the roof in a height of 30 m the size is 3,40 m. The walls rest on a foundation with a breadth of 4 m and a depth which varies from 4 to 6 m - made out of concrete (!) called "opus caementitium" (quicklime, water, sand and quarrystones).

Entering this huge interior space is an unforgettable experience ... perhaps because of it's incredible architectural purity.

The exterior of the basilica you can see here.

robertosalguero, leo61, snunney, Budapestman, Uhu, jlynx, dip, chrkont, adelune, jafadabret, xavshot, daddo, Jakab, P-S-I-G has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

robertosalguero (110) 2008-05-08 21:32

Hello Frank,

Very spacious and large basilica. The brick construction is nice and simple. I wonder at the dimensions of such a building, being so high and with so many windows to allow lots of light. Excellent composition Frank.

Roberto

leo61 (43816) 2008-05-08 22:48

Hallo Frank!
Schön,daß Du diesen einmaligen Raum zeigst.Ich war überwältigt von der Architektur als ich ihn betrat.Mir gefallen hier die Asymetrie und die Rottöne.Das Licht ist auch toll.
Ich poste einen workshop,vom Altar und hoffe daß ich Dir kein Bild vorwegnehme.
Gruß,Andreas

[workshop] [compare] +

snunney (35522) 2008-05-09 1:03

Hello Frank,
A good capture of this vast interior whose dimensions we can only guess at by reference to the visitors and the serried ranks of chairs. I like the off-centre point of view. Lovely warm tones in the brickwork and excellent clarity.

Budapestman (42876) 2008-05-09 2:22

Hi Frank,
Great interior shot with spectacular composition. Lights and clarity is excellent, beautiful shot for the Constantine Basilica. Well done! Have a nice day
George

jurek1951 (26162) 2008-05-09 3:49

Hi Frank,
wonderful photo, great composition and perspective.Excellent view and beautiful church,
Gruss
Georg

wolf38 (13087) 2008-05-09 3:54

Hallo Frank. Die Basilika ist beeindruckend, und die Architektur außergewöhnlich. In dem riesigen Bau müssen sich die Menschen winzig und unbedeutend fühlen. Mir gefällt an der Basilika, dass sie vom Tageslicht gut beleuchtet ist. Ein sehenswertes Photo. Viele Grüße aus Kassel, Wolfgang.

Uhu (7448) 2008-05-09 4:17

Long ago, back in USSR times, Trier was known as a Karl Marx Geburstag place, :)
No more of this now. And such a interesting place you shot, it's so unbeleivably old! IV century, well. It was still 400 years for first guys named "Rus" to appear in chronicles and being described like pagan, fierce and war-loving half-Slavonic and half-Scandinavian people! :)
Really interesting and specific photo.

jplebrun (17330) 2008-05-09 4:20

Bonjour Frank
sobriété, aucun artifice, immense édifice sans même un banc, beau travail.
Amicalement
Jean-Pierre

mesutilgim (37324) 2008-05-09 4:46

Hallo lieber Frank,
Wunderbar ! Wieder tolles Blickwinkel und perfektes Licht. Gute schaerfe und das eller wichtigste, ein Raum wo man sich nicht von irgendwelchen Schnoerkeleien etc ablenken laesst.
Man ist alleine mit sich selbst und dem Allmaechtigen.
Nicht aber zuletzt tolle Beschreibungen.
Danke schoen und ein schoenes Wochhenende
Mfg
MESUT ILGIM

pablominto (41398) 2008-05-09 6:25

Hello Frank,
An impressive interior has been captured!
What comes to my mind is the lack of decorative elements outside the architecture itself, and the bare brick wall match well the chairs on the floor...
A well exposed image with fine light management!
greetings,
Pablo -

jlynx (11380) 2008-05-09 6:34

Hello Frank,
The powerful space, lines of chairs, and in the distance the very modest altar. The coated vault with splendid coffers - how I suppose with performed from wood. Whole very tidy, simple and in no respect reminding temples of the period of the Baroque or Renaissance. Is Here visible God as on the hand. Is Simply , all set to of listening of our tangled matters. Simple picture without sophisticatings, very true inwards of this temple. Natural colours and good light in spite of very best terms.
Best regards with Mosina,
Jurek

dip (12852) 2008-05-09 13:00

Hallo Frank,
eine beeindruckende Aufnahme von der Basilika,
riesige Dimensionen und interessante Architektur
und Du hast es hier sehr gut eingefangen!
Viele Grüße,
Dimitris.

chrkont (3677) 2008-05-09 13:56

Hi Frank
Nice photo from a very interesting place. I like the simplicity of the church in contrast of churches of orthodox that i'm familiar. Very good light and details especially at WS photo.
TFS - Regards
Christos

adelune (2) 2008-05-10 5:25 [Comment]

Show Comment [workshop] [compare] +

jafadabret (40369) 2008-05-10 10:48

Frank bonsoir.
On est frappé par les dimensions et les proportions de cet édifice mais ce qui est le plus remarquable c'est la clarté, il faudra attendre le gothique pour la retrouver. Merci de cette présentation et de la note explicative, je me coucherai ce soir un peu moins bête.
Jacques

xavshot (63137) 2008-05-10 10:50

Bonsoir Frank
je m'arrête sur cette photo car l'immensité du lieu d'interpelle; J'aime beaucoup cette sensation d'espace et a lumière de cet endroit. Jolie photo et bon choix de cadrage en respectant la symétrie.
amicalement
Xavier

Clementi (45285) 2008-05-10 12:52

Ciao Frank,
spectacular interior of this very beautiful church. I like it very much geometry created by the chairs, also the seated people. excellent in the colours and the light.
nice work
Giorgio

daddo (11567) 2008-05-11 2:46

hi frank. An impressive shot thanks to the spacious interior and the subsequent airiness and light.i also like the different shades and textures of things brown.Fascinating info about Constantine. I never knew he ventured that far north. Regards from a sunny Melbourne.Klaudio.

Jakab (3500) 2008-05-11 15:20

Hallo Frank,
die Basilika ist sowieso erstaunlich, wenn man aber das Baudatum bedenkt - es verschlägt einem den Atem! Ich bin gespannt, was wir dort zu spüren bekommen.
Viele Grüße
Laszlo

kevinos (6927) 2008-05-11 19:45

This is an impressive image, Frank, showing the structure of this amazing and ancient building.The building is an amazing testament to the engineering and architectural skills of the Romans.I agree with you comment about the purity of the architecture, but I wonder what happened to all the embellishments, the marble, the sculptures etc that would once have been there. Regards kevin

P-S-I-G (24482) 2008-05-17 23:45

Comme c'est bien présenté ici aussi.
J'apprécie ce cadrage large qui nous fait bien profiter de l'ensemble. Ah, cette bonne prise conforte mon envie de venir à Trèves !
Amicalement,
Fabrice

sweet_universe (1693) 2008-06-12 9:06

I was to Treviri 3 years a go.
What a beautiful town! There was born Sanctus Ambrosius,the great bishop of Mailand, the metropolis where I live.

Optimal pic: light is very good!