We visited Aachen at the end of July, 2001. We had briefly passed through in 1999 on our way back from the Nurburgring and decided it would be a nice place to visit and spend some time. So we came back to spend 3 leisurely days.

Aachen is the most westerly city in Germany, situated between 3 and 5 km from the Dutch and Belgian borders. The Romans settled here between 57 BC and 5 AD because of the hot springs and they rapidly developed it into a spa town. As water was vital to the city’s development, there are fountains to be found in every square and corner, forming an integral part of the city life. The “Circulation of Money” fountain (right) is a favorite fountain with several interesting characters. The water itself reflects the circulation of money while the 3 characters in the back are circulating money amongst themselves (the 2 on the left behind their backs). Meanwhile, Mr. Greed (forefront) is practically falling into the fountain trying to get at the money.

The “Fountain of Puppets” is a favorite with children young and old, as seen at left. The fountain features several moveable bronze figures that invite one to play. The horse Jim is playing with refers to Aachen’s equestrian tradition while its rider is a legionnaire to represent the Roman era. The harlequin (right, front) and masks represent amusement and happiness, while the woman of fashion (lower left) represents Aachen’s industries, notably Aachen’s quality cloth trade. In the center front is the Professor representing the Rhineland- Westphalia Technical University. 

Probably the most famous resident was Charlemagne who spent the last 20 years of his life here (around 800). The tower at right was part of Charlemagne’s palace complex and was used as a watch tower and living quarters. This tower is the oldest remaining building in the city as was built in 788.

Just to the right of the tower is a beautiful old commercial building built in 1657, shortly after the great fire (below, left). Next to it on the right is the Postwagon, Aachen’s last timbered house. Both were used as the bookseller’s business place. He would “read” the books aloud to get people interested, then sell the books. Unfortunately, the bookseller could not read so he simply made up fantastic stories to drum up business. After the customers bought the books, they would take the books to the clergyman or schoolteacher to read the ending, only to find out that the stories were a figment of the bookseller’s imagination, which was much more lively than the writers’. Because he took the people for fools they named him and his house “Uellespejjel” after a famous character in a German fairy tale who was a real rascal.

The Market Place is the highest point of the medieval town. It is the triangular area in front of the Town Hall and is home to the local market (right). Around 800 Charlemagne built his “Aula Reglia,” a large stone King’s Hall. The current Town Hall was built in the 14th century on the foundations of Charlemagne’s palace. Thirty-one German kings were crowned in Aachen from Otto I (936) to Ferdinand I (1531).

The heavy bronze door at the entrance have a series of interesting faces upon them (left).

At the rear of the Town Hall is a large open square used for markets and fairs. From this vantage point (below), one gets a great view of the town hall, incorporating the original tower from Cahrlemagne’s time (the tower on the right). From here, the Town Hall has a much more palace-like or fairy-tale look to it.

From the back of the Town Hall, the view across the square provides you with the best view of the Cathedral complex (below). The cathedral is made of three distinctive parts. In the center is Charlemagne’s Palace Chapel, an octagon center surrounded by a 16-sided polygon. It was completed in 805. To the left is the Gothic choir hall, completed in the early 1400s and consecrated on the 600th anniversary of Charlemagne’s death. At the right is the neo-Gothic tower placed over the western wing of the Palace Chapel which comprises the entrance hall. This was added in the last century.

Inside the cathedral, the central dome rises in the center to a beautiful mosaic ceiling above the arches (right). The antique marble pillars were brought from Italy and serve only to beautify the chapel, but serve no supporting function.  In the center hangs the Barbarossa chandelier (donated by King Barbarossa in 1165 for Charlemagne’s canonization).  Above on the second floor is Charlemagne’s throne, made from 4 slabs of marble.

The floors in this part of the cathedral are of an intricate marble mosaic (left), while the ceilings are a beautiful golden mosaic (below), similar to the center of the dome.

I n t h e C h o ir H al l li e s the Shrine of Charlemagne, in which his moral remains have rested since 1215. This is the gold chest in the center of the picture below, right. Notice too the lovely stained glass windows 27 meters high.

At the time we were there, they were having the parade of horses, to celebrate Aachen’s equestrian tradition. To this end, there are model horses all over town. Businesses decorate their horse according to a theme, so you will find everything from a garden horse fully planted, to the electronic horse full of circuit boards, to the Euro horse (a sign of the times). There was a graffiti horse in front of the Town Hall, so Jim had to take advantage of this one, noting our web site on the underside of the tail (you’ll have to ask Jim why he chose that location).

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