Germany, Aachen and the place where the borders of three countries meet. Where to go and what to see on your own in Aachen Why Aachen should be marked on the map
Aachen is one of the most picturesque cities in North Rhine Westphalia. This town is located in a lowland, surrounded by fields, meadows, hills and is literally surrounded by greenery.
Aachen- one of the most picturesque cities North Rhine Westphalia. This town is located in a lowland, surrounded by fields, meadows, hills and is literally surrounded by greenery. Aachen borders three countries at once: the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. For tourists it is interesting primarily as balneological resort, and also as a place of a large concentration of historical monuments.
City `s history
Story Aachen begins with the Celtic tribes living here in the 1st century. BC. Then the Romans and Franks came to these lands. The city was first mentioned in chronicles in 765 AD. Charlemagne in the 8th century founded his main residence here, and for some time the city became the capital of the Great Roman Empire. Aachen left its mark on German history, first of all, as a city of coronations: here, in the main cathedral, for several centuries German emperors received their right to the throne.
Modern city
Modern Aachen combines a rich historical past and the high-tech attributes of the present time. It features many of the latest medical clinics, research centers, and regularly hosts cultural and music festivals, attracting tens of thousands of spectators.
Aachen is one of the world's equestrian centers. In June, the famous competitions are held here annually - International festival equestrian sport (CHIO).
Among the main attractions of Aachen are the following: Aachen Cathedral (Aachener Dom)- the same one main cathedral the city where the coronation of many emperors took place. It also contains a tomb Karla Velikog o, in which his majestic sarcophagus and marble throne are kept. Despite numerous reconstructions of the cathedral over many centuries, its central part, the oktogon, erected under Charlemagne, is still preserved. Aachen Cathedral is included in the list of objects under UNESCO protection.
IN City Hall you can also see traces centuries-old history cities. There are wonderful collections of paintings, frescoes and ancient treasures here.
Aachen has several interesting museums to visit. Among them Suermondt-Ludwig-Museum, whose collection includes an extensive collection of sculpture and painting from the Middle Ages, late Gothic, Romanticism, Baroque and classical modernism.
Frankenberg Fortress Museum built back in the 13th century. It presents numerous exhibitions on the history of the city, including models of Charlemagne’s gardens, a collection of old coins, a plan of the monastery, etc.
Couven-Museum dedicated to the history of bourgeois culture of the 18th-19th centuries. The museum's halls are designed in the Rococo, early classicism, Empire, and Biedemeier styles. Of great interest to tourists is the Aachen-Lüttecher furniture of the 18th century, successfully combined with porcelain and earthenware products from this period.
Basically, Aachen museums are open on weekdays and weekends during the daytime from 10-11 to 17-19 hours, some of them receive visitors according to a certain schedule.
Aachen (Aachen) Deutschland aachen.de
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Aachen (or Aachen) - small town in western Germany with a population of no more than 260 thousand people. This city is interesting because it is located in a place where three countries meet: Germany, Belgium and Holland.
Aachen traces its history back to the Roman era. The city sprang up around mineral springs, for which it is still famous, and was originally called Aquisgranum.
Since then, the city has grown rapidly and today Aachen is a developed, modern, crowded city with many attractions. In general, it seems that every part of the city of Aachen is unique historical monument. Let's see where you can go in Aachen and what to see.
Aachen Cathedral (Aachener Dom)
The cathedral is incredibly beautiful, also called the Imperial Cathedral. It is located in the very heart of the city and is a symbol of Aachen. This cathedral is important because Roman emperors were crowned there for many centuries. It's hard to imagine, but the cathedral was built more than 1200 years ago! An absolutely amazing sight. The cathedral was built in the Gothic style. Inside is the tomb of Charlemagne with relics, which is a huge octagon with a diameter of more than 30 meters. Not without interest are the Gothic choirs in the eastern part of the building (choirs - emphasis on the first syllable - a balcony inside the cathedral, a kind of open gallery where the church choirs and organ were located). The cathedral is interesting for its ancient mosaics and sculptures. In general, coming to Aachen and not visiting the Imperial Cathedral is simply an unacceptable mistake. By the way, the cathedral is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, and one of the first.
