Aachen accent. Germany, Aachen and the place where the borders of three countries meet

The unusual geographical location is reflected in the name, which sounds different for residents of 3 countries:

• Germany - Aachen,
• Netherlands - Aken,
• Belgium - Aix-la-Chapelle.

Basic information

From the German capital Berlin to Aachen - 542 kilometers. Tourists can get there by bus or train. The city of the nearest airport is Dusseldorf.

Interesting fact. There is a conventional border between two parts of Germany, whose inhabitants speak two different dialects. This border, called the Benrath Line, runs through Aachen.

The city's population is 260 thousand people, most of whom are students of the RWTH Aachen University. Most of the buildings in the city center belong to this prestigious educational institution.

Main directions of city development:

• balneological resort,
• cultural and historical center,
• student center.

1st century The Celts and Romans highly valued the local hot springs. The Romans dedicated this place to the deity Aquisgranum.

In the 8th century, the Frankish king Pepin the Short built a palatinate with a chapel and a bathhouse near the springs, where he received healing sessions.

His son Charlemagne exalted the city. He made Aachen first his winter favorite palace, then the Frankish capital.

Interesting fact. On the outskirts of the city there is a symbolic pillar called the “corner of three countries” (dreiländerek). It occupies the center of a circle divided into 3 parts, indicating belonging to 3 states.

Attractions

Aachen - city, attracting tourists with historical evidence of the life of Charlemagne and the shrines of the Cathedral. From 936 to 1531, Roman-German kings were crowned at the main altar of Aachen Cathedral. Historians claim that 30 kings and 12 queens were crowned.

The excursion should follow the route of the European project “Charlemagne” (“Charlemagne’s Path”), leading to significant places in the center of Aachen, representing the history of the development of the themes “Power”, “Balneology”, “Science”.

Aachen Cathedral

Charlemagne ordered the Marienkirche to be made an ideal personification of the heavenly Jerusalem, a symbol of the contact of earthly and heavenly forces.

803 After 20 years of construction, the architectural perfection of the Aachen Cathedral has been achieved.

• Antique columns, capitals and bronze grilles created by Carolingian craftsmen are today considered valuable parts of the church.
• The huge Barbarossa chandelier, suspended on a 27-meter chain, repeats the shape of an octagon, harmoniously complementing the overall picture of the church.
• The mosaic of the octagonal dome depicts the scene of the revelation of John the Evangelist to the 24 elders.
• The main altar of Pala D'Oro has a gold front wall from the 11th century with an image of Jesus surrounded by Mary and the Archangel Michael.
• The reliquary with the relics of the Virgin Mary is intended to store 4 sacred relics: the dress of Mary, which she wore on the night of the Nativity of Christ, the swaddling clothes of the baby Jesus, his bloody loincloth, the cloth in which the severed head of John the Baptist was wrapped.
• The shrines attracted pilgrims from all over the world. Every 7 years the shrines were shown to believers. Currently, relics are not removed from the shrine. But on June 7, for a period of 7 days, pilgrims come to Aachen in Germany to venerate the holy relics.
• Since 1215, the Aachen Chapel has been the location of the shrine containing the remains of Charlemagne, who was canonized in 1165. Along the perimeter of the shrine, 16 figures of crowned heads are depicted, scenes of Charles’s path to consecration are depicted.
• The ring of chapels was built under the influence of the Gothic style. The largest of these chapels is called the "Glass House of Aachen", thanks to its more than 1000 sq. meters of glass surface, windows about 27 meters high.
• Three marble slabs of Charles's throne, brought from Jerusalem, are proof of the antiquity of this relic. Once the crowned one took his place on the throne, he became the legal successor of the king.

The cathedral is open daily April-December - 7:00-19:00, January-March - 7:00-18:00. Tourist inspections are not possible during services. If the guest wishes to take photographs, a donation of 1 EUR is required.

Cost of excursions (maximum number of people in a group - 25)

Town Hall

The foyer offers the opportunity to watch a short film about the Carolingian palace. On the walls are two famous portraits of Kaiser Sigismund (left), Charlemagne (right), copies of originals by Albrecht Durer.

The first hall has a Renaissance ceiling painting depicting the four virtues according to Plato. A female image holding a book symbolizes wisdom, an image with scales - justice, a mirror - a symbol of prudence, and a lion corresponds to the concept of courage.

1748. Italian masters decorated the White Hall with portraits of political figures who took part in the Second congress which ended the War of the Austrian Succession.

Interesting fact. For a wedding with a special atmosphere, the White Hall of the Town Hall is available at certain times: every Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., every last Saturday of the month from April to December 9.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. Up to 70 wedding guests can take part in the half-hour ceremony (200 EUR).

The Red Hall displays paintings by Marcantonio Franceschini “Diana and Pan with Wool”, “Alpheus and Arethusa”.

