AACHEN, GERMANY

AACHEN IS LOCATED IN THE NORTHWESTERN PART OF GERMANY, JUST NEXT TO THE BORDER OF BELGIUM AND THE NETHERLANDS.  IN 768 CHARLEMAGNE WAS CROWNED KING OF FRANKS AND SPENT EVERY WINTER IN AACHEN UNTIL HIS DEATH IN 814.  

AACHEN IS KNOWN FOR IT'S HOT SPRINGS BUT APPARENTLY IT WAS MORE FAMOUS THROUGHOUT EUROPE FOR IT'S "HIGH LEVEL PROSTITUTION" HOWEVER THE HOT SPRINGS WERE STILL A POPULAR ATTRACTION AS VISITORS HOPED TO CURE THEIR SYPHILIS!   FUNNY HOW THE AUDIO GUIDE AT THE CITY HALL BUILDING DIDN'T MENTION THIS INTERESTING BIT OF INFORMATION!

AN INTERESTING PIECE OF ARTWORK ON OUR WAY INTO AACHEN

HAD TO GET AT LEAST ONE PICTURE OF A WINDMILL

THE CITY WAS HEAVILY DAMAGED DURING WORLD WAR II.  AACHEN WAS THE FIRST GERMAN CITY TO BE CAPTURED BY THE ALLIES.  THE SOLDIERS WERE WELCOMED AS LIBERATORS.  BELOW ARE PICTURES OF THE CITY AHLL BUILDING.  CHARLEMAGNE USED THIS AS HIS ROYAL RESIDENCE DURING HIS REIGN.  

THE FIGURES ON THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING WERE ORIGINALLY PAINTED AND GUILDED.

THE CATHEDRAL WAS ORIGINALLY PAINTED RED.  

ONE OF FRESCOES IN CORONATION HALL PAINTED BY ALFRED RETHEL;  HE WAS ORIGINALLY COMMISSIONED TO PAINT 8.  HE WAS ONLY ABLE TO COMPLETE 4

THE CORONATION HALL; 45 METERS LONG, COMPLETED IN 1349;  THIS HALL WAS THE VENUE FOR THE GRANDEST CELEBRATIONS IN THE REALM RIGHT UP TO THE LAST CORONATION CEREMONY IN 1531.  

A BRONZE STATUE OF CHARLEMAGNE MADE IN 1620.  IT WAS ORIGINALLY LOCATED ON THE FOUNTAIN IN THE TOWN SQUARE.   A REPLACEMENT WAS MADE IN 1969 AND THIS ONE WAS BROUGHT INSIDE.  

THE ROYAL CROWN - EMBEDDED WITH 12 BEAUTIFUL STONES - REPRESENTING THE 12 APOSTLES, CHURCH AND STATE FULLY WORKING AS ONE.  

THE RED HALL, ALSO KNOWN AS PEACE HALL.   NAMED AFTER THE AACHEN PEACE NEGOTIATIONS OF 1748, ENDING THE AUSTRIAN WAR OF SUCCESSION.  THE FUNNY THING IS THAT THE PEACE TALKS NEVER ACTUALLY TOOK PLACE IN THE ROOM FOR WHICH IT WAS NAMED.  THE WOOD PANELING DATES BACK TO 1730.

A FUNNY DECORATION AT THE PEAK IN THE CEILING.

THE WHITE HALL;   IN 1727 THIS ROOM WAS REDECORATED BY ITALIAN STUCCO ARTISTS. IT WAS USED AS THE TOWN HALL'S SMALL CELEBRATION ROOM.  

THE REPRODUCTION OF CHARLEMAGNE ON TOP OF THE TOWN SQUARE FOUNTAIN

THE BACK OF THE CITY HALL BUILDING, MUCH LESS ORNATE.

THE ROOF WAS WAS ORIGINALLY RED.   THE TOWN FIRE OF 1656 DEVASTATED THE TOWN HALL'S ROOF AS WELL AS THE SPIRES.  

THE AACHEN CATHEDRAL IS QUITE IMPRESSIVE.   THE MAIN ENTRANCE DOORS ARE MADE OF BRONZE.  

SO MUCH GOLD WAS USED IN THE BUILDING OF THIS CATHEDRAL THAT MY CAMERA HAD A HARD TIME FOCUSING!   WHEN YOU ENTER THE CHURCH THERE IS A SIGN ASKING THAT YOU PAY ONE EURO SO YOU CAN TAKE PICTURES WITH YOUR OWN CAMERA.  BIT OF A SCAM...BUT I COUGHED UP A EURO....A SUCKER BORN EVERY MINUTE!    THIS CHURCH IS THE FINAL RESTING PLACE FOR CHARLEMAGNE WHEN HE DIED IN 814.  HIS REMAINS ARE KEPT IN THE SHRINE OF CHARLEMAGNE AT THE FAR END OF THE CHOIR.  BETWEEN 936 - 1531 THERE WERE 30 KINGS AND 12 QUEENS ANOINTED  CROWNED AND ENTHRONED HERE.

SINCE THE MIDDLE AGES THE CHURCH HAS BECOME AN IMPORTANT PLACE OF PILGRIMAGE, ON PAR WITH JERUSALEM & ROME.  IT HAS TAKEN PLACE EVERY 7 YEARS SINCE 1349.  THE NEXT PILGRIMAGE WILL BE IN 2014.

OUR DEAR LADY OF AACHEN from THE 14th CENTURY.  DRESSED IN NEARLY 40 GARMENTS

THE PULPIT OF EMPEROR HENRY II - MADE BEFORE 1014;  IT IS DECORATED WITH ANTIQUE BOWLS, IVORY CARVINGS, CHESS FIGURES AND RELIEFS OF THE EVANGELISTS.  ORIGINALLY PLACED IN THE OCTAGON IT WAS MOVED IN 1414 WHEN THE GOTHIC CHOIR HAD BEEN FINISHED.

THIS OCTAGON BUILDING, c. 800;  IT IS ONE OF THE FIRST CUPULAS TO BE CONSTRUCTED NORTH OF THE ALPS.  THE "BARBAROSSA CHANDELIER WAS BUILT IN 1165 AND IT WAS A GIFT FROM EMPEROR FREDERICK I.  

THE SHRINE OF ST. MARY (1220-1239) CONTAINS THE 4 GREAT AACHEN RELICS.  EVERY 7 YEARS THEY ARE TAKEN OUT AND PUT ON DISPLAY.  THE RELICS ARE THE APPAREL OF THE VIRGIN MARY, THE SO-CALLED SWADDLING CLOTHES AND THE LOINCLOTH OF CHRIST AND THE DECAPITATION CLOTH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST.  SINCE 1239 THEY ARE KEPT INSIDE THIS PRECIOUS SHRINE.

RADIANT MADONNA, A CARVING MADE IN 1524.  THE TWO-SIDED MADONNA WITH CHILD IS SURROUNDED BY RAYS OF LIGHT.   

THE ORIGINAL GOTHIC STAINED GLASS WINDOWS WERE DESTROYED DURING
WORLD WAR II.  THESE WINDOWS WERE INSTALLED IN 1951.