Address: Domhof 1
Opening hours (tomb): January-March | Mon| 10:00-13:00 and | Tue-Sun | 10:00-17:00
April-December | Mon| 10:00-13:00 and | Tue-Sun | 10:00-18:00
Cathedral opening hours: April - December /daily/ 07.00-19.00, January-March /daily/ 07.00-18.00
Tourist visits are not possible during services (in weekdays around 11:00, on Saturday and Sunday - 12:30). Special services and concerts are also held here, during which entry is prohibited.
Price entrance ticket(to the tomb): adults - €5, children, students and pensioners - €4, groups of 10 people - 3.50 €, family ticket (parents with children under 18 years old) - 10 €
You can also order an hour and a half excursion for 9€ per adult and 7.50€ per child.
St. Peter's Church (St. Peter's Church)
The Catholic Church of St. Peter is one of the oldest monuments in Aachen. It is mentioned in sources as early as 1215, when the church was a chapel. The church is small, but it seems to me that those who arrive in Aachen simply must visit it. The church is active and regularly hosts concerts, services, and musical performances. The inside of the church is simply amazing - all these vaults, statues, icons, windows - complete peace. It is considered one of the most beautiful churches in Germany.
Address: Peterskirchhof 1
Opening hours: Tuesday: 8.30 - 10.00, Thursday: 10.00 - 12.00
Aachen Town Hall (Aachener Rathaus)
It is a city government building and at the same time an important architectural monument. historical center Aachen. The town hall was built in the 14th century, many kings were crowned there, then the town hall was rebuilt many times, but today it is beautiful building in the Gothic style with neo-Gothic statues of kings, spiers, frescoes (which depict pictures from the history of the life of the city and the kings). Inside the town hall are the attributes of imperial power - swords, crowns, and manuscripts. In appearance, the town hall looks rather gloomy - blackened walls, smoked statues, an ancient fountain - of course, it makes a very strong impression. In the town hall, the annual ceremony for presenting the international award is held. Charlemagne.
Address: Markt (a stone's throw from Aachen Cathedral)
Ludwig Museum Aachen (Das Ludwig Forum)
The Ludwig Forum is a museum of contemporary art. Here you can find works in the style of American pop art of the 80s and 90s, modern collections, temporary exhibitions, important events and museums are held here. educational events aimed at studying contemporary art.
On 6000 square meters, three floors, as well as 5000 square meters of garden, numerous works are exhibited. Many of them are famous all over the world, including the realistic paintings “Medici” by Franz Gertsch and “Lady in the Supermarket” by American sculptor Duane Hanson. Quite interesting unusual place, which is worth a visit.
Address: Jülicher Straße 97-10
Opening hours: Tue, Wed, Fri - 12:00-18:00, Thu - 12:00-20:00, Sat and Sun - 11:00-18:00, Mon - closed.
International Newspaper Museum (Internationales Zeitungsmuseum)
About 200 thousand exhibits are collected here, over a period of five centuries, in almost all languages of the world. It is very educational and really interesting (maybe not for children, but for adults). Everything related to the world of newspapers and printing, from its origins to the present day - you can see everything in that museum. The museum has several rooms. Don't think that this is some boring museum - there are many interesting things here, for example, the hall of chaos, made in the shape of an egg or the “star room”.
Address: Pontstrasse 13
Opening hours: Tue - Sun 10:00-18:00, Mon - closed
Admission: adults 5 euros, schoolchildren and students 3 euros, groups of 8 people - 2-3 euros.
Couven Museum
The museum building in the classicist style was built at the end of the 18th century. The museum is dedicated to the history of the development of bourgeois culture of the 18th and 19th centuries. More than 20 rooms contain household items of those times - furniture, items made of ceramics and precious porcelain and glass in the Rococo style, children's toys, kitchen utensils, painted chests of drawers, dressing table and much more. Simply a wonderful museum!
Address: Hühnermarkt 17
Opening hours: Tue - Sun 10:00-18:00 and first Saturday of the month - 13:00-18:00. The museum is closed on Mondays.
Admission: adults 5€, schoolchildren and students 3€, family ticket - 10€
Suermondt-Ludwig-Museum
The museum presents exceptional works of art from antiquity to the mid-20th century. The museum exhibits works by many famous masters, such as Van Dyck, Rembrandt, August Macke, Otto Dix and others.
The museum owns one of the most extensive collections of medieval sculptures from the 12th to the 16th centuries. There are four rooms with 17th century Dutch paintings, collections of engravings, stained glass, antiques and crafts, etc.