Above the podium of the Coronation Hall in the middle is the imperial eagle (coat of arms 1351), on the right is the double-headed eagle (coat of arms 1433), on the left is the coat of arms of Charles, indicating that since the 15th century the French fleur-de-lis has merged with the German eagle.

The Town Hall is open to visitors every day from 10:00 to 18:00. Ticket price - 6 EUR, discount ticket - 3 EUR. Visitors under 21 are admitted free of charge.

Eliesenbrunnen

Aachen has more than 30 thermal springs whose rich mineral waters reach temperatures up to + 70 degrees.

The modern Eliesenbrunnen was built by the architects Johann Peter Krämer and Karl Friedrich Schinkel (1822-1827). Eliesenbrunnen consists of an open columned hall, as well as two side pavilions in the classicist style. In the central rotunda, hot water flows from the Aachen spring to two fountain pools. One of the pavilions also has tourist information.

Free admission. A barrier-free environment has been created for people with disabilities.

Near Eliesenbrunnen, 2-hour sightseeing tours begin on Saturdays at 14:30. Ticket price for an adult is 12 EUR, for children from 14 EUR - 8 EUR.

Surmond - Ludwig Museum owns a large collection of paintings, sculptures, tapestries, and stained glass. The art of antiquity and the Middle Ages is presented.

The Press Museum offers tourists a changing exhibition and a collection of 200,000 newspapers and printed publications in almost all languages ​​of the world.

There are often promotions for students free visit museums.

Interesting fact. In London national gallery there is a painting “The Amazement of the Gods”. Its author is the German artist Hans von Aachen. The artist’s father was born in the city of the same name, and his son reinforced the glory of Aachen with his surname.

Standard of living and prices

The city infrastructure has many cafes and restaurants.

Aachen has introduced circular bus routes, traveling along specially dedicated lines every 15 minutes. The tram network is closed, but is planned to resume in 2019. Many tourists rent bicycles.

Weather and climate

The city is located in a temperate continental climate zone. Characterized by mild winters with air temperatures around 0 degrees. In summer the temperature is 25 degrees. Due to the proximity of the Eifel and Fan mountains, summer period a greenhouse effect is created. Precipitation is more likely in summer.

According to reviews from tourists, Aachen was and remains the city of Charlemagne. The most important thing that attracts foreign travelers to it is the Aachen Cathedral and the history of the great king.

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’s defensive ring.

At various times, 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, is a popular destination on the city's tourist route.

Eliesenbrunnen Fountain - main fountain in the most luxurious bathhouse of the magnificent thermal complex of the same name, which was built at the beginning of the century before last.

It flows from the fountain thermal water, since the complex is built on the thermal Imperial 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, the entire thermal complex, along with the luxurious fountain, 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. Located on 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, the interior decoration of 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 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 large cluster historical monuments.

History of the city

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.

Moderncity

Modern Aachen combines a rich historical past and the high-tech attributes of the present time. There are many new medical clinics and research centers here, and cultural and music festivals are regularly held, 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 Equestrian Festival (CHIO).

Among the main attractions of Aachen are the following: Aachen Cathedral (Aachener Dom)- the same main cathedral of the city in which the coronation of many emperors took place. It also contains a tomb Karla Velikog o, which houses his majestic sarcophagus and marble throne. 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 sites protected by UNESCO.

IN City Hall You can also see traces of the city's centuries-old history. 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)

Incredibly beautiful cathedral, which is 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 peculiar 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 list World Heritage UNESCO, 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)

St. Peter's Catholic Church 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 the city government building and at the same time the most important architectural monument of the historical center of 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 a 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 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 contemporary art. Here you can find works in the style of American pop art of the 80s and 90s, contemporary collections, temporary exhibitions, important events and museum educational events aimed at the study of contemporary art.

On 6,000 square meters, three floors, as well as 5,000 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

Entrance: 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 (Germany) - the most detailed information about the city with photos. The main attractions of Aachen with descriptions, guides and maps.

City of Aachen (Germany)

How to get there

Aachen has general airport with the Dutch city of Maastricht. It is located 40 km from the city in the Netherlands and operates a limited number of intra-European flights. Nearest major airports in Germany are located in Düsseldorf and Cologne, from where Aachen can be easily reached by train. The airports of Belgian Liege and the Netherlands Antwerp are also nearby.

Trains run to Aachen from Paris, Liege, Brussels, Frankfurt am Main, Düsseldorf, Cologne. A network of bus routes connects Aachen with other major cities Germany, Belgium, France and the Netherlands.

Shopping and purchases

Aachen is famous for its sweets and culinary products. The Christmas market, which takes place in the old square between the cathedral and the town hall, is very famous.

