Thursday 11 November 2010

Germany - Aachen


Aachen has historically been a spa city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Aachen was a favored residence of Charlemagne, and the place of coronation of the Kings of Germany.

Aachen Cathedral, also referred to as the Kaiserdom ("Imperial Cathedral") of Aachen, is a building of great historical, architectural and religious importance. Built by Charlemagne in 805 AD, its unique design was highly influential on German church architecture and it was a site of imperial coronations and pilgrimage for many centuries.

Charlemagne (Karl der Grosse in German), the first Holy Roman Emperor, began building his Palatine Chapel (palace chapel) in 786 AD. The Palatine Chapel has been described as a "masterpiece of Carolingian architecture" and was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978. It is all that remains today of Charlemagne's extensive palace complex in Aachen.


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