Aachen probably already existed in the pre-Christian, Celtic era. The Roman settlement that arose here in the 1st century was called Aqua Grani, which may be related to the name Grannus, a divine healer in Celtic mythology. Charlemagne built his palace on the site of the Frankish royal court (Pfalz), around which a medieval city was formed - the capital of the empire. There is a version that the emperor singled out Aachen precisely because there were hot healing springs in its vicinity. Therefore, he preferred to take a break from his campaigns here. The springs are the hottest in Central Europe (water temperature up to 75 °C)- are still functioning.
In 1166, Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa granted Aachen the status of an imperial city. The city went down in history as the site of two important treaties. The Peace of Aachen in 1668 ended the war between France and Spain over the Spanish Netherlands (1667-1668) . In 1748, the War of the Austrian Succession, which had been waged by the European powers for eight years, also ended peacefully. In 1794, Aachen was occupied by French troops, in 1801-1814. it was annexed to France. By decision of the Congress of Vienna in 1815, the city became part of Prussia.
During World War II, Aachen was seriously damaged.
What to see
It is more convenient to move around the compact city center on foot. The center is surrounded by two rings of streets. The inner ring is called the Ring of Moats (Grabenring). It was formed on the site of medieval ditches and consists of streets whose names end with the word “graben”. The outer ring is called the Alley Ring (Alleenring). Behind him (south of city center) the main railway station is located (Hauptbahnhof).
To get to the Imperial Cathedral (Kaiserdom) in the center of the Old Town, you need to walk north from the station for 10-15 minutes. The cathedral is the main attraction of Aachen. It was built by the architect Odo from Metz by order of the Frankish Emperor Charlemagne. The cathedral was built around 790-800. like a palace chapel, other structures were added to it. On the second floor of the cathedral there is the throne of Charlemagne, made of marble slabs in the image of the throne of King Solomon. In terms of the number of church treasures, Aachen Cathedral has no equal in Europe. Its treasury contains many outstanding works of art, including a golden bust of Charlemagne with the king's skull immured inside (granted in 1349 by Charles IV), as well as the cancer in which his remains rest. The sides of the shrine, dating from around 1200, depict scenes from the life of the king. An outstanding exhibit is also the golden cross of Lothair with a cameo with a portrait of Emperor Augustus (approx. 1000), decorated precious stones. In the period from 936 to 1531, German emperors and kings from Otto I to Ferdinand I were crowned in the cathedral. Later, the coronation ceremony began to take place in Frankfurt am Main.
Cathedral included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Roman portico near the cathedral (Romischer Portikus) reminiscent of the ancient Roman era. The town hall was built in the Gothic style on the site of Charlemagne's palace in 1333-1376. It was repeatedly reconstructed in the Baroque style, the last one carried out in 1898-1902. The northern façade of the town hall is decorated with figures of 50 German monarchs, 32 of whom were crowned in Aachen. The Coronation Hall deserves special attention (Kronungssaal; daily 10.00-18.00), in which from 1349 to 1531 banquets were held on the occasion of coronations and imperial congresses took place. The walls of the hall are decorated with frescoes by Alfred Retel, dedicated to the life of Charlemagne. The town hall houses copies of the imperial regalia. Nearby is the historical restaurant "Postal Carriage" ("Postwagen"), existing since 1657
Eliza's Pavilion (Elisenbrunnen; architect K.F. Schinkel, classicism, 1827), located on Friedrich Wilhelm Square (Friedrich-Wilhelm Platz), became a symbol of the Aachen resort. Inside there are two large vessels with drinking water. mineral water from the Imperial hot spring (Kaiserquelle, 51.9 °C).
City Theater (Stadttheater) with a portico in the classicist style, built in 1825. The interior was restored after the war.
New Kurhaus (Neues Kurhaus, 1914-1916) surrounded by a luxurious park (Kurpark, about 1 km northeast of the center). In 1976, an international gambling house opened here (Internationales Spielcasino), which is one of the most modern in Europe.
From the city fortifications, where there once were 11 gates and 22 towers, only two gates have survived to this day - Ponta (Ponttor) and Marchira (Marschiertor).