Shopping areas and centers:

• AquisPlaza - modern shopping complex in the city center.
• Adalbertstraße is one of the main shopping streets in Aachen. Pedestrian area with numerous shops and cafes.
• Krämerstraßeand Market
• Aachen Arkaden, Trierer Straße 1 - large shopping mall
• Großkölnstraße - large shopping area

Food and drink

Aachen can offer tourists many different establishments where you can try not only German and European, but also Asian cuisine. Among the traditional dishes, Aachener Printen gingerbread, which is produced only in Aachen, is in demand. They can be bought almost everywhere in the historical center.

There are many bars, cafes and restaurants along Pontstraße, which runs from the old market square to the bridge gate. This is one of the favorite places for young people.

Attractions

The most famous landmark of Aachen is Aachen Cathedral, founded by Charlemagne in the 9th century and serving as his tomb. This imposing sacred structure is one of the greatest examples of Western architecture and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The main chapel of the cathedral was built around 800, and the Gothic choir, north and south chapels were added in the 14th and 15th centuries. During its entire existence, more than 30 German kings and a dozen queens were crowned here, and the building itself was repeatedly rebuilt, restored and expanded. Today the cathedral is a beautiful monumental building in a predominantly Gothic style with a unique interior containing the most valuable exhibits of history and culture. Aachen Cathedral is open from 7.00 to 19.00 (winter until 18.00). The cost of visiting is 4 euros.

If you love history and rarities of the past, then it is worth visiting the treasury of the Aachen Cathedral, which contains more than 100 unique historical exhibits from the 9th to the 16th centuries. The cost of visiting is 5 euros.

Another iconic landmark of the old town is the Aachen Town Hall. This is a beautiful Gothic building built on the foundations of the ancient residence (palace) of Charlemagne. The cost of visiting the town hall is 6 euros.

Between the town hall and Aachen Cathedral, surrounded by ancient buildings, is the market square, which is the heart of the old city and the venue for various fairs.

On Pontstraße towards the Bridge Gate you can look at the beautiful church of the early 20th century, named after St. Cross.

If you move along Pontstraße from the old market square, the final destination will be the Bridge Gate, built in the 14th century. This powerful stone structure was the northwestern entrance to the inner city. In the Middle Ages, the city wall of Aachen had 11 city gates. Only two of them have survived to this day.

The marching gate is one of the two surviving city gates of Aachen, located in the southern part of the old city. They were built in the 12-13th century and were one of the main entrances to the inner city. The marching gate got its name because the garrison and parade ground were located here.

September 17th, 2012

I separately allocated one of the days of the trip to visit Aachen (the name is sometimes written with one “a” - Aachen), a border city in Germany. I have long wanted to go to Germany. The fact is that, by the will of some narrow-minded official, Norilsk territorially belongs to consular department Germany in Novosibirsk, and going to Novosibirsk for a visa is very expensive and inconvenient. So we sit here in the north, dreaming about Oktoberfest for many years. In general, being a few kilometers from Germany, I could not deny myself the pleasure of trampling with my boots the land on which my ancestors had not been for many decades (one of my great-grandfathers (I am named after him) was captured in Germany during the First World War, there he worked for a noble burgher and he was so pleased with his work that he offered to stay and marry any of his three daughters, but his great-grandfather chose to return to his poor Georgian village).

1.


I went to Aachen through the small town of Vaals, which is the most southern city Netherlands. Wals is actually a suburb of Aachen and there are hardly fewer cars with German license plates than with Dutch ones. The city is located 22 km east of Maastricht and 5 km west of Aachen. In the municipality of Vals there is the Valserberg hill, where the highest point of the country (322 m) and the intersection of the borders of the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany are located. The border crossing point is located on the territory of the Labyrinth park. This place is called Drielandenpunt.

The border area is covered with forests.

Noble mushrooms grow in the forest, but no one picks them here:

I assumed that I would arrive at a vacant lot, where I would take a photo in front of a striped post with peeling paint, but it turned out that here, despite a weekday and not very nice day, a vibrant tourist life flows. Hundreds of cars, not a single free parking space, crowds of visitors, souvenir shops and cafes.

Memorial pillar at the highest point of the Dutch mainland:

On the territory of each country there is an observation tower from which panoramic views of the entire region open. This is a view towards the Netherlands, where I came from:

Aachen is visible in the distance:

Belgium on the left, Netherlands on the right:

If I have my bearings correctly, then the towers that are visible from here are observation decks two other countries.

From the tower you can see that all the cats in the area live in the barn behind the cafe. They're probably being fed here.

View of the labyrinth, in which the crossing point of the borders of three countries is hidden. The labyrinth, by the way, is the largest in Europe.

Here, in the fresh air, you could spend at least a whole day, but I didn’t have much time, and I hurried to Aachen. The monument is somewhere between Wals and Aachen.

