Model building sheet in a scale of 1:160
The Porta Nigra (Latin for “Black Gate”) is an old city gate in the north of the city of Trier, which the Romans probably built in the 2nd century AD. They founded the city of Trier in 16 BC. The gate was intended for representational purposes, but in the 3rd century it also served as a defense against attacks by the Germanic tribes. Markings indicating times are visible in some places on the wall. Based on these dates, the construction time of the gate can be estimated at around two to four years. For the construction, light sandstone blocks were used, which were placed on top of each other without mortar and connected to each other with iron brackets. Over the centuries, the sandstone weathered and took on a dark color, which gave the Porta Nigra its name in the Middle Ages. However, the gate was originally called “Porta Martis” probably after the Roman god of war, Mars.
Since the 1970s, the Porta Nigra has been the only remaining structure of the Roman city fortifications. The city wall and all other city gates were demolished. Since 1986, the gate, along with other Roman cultural monuments in Trier and the surrounding area, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Suitable for N scale model railways.

Author: Przemyslaw Tabernacki
5 sheets of DIN A 4. Model size: L 23 x W 14 x H 20 cm
Difficulty level: medium
Publisher: Schreiber / Aue-Verlag