In 786 AD, the first Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne ordered the foundation of a cathedral in the city of Aachen, which was to become the main imperial temple. This magnificent architectural monument is considered one of the oldest temples of the Middle Ages; German monarchs were crowned here for more than six hundred years.
The central and oldest part of the cathedral is the octagonal Palatine Chapel, built by the architect Otson of Metz in the Byzantine style. Charles I collected many Christian relics in the temple, which are kept in the chapel treasury to this day. Relics are put on display once every seven years. Charlemagne, who died in 814, is buried in the chapel, as evidenced by a memorial stone in the floor of the cathedral.
In the middle of the fourteenth century, Gothic choirs were added to the chapel, and the Hungarian Limit was built. In the fifteenth century, several chapels and a Glass House in the Gothic style were added to the cathedral.
Aachen Airport
Aachen Airport is the local airport of Aachen, Germany. The height of the runway above sea level is 190 meters.
The international airport code is EDKA.
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Bridge gate of Aachen
The bridge gate, located in the German city of Aachen, was erected at the beginning of the 14th century. Along with the Marschiertor gate, which has survived to this day, it was intended for the defense of the city and was part of the city defensive ring.
IN different time The bridge gate with a four-story tower and a hipped roof served as a tax collection point, a prison, and a youth hostel. Today, the four-meter arched gate, restored in 1973, with an additional defensive structure at the entrance are a popular place on the city's tourist route.
The Elisenbrunnen Fountain is the main fountain in the most luxurious bathhouse of the magnificent thermal complex of the same name, which was built at the beginning of the nineteenth century.
Thermal water gushes from the fountain, as the complex is built on the Imperial thermal spring. The Eliesenbrunnen Fountain was once visited by such historical figures as Peter I, Frederick the Great and others, which is reflected on the memorial plaques in the walls of the fountain.
During World War II, all thermal complex together with the luxurious fountain, it was destroyed, but in the middle of the last century it was restored to almost its original form.
Behind the Elisenbrunnen building lies a beautiful park, which, like the fountain and the entire complex, is named after the daughter of King Maximilian I, Princess Eliza. Nowadays, in addition to healing procedures, you can visit exhibitions and tango dance evenings.
Candy store
Aachen is a city of warm springs and confectionery shops. Here they prepare gingerbreads, cookies and sweets for every taste according to ancient recipes.
Sweets in Aachen are traditional gingerbread. Printed gingerbread cookies are called Printen. They fill the windows of numerous small confectionery shops in the old town - of various sizes and shapes, decorated with icing, nuts and candied fruits, exuding indescribable honey-vanilla aromas.
There are numerous legends about the origin of Aachen gingerbread. One of them says that after the great fire of 1656, famine came to the city. And then they remembered the recipe for Charlemagne’s favorite cookies, the recipe for which he took with him to the grave. The cunning apprentice baker turned to the devil himself for help, and he helped him get the recipe. Soon the fame of the extraordinary gingerbread spread throughout the area, and the devil came to the baker for his due reward. He treated the devil to his pastries, and he found them so tasty that the unclean one greedily swallowed the tin tray along with the gingerbreads.
The city residents loved their gingerbread so much that they even erected a monument to it. Now on the corner of Koerbergasse/Buechel there is a bronze girl with a giant gingerbread. Next to the monument there is a cafe where you can try many varieties of prints. There is also a collection of more than 100 forms for baking them.
House of Loewenstein
The Levenstein House is an old three-story mansion from the 14th century, one of the few that survived numerous wars and remains in existence today. Is located central square city, not far from the town hall, with which they, by the way, are the same age.
The house was built in a luxurious and pompous Baroque style. The original decorations of the facade, including the sculpture of St. John of Nepomuk, are of great interest. The building was originally used as a wine cellar, then it was owned by the Lowenstein family, after whom the house still bears its name. The Lutheran Church once held services here and fateful historical decisions were made.
Nowadays the building is used for administrative purposes and also houses the Central Archives and the Aachen Carnival Museum. By the way, interior decoration the mansion is more modern. Only the external appearance of the building is of historical value.
Fountain of dolls
The Doll Fountain is a very unique fountain in the center of Aachen. This is one of the most original monuments of the city, of interest to all age categories. The monument was founded in 1975; currently it continues to delight guests and residents of Aachen with its mysterious appearance.