Aachen made me happy right away; it became clear that international life was in full swing here:

And this turned out to be true:

The thing is that in Aachen the number of young people goes beyond all imaginable limits. People from all over the world come here to receive education and qualifications. In Germany, the city is famous for its technical university, which is famous for its high level of engineering education. The university is a member of TU 9 (an association of the nine best technical universities in Germany) and the IDEA League (an association of five leading universities in Europe). It includes large number institutes scattered throughout Aachen. Presence in the city of the largest technical university in Germany and a number of other significant educational institutions make Aachen a real technological and scientific center. The city is home to dozens of research institutes, laboratories and design bureaus. Automotive engines, electrical engineering, software, medical equipment, military, aviation and space technology are developed in Aachen.

The result is dirt, scribbled walls, and the nicest thing - cheap clothes. Life here is so hectic that the thought occurred to me that Aachen in other cities scares children at night. On the other hand, in Aachen I felt good spirits, in sleepy provincial cities you yourself become sleepy and slow, but here life is in full swing, everything is real.

Fast food on the belt:

In what other city can you see so many people on the street in the middle of the week after lunch? It seems that everyone decided to skip their classes, both teachers and students. Well, why didn’t my student years pass here?

Urban sculptures.

19. From glass:

26. Kaleidoscope:

Gradually I moved to historical center cities. The city has a rich history. The foundation of Aachen dates back to the era of the Romans, who founded the city because of its mineral springs. At the beginning of the Middle Ages, Aachen often served as the residence of Frankish kings, but it owes its splendor to Charlemagne, who in the late 790s made Aachen Palace his winter residence, and in 807 - the capital of the Frankish state. Charles died and was buried in Aachen in 814. He is revered as the city's patron saint. Since 1306, Aachen had the status of a “free city of the Holy Roman See”. Emperors were crowned here and imperial diets were held (17 in total). In 1531, the Holy Roman Emperor was crowned for the last time in Aachen. The transfer of the coronation act to Frankfurt, religious strife in the 16th and 17th centuries, and a severe fire in 1656 led to the decline of the city.

An older crowd walks in the center.

The last photo shows the famous Aachen Cathedral - the cathedral of the diocese of Aachen, in which the emperors of the Holy Roman Empire were crowned for centuries. The oldest and most precious part of the cathedral complex from different eras is the palace chapel-tomb of Charlemagne (796-806). The cathedral was one of the first to be included in the UNESCO World Heritage List (in 1978). The construction of the cathedral began around the year 800 by Charlemagne, inviting specialists from southern countries(Rome, Byzantium). In 805, the cathedral was consecrated by Pope Leo III, and in 814 Charlemagne was buried in the palace chapel.

Cathedral Tower:

A model of the cathedral next to the entrance.

A wolf greets you at the entrance. It seems that this is connected with the legend that money for the construction of the cathedral had to be taken from the devil himself, on the condition that he would receive the soul of the first person to enter the completed building. According to this legend, the townspeople outwitted the devil by sending in a wolf first, and the greedy devil immediately grabbed onto the victim, only then noticing the catch.

Massive golden coffin containing the remains of Charlemagne:

Dome and chandelier. This part of the cathedral is called the Charlemagne Chapel and is the only surviving part of the famous Aachen Palace, which occupied the territory of the modern cathedral and Katschhof Square. The original throne with marble inlays, which was found during the opening of the tomb of Charlemagne, has been preserved here.

There are dense buildings around the cathedral and it is not easy to photograph it. The northern façade of the cathedral from the side of Katschhof Square is more or less included in the frame. Katschhof (German: Katschhof) is a square that is the center of the historical core of the city of Aachen. Located between the Aachen Cathedral and the Aachen Town Hall on the site of the destroyed imperial palace, from which only the Charlemagne Chapel, which became part of the Aachen Cathedral, and the Granusturm tower, which became the eastern tower of the new town hall, have survived to this day. The name of the square probably comes from the word Katzhoff (literally translated - “Cat Yard”), which was the name in the Middle Ages for the place where the pillory was installed, which stood on the square until 1790.

On the other side of the square is the southern facade of the Aachen Town Hall:

In the center of the city there are completely different sculptures:

Old buildings on Marktplats in front of the town hall, view from the porch:

On the far right is the Haus Löwenstein building.

This building was built in 1344 and miraculously survived the fire of 1656. It was originally a pub and later a residential building. It was named after the first known owner, Anna Lowenstein, who lived here several centuries ago.

There was a fly in the ointment even in this square in the form of this gentleman.

At this point my time was up, I had to go back. A few photos on the way back:

Initially I was still planning to visit national park Eifel, located near Aachen, but due to rainy weather last days, decided not to do this. I would love to visit these places again someday.
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