Aachen, Germany is less than an hour train ride west of Maastricht. It is also much better connected with transportation to major cities. Also, it has a UNESCO world heritage site (Cathedral) built by Charlemagne around 800 AD. Three good reasons to visit Aachen.
5.46 miles, drizzling and overcast.
Click here for Richard’s ReLive for the day: https://www.relive.com/view/v26MzKXpGEq
After the logistics of moving from Maastricht to Aachen and unloading our luggage at the hotel, we headed to the city center.
We passed St. Nicholas Church and since it was open, we stepped in. How unusual! It is a church with shared pastoral duties for Protestants and a Catholics, and welcomes all for services, lectures, celebrations of blessings, discussions, and other programs. They were advertising and setting up for an event that evening.
The Aachen Cathedral is one of the oldest cathedral buildings in Europe, constructed as the royal chapel of the Palace of Emperor Charlemagne. Charlemagne kept the connection with the Holy Roman Empire’s ancient roots in Ravenna’s San Vitale Church with his Carolinian-Romanesque Palatine Chapel. This chapel consists of a high octagonal room with a two-story circuit below. The inner octagonal is made up of strong piers on which the octagonal cloister vault lies. Around the inner octagonal is a sixteen-sided circuit of low groin vaults, supporting a high gallery above.
The high altar and imperial throne are located on the upper circuit in an octagonal side room, and are only viewed on a guided tour. This simple throne of Charlemagne was used to crown German kings for almost 600 years (936-1531).
The wheel chandelier (c. 1180) symbolizes the city walls of Jerusalem as described in Revelation. The design reflects the octagonal shape of the building. Emperor Frederick I and his wife Beatrice donated the chandelier.
The mosaics are similar to those treasures in Ravenna, and also the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul.
The Palo d’oro dates to around 1020 and is in front of the high altar. It is 17 panels with gold reliefs, centered with Christ surrounded by Mary and Archangel Michael.
Behind the altar is a golden chest, the Mary Shrine, containing the Aachen relics. Four textile relics are displayed every seven years during the shrine pilgrimage.
In the very back behind the altar, a similar gold chest holds the mortal remains of Charlemagne. A closer look is only available on a guided tour.
Next we visited the Cathedral Treasury. Here an image of Charlemagne holds his church.
This reliquary of the bust of Charlemagne with a crown contains a piece of the skullcap of Charlemagne. The crown dates from before 1349 from Prague, and the bust is from Aachen dated after 1349.
This is another reliquary possibly holding the ulna and radius of Charlemagne’s right arm. It dates from 1481, from Lyon, France.
This reliquary pendant was the talisman of Charlemagne from Aachen in the 9th century. This is a copy; the original is in the Palace du Tau, Reims, France.
The Proserpina Sarcophagus dates from the first quarter of the 3rd century AD from Rome. It shows the abduction of Proserpina in marble.
The entrance to the Palatine Chapel is but one of the spires that dominate the Aachen skyline.
4 Responses
The Aachen Cathedral looked spectacular. Wish we could have been there with you! Dan and Wendy
Aachen was a new stop for us but it’s tied to Ravenna, my all-time favorite place. I love mosaics, and these were quite beautiful. There is more we want to see (next time) but we got through some of the highlights and rested a bit as well.
Love that you’re in Paris now! Definitely one of our favorite cities. Sorry it’s so crowded. Hope you have some time to take some side trips like to Giverny and Montmarte. Of course, Notre Dame too!
Your apartment looks cute! Hope you eat some delicious crepes! Wendy and Dan
We like the out-of-the-way places and will do our best to avoid crowds. The transit choices really help in getting around and we’re making some day trips (one of the reasons we can’t seem to catch up on the blog!) the apartment is a great place to collapse at the end of the day with bread, wine, cheese, and fruit—an easy dinner.