The sculptures decorating the fountain were chosen for a reason. Each of them has a certain meaning, one way or another connected with the history of the city. For example, a figurine of a Roman - evidence of Roman rule, a horse with a knight - equestrian tournaments, very popular to this day, a doll - a textile industry trader - a symbol of the rapid development of free trade in the past, figures of a Harlequin and a professor - the development of a culture of education, many masks - a hint of those held in the city carnivals, and, finally, a rooster at the very top of the statue - a symbol of twenty years of French rule of the city. The peculiarity of bronze sculptures is that each one can change the position of the arms or legs.
Kaiser Friedrich Park
Kaiser Friedrich Park - a green oasis in the noisy south German city Aachen. It was founded at the beginning of the last century and is an area of about 13 hectares, which has everything for a peaceful holiday and cultural leisure.
Like a true German park, it is very well thought out, and although most of it is occupied by various green spaces, there are paths for running and walking, tennis courts, basketball courts and much more. There are monuments throughout the park, including a monument to Kaiser Friedrich, after whom the park is named.
There is a lake in the very center of the park, where you can take a boat trip. There are several cafes on site where you can have a snack while enjoying the scenery. By the way, during the Second World War the park was practically not damaged, so today it has been preserved almost in its original form.
Aachen(Aachen, Aachen) refers to the cities that are definitely worth visiting for a traveler interested in European history. After all, it was here that the residence of King Charlemagne was located - under him it was the capital of his huge empire. In addition, during the Middle Ages, Aachen was one of the largest places of pilgrimage, along with Jerusalem, Rome and Santiago de Compostela.
The history of the city began in very ancient times. In the 1st century BC, the Romans came to these places and, having taken a fancy to the local thermal springs, founded their settlement, which later became a resort for legionnaires. Temples were erected here, baths were equipped, and a fortress wall with round towers grew around the city.
At the turn of the 4th-5th centuries, Roman troops left the region, and were replaced by Germanic Frankish tribes during the Great Migration. Aachen becomes part of their kingdom.
The most important period in the life of Aachen was the reign of the Frankish king from the Carolingian dynasty, Charlemagne (years of life: 742/747/748 - 814). He made his residence here, building a luxurious palace ensemble, and making the city the capital of his empire. He died in his beloved city. His tomb is located in the cathedral, and is an object of worship for pilgrims arriving here.
The descendants of the great king were not so talented and successful, and in the 8th century the unified empire disintegrated. Its territory was attacked by the Normans, and Aachen was eventually captured in 881. As a result of the attack, the royal palace and local monastery are destroyed.
In 936, Otto I the Great became king of the East Frankish Kingdom. Under him, Aachen again became the site of the coronation. Imperial diets and church councils are also regularly held here.
Under the reign of Frederick I Barbarossa in 1166, Aachen received the status of a free imperial city. Here the market and coin regulations appear. The right to hold two annual fairs was also granted, and merchants were exempt from paying customs duties throughout the empire. Thanks to these privileges, Aachen grew, and by the middle of the 14th century it was one of the largest German cities.
During the Middle Ages, Christian relics and the tomb of Charlemagne kept in Aachen Cathedral attracted streams of believers to the city. Aachen at that time was one of the largest places of pilgrimage.
Since the 16th century in the past, the majestic city begins to lose its political significance. The coronation is moved to Frankfurt. The gigantic fire of 1656, which destroyed 4,664 houses out of 5,300, that is, almost the entire medieval city, also led to further decline.
After restoration, Aachen takes on baroque forms and becomes a fashionable resort . The local thermal springs are popular even among royalty. Peter I, Napoleon, and Frederick the Great visited here.
A new economic boom occurred with the opening of the Cologne-Aachen railway line in 1841. It soon connected to the Belgian railway network. Also in the 19th century, industrial development began, the impetus for which was the discovery of significant coal deposits near Aachen. By 1880, there were already about 300 enterprises operating here, including textiles, metallurgy, mechanical engineering, etc. Such intensive development of the city also contributed to the emergence of various educational institutions, which made Aachen the educational center of the region.
Second World War brought significant damage to the thriving city; over five thousand buildings were destroyed.
Currently, Aachen is a prosperous city with many attractions and a pleasant, friendly atmosphere. Unfortunately, the weather was unlucky and it rained all days of our stay. Nevertheless, we walked a lot along the streets, looking with interest at architectural structures, original fountains and numerous sculptures.
