Aula Palatina

The Aula Palatina, commonly called the Basilica of Constantine, is a Roman palace basilica in Trier, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, built in the early 4th century AD. It served as the audience hall for the imperial palace and is one of the best-preserved large Roman basilica halls north of the Alps.

The building’s main feature is a large, uninterrupted rectangular hall more than 60 metres long with a high, plain interior that retains the feel of the original imperial audience chamber. The structure is used today as a Protestant church and is part of Trier’s ensemble of Roman monuments.

Construction dates to about AD 300-310 during the reign of Constantine and his successors, and the hall functioned as part of the late Roman imperial complex at Trier. Over the centuries it survived reuse and alterations and was restored in the 19th century for religious use.

The basilica stands within the Roman-era core of Trier in western Germany, close to the Moselle River and the city centre. Trier is one of Germany’s oldest cities and the Aula Palatina occupies a prominent position among its Roman remains.

• World Heritage site: Included in the UNESCO World Heritage listing for the Roman Monuments, Cathedral and Church of Our Lady in Trier.
• Architectural form: Large single-aisled Roman basilica hall originally built in the early 4th century; the interior is notable for its preserved vast rectangular nave.