I had been waiting and waiting and finally it came. The day we visited Aachen. Since having children, I’ve become the zen traveler. With no time to research history, it’s a total “in the moment – beginner’s mind” experience where ever I tour. Several years ago, I visited the Aachen cathedral, essentially because it was thirty minutes away from where we had been living. I’ve been to many cathedrals, abbeys, and churches in Europe, but nothing prepared me for the power of this place. The first time I came, the accidental pilgrim, I was transfixed by this intimate place. Not the long, high, vacuous, echoing space of other cathedrals, but small and personal place, thick with thousands of years of worship.
I have since read the history of the Aachen cathedral and let me enlighten you. Charlemagne built the cathedral as part of his palace in 785. He had decided to make Aachen the permanent center of his empire. Charlemagne cited logistics and the nearby curative hot springs* for choosing Aachen as his home. Charlemagne’s remains are enshrined in the cathedral.
*N, always the font of weird history, said that later Syphilis patients came to the springs, which was ironic as Aachen had a booming prostitution industry. Self-reenforcing, N says.
Aachen Cathedral
View from entrance |
Gold altar dating from Charlemagne’s time. |
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St. Nicholas chapel circa 1474. |
From floor to ceiling, the choir is 32 meters high. The little box between the white candles is the tomb of Charlemagne. |
The octagon, the core of Charlemagne’s cathedral. The chandelier dates back to 1165 and the cupola mosaic to 829. |
View from outside shows different architectural styles.
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Town Hall.
The Aachen Town Hall stands on the part of Charlemagne’s original palace.
Town Hall. The market in the walking square outside the building was breaking up as we arrived. |
White parlor |
Coronation Hall. |
Charlemagne whooping up on people. |
Couven Museum – Named after the architect of the Limburg region (Aachen – Maastricht) The information here was gathered from a wonderful tour guide. And they let me take pictures in the museum! (I bet you are wishing they didn’t…I get carried away).
Aachen was very much influenced by the French and Napoleon. According to the wonder tour guide, the French even have a different “special” name for Aachen on all their maps. Napoleon declared himself the new Charlemagne and he, Josephine, and his sister visited Aachen several times. After the defeat of the French, the Prussians ruled Aachen. The citizens preferred the laissez-faire French to the militaristic Prussians.
Old family apothecary. Aside from compounding medicine, they were the first to make chocolate in the Germanic region. |
Sand timer |
Porcelain china brought from China and painted in Netherlands |
Parlor |
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No, you ignorant fool! This is not ceramics from Delft! That is cobalt blue. No, no, beautiful magenta comes from Rotterdam! |
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Regency style gown |
Shh. I touched it. |
Going home (Would someone take this woman’s camera away?, you plead)
I’m going to have to get N to fill you in on WWII history. Here are photos of the American cemetery for soldiers who died liberating the Netherlands.