Historical Center Aachen
has small dimensions.
From the fortress walls that previously surrounded it, now only two gates remain - the northwestern
Ponttor and southern Marchirtor. The main square of the Old Town is Market Square.
It houses the Town Hall and the Charles Fountain.
Town Hall was built in 1300-1349, and became the largest Gothic building of its era.
The large-scale building stands on the foundation of the imperial palace of Charlemagne, destroyed in the 9th century, built on the model.
A fire in 1656 caused serious damage to the Town Hall. It was restored in the Baroque style.
This is what the Town Hall looked like in 1840.
In the 19th century, the building was restored to its original appearance, retaining only two baroque halls. The facades are again decorated with 50 statues of kings and sculptures symbolizing the arts, science and Christianity.
In the bay windows there are statues of knights and 8 coats of arms of medieval noble families.
In the Coronation Hall you can see frescoes from the 19th century , in the style of late romanticism, just about how the Romans found healing springs in these parts.
Now the building houses the city administration and the mayor's office. At the same time, the Town Hall houses significant museum treasures, including the sword of Charlemagne, the crown and orb of Emperor Otto I the Great, and the manuscript of the Imperial Gospel, created before 800 in the workshops of King Charles.
The halls of the Town Hall are open for inspection, both with a tour group and on your own.
Every year the ceremonial presentation of the Charlemagne International Prize for his contribution to the unification of Europe is held here.
This is what the Town Hall looks like from the back.
On the corner of the Town Hall there is a restaurant with an interesting exterior design.
Stands in front of the Town Hall Charles Fountain . Initially it was a low polygonal bowl mounted on Market Square in 1334. Reconstructions in 1620 and 1735 added a decagonal pool, bronze font, and a statue of Charlemagne.
Now at the top of the fountain there is a copy of the king’s sculpture; in 1969, the original was placed in the Coronation Hall of the Town Hall.
In front of the Town Hall, on the Market Square, which lives up to its name, there is brisk trade.
One day on the Market Square there was a wine festival, which partially closed the main attraction of the city - the Cathedral of the Virgin Mary, about which there will be a separate story on our website.
Twenty meters Granusturm tower (Granusturm) also located on the Market Square. It was built from rubble stones in 788, and was part of the palace of Charlemagne. In 1330, the building was built up 14 meters, and it became a fragment of the new town hall. The upper turret with a spire appeared in 1978.
It is assumed that before the completion of the imperial palace, the king lived in Granusturm, which was heated by fireplaces and had other amenities necessary for life. Ancient underground passages have been preserved in it to this day.
In the 16th century, the premises of the powerful stone tower were used as an archive, which made it possible to protect documents from major fires in 1656 and 1883.
Several ancient fortifications have been preserved in the city. The largest of them are the northwestern towers gates Ponttor (Ponttor), which were previously part of the Aachen region city wall. Dating back to 1320. They are located one kilometer from the Market Square.
During the period when the territory of Aachen was occupied by the Romans, there was a swamp in this place. A bridge was built across it. It is believed that the name Ponttor comes from the Latin pons (bridge), and the German Tor (gate).
In addition to its defensive functions, Ponttor was used as a toll point. Some rooms housed a prison. In the 18th century, the building, which had apparently lost its military significance, was turned into a school. In 1910, the building was occupied by a historical museum. Currently, there is a training center here, as well as a dormitory for the German Scout Union of St. George, the largest Catholic association in this country.
The architectural complex of Ponttor, built of calcareous sandstone, includes a rectangular four-story gate castle, equipped with a falling grate and a wall trough for draining boiling tar; a crenellated bridge over the moat, as well as a barbican (pre-gate fortification in the form of a reduced gate with two towers).
French soldiers traditionally caused great damage to European cities during their invasions. During the occupation of Aachen, Napoleon for some reason ordered the demolition of part of the buildings of the northwestern gate.
The Second World War also brought great destruction. The pontoon was partially destroyed, and the barbican was completely lost. In 1973, the historical building was completely restored.
In addition to the Ponttor, there were three more main gates in the city wall of Aachen - Jacob, Cologne and Marchirtor, built during the late XIV - early XV centuries.
Marshirtor Gate (Marschiertor) opened the way to Aachen with south side. Located 1.1 km northwest of the Market Square. The name translates as “marching gate”.
The gate, whose total width is 23.8 meters, combines a five-story gate castle and two round towers of four floors. The portal has three stepped arches.
On the top floor, reached by spiral staircases, there was an armory, guard rooms and prison cells.
During World War II the gate was destroyed by bombing. In 1959, the building was restored and began to be used as a warehouse, a homeless shelter and a camp site for young people. Now the tower is also not empty - the headquarters of the city guard, the commandant's office, the archive and the wine cellar peacefully coexist here.
Aachen has many interesting fountains And sculptures . Among them, probably the most popular object is Fountain of dolls . It’s rare that a tourist won’t stop near it and twirl the movable parts of the figures.
Fountain "Circle of Money"
I am preparing a separate publication about fountains and sculptures, where I give short descriptions of each of the objects.
Aachen is famous for its gingerbread . Their popularity in the city dates back to the Middle Ages, when many believers came here every 7 years to pray in the Cathedral of the Virgin Mary. Locals They baked special gingerbread cookies for pilgrims that could retain freshness and taste for a long time.
For some reason, the most popular and elegant gingerbread cookies are in the shape of an elephant.
These non-staling Aachen gingerbread can be bought in several shops located directly near the cathedral.
We lived nearby railway station , located outside the historical center, approximately 1 km from the Market Square.
The hotel was chosen near the station so that it would be convenient for us to travel from Aachen, where we stayed for 4 days, to other cities that were part of our travel route around Europe, namely
The city was founded by the Romans, who were attracted by the rich mineral deposits. For a long time it remained an industrial center, and reached its peak during the reign of Charlemagne, who granted Aachen many privileges and made it the residence of the Frankish kings.
The city is attractive to tourists due to its large selection of remarkable places, ancient buildings and entertainment; exciting events are held here for vacationers. excursion programs. The main symbol of Aachen remains the Cathedral, which was included in the list world heritage UNESCO. A magnificent architectural structure, striking in its scale and luxurious decoration of the halls. The main hall of the cathedral is decorated with a beautiful chandelier, which was donated by Frederick Barbarossa. The treasury and the marble throne of Charlemagne have been preserved here, as well as a sarcophagus with his remains. The shrine will be interesting not only from the point of view of its magnificent architecture, but also from the point of view of historical value, because the relics stored here are considered the most valuable museum exhibits.
Another ancient architectural monument can be seen on the Market Square; here is the Gothic Town Hall, which was built in the 14th century. Opposite the Town Hall is the Granus Tower, as well as the Church of Mary and St. Peter, built in the 19th century. Among the museums, Sürmondt-Ludwig deserves special attention, representing a rich collection of sculpture and painting. There are works dating back to the 12th century, as well as exhibits from the Middle Ages. At the Koofen Museum you will see collections of antique furniture, interior items and fireplaces. Frankenberg Castle is reminiscent of the time of the rapid rise of Aachen; it was here that Charlemagne lived, and today the main Historical Museum. Copyright www.site
On one of the historical streets of Aachen is the oldest house in the city - Löwenstein. It is not difficult to find; the historical building is located opposite the Town Hall. This house was built in the 14th century, its first owner was a wealthy person named Leve. Built in 1344, this house was one of the few in the city that managed to survive a severe fire in the mid-17th century. There are many gaps in the history of this building; according to some assumptions, it housed a wine restaurant for a long time. It's noticeable today Historical building occupy large offices and city archives.
One of the main city attractions is resort park Burtscheid. It was founded back in 1609, when a thermal spring was discovered in the picturesque foothills. The park reached its heyday at the beginning of the 19th century; many beautiful boulevards and squares were built here. Except beautiful plants The historical park is decorated with many ancient fountains, complemented by sculptural compositions. Just like many years ago, today the resort park is a permanent venue for interesting events. In the warm season, concerts are held here under open air and have dance parties.
Deserves attention architectural ensemble Eliesenbrunnen, also known informally as the Elise Fountain. This architectural complex was built around thermal spring and named after Princess Elisabeth Louis of Bavaria. The very first drinking fountain was built here at the end of the 17th century; over the years of its existence, it was repeatedly rebuilt and supplemented with new buildings. Today, the architectural complex includes a small exhibition hall, which often hosts interesting cultural events. After exploring the attraction, you can take a walk through the surrounding park.