Aachen Cathedral facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Aachen Cathedral
Aachener Dom
The cathedral in 2014
Religion
Affiliation	Catholic
Province	Diocese of Aachen
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	active
Year consecrated	805
Status	Cathedral
Location
Location	Aachen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Architecture
Architectural style	Ottonian Carolingian-Romanesque Gothic
Groundbreaking	796
Specifications
Length	73 m (239 ft 6 in)
Width	56 m (183 ft 9 in)
Spire(s)	1
Spire height	72 m (236 ft 3 in)
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Criteria	Cultural: i, ii, iv, vi
Inscription	1978 (2nd Session)
Area	0.2 ha (0.49 acres)
Buffer zone	67 ha (170 acres)

Aachen Cathedral (called Aachener Dom in German) is a Catholic church in Aachen, Germany. It is the main church for the Diocese of Aachen.

This cathedral is one of Europe's oldest church buildings. It started as the royal chapel for Emperor Charlemagne's palace. Charlemagne was a very important ruler in Europe. He was buried here in 814. For many centuries, from 936 to 1531, thirty-one German kings and twelve queens were crowned in its original Palatine Chapel.

The cathedral grew much larger over time. It became a minster and a collegiate church. In 1978, Aachen Cathedral became one of the first 12 places listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This was because of its amazing art, architecture, and its big role in the history of the Holy Roman Empire.

The cathedral mainly shows two different building styles. The oldest part, the Palatine Chapel, is in the Carolingian-Romanesque style. It was inspired by a church in Ravenna, Italy. This part is quite small compared to the later additions. The newer part, the choir, was built in the Gothic style. Some areas also show Ottonian style, and other parts were finished much later in the 1800s.

History of Aachen Cathedral

Building Charlemagne's Chapel

Floorplan of Charlemagne's Palatine Chapel

Charlemagne started building the Palatine Chapel around 796. This was part of his larger palace in Aachen. The architect for this project was Odo of Metz. We don't know the exact date it was finished. However, a letter from 798 said it was almost done. In 805, Pope Leo III officially dedicated the chapel.

Around the late 700s, a metal workshop was set up in Aachen. It was used to make many bronze items for the chapel. These included doors, railings, and even statues of a horse and a bear. Charlemagne was buried in the chapel in 814. The chapel was badly damaged during a Viking attack in 881. It was repaired in 983.

Growth and Changes Over Time

In 1165, Charlemagne was made a saint. This made the chapel a very popular place for pilgrims to visit. Because so many people came, a large Gothic choir hall was added in 1355. A beautiful "glass chapel" was also dedicated 600 years after Charlemagne's death. Later, a cupola, more chapels, and a steeple were built. In 1881, the Baroque decorations were removed during another restoration.

World War II and Restoration

During World War II, Aachen and its famous cathedral suffered heavy damage. Allied bombs and artillery hit the city. Later, U.S. troops fought in the city. Luckily, the main structure of the cathedral survived. Many valuable art pieces were moved to safe places during the war. Others that couldn't be moved were protected inside the church.

However, the beautiful 14th-century stained-glass windows in the choir hall were destroyed. The Gothic Revival altar and parts of the cloister were also lost. Rebuilding and fixing the cathedral took over 30 years. It cost about €40 million.

Cathedral Structure

The Carolingian Octagon

View of the Octagon

The Barbarossa chandelier under the dome of the Octagon

The central part of the cathedral is an octagon. It was built as Charlemagne's chapel between 796 and 805. Its design was inspired by other churches from that time, like the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna. The architect was Odo of Metz. For over 200 years, no other building north of the Alps was as tall or wide as Charlemagne's chapel.

The Palatine Chapel has a tall octagonal room with two levels around it. The inner octagon is about 14.5 meters wide. It has strong pillars that hold up an octagonal domed ceiling. Around this inner part is a 16-sided area with lower arched ceilings. This supports a high gallery above it. The upper level was called the Hochmünster (high church).

The lower arches are shorter than the upper ones, making the bottom floor look solid. A wide ledge separates the two floors. The main altar and the Emperor's throne are on the upper level. This area was connected to the palace by a walkway. Above the gallery arches, there's an octagonal section with windows, topped by the main dome. The original dome mosaic, made around 800, showed Christ as the ruler of the world. It was recreated in 1880-81 by a Venetian workshop.

The outside walls of the Carolingian octagon are made of rough stone. They are mostly plain. The cathedral was originally covered in red plaster during Charlemagne's time. This red color might have shown its imperial importance.

The number eight was important in the design of the octagon. It symbolized the eighth day (Sunday), which represents Jesus's resurrection and eternal life.

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  Ground plan & cross-sections

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  Aachen Cathedral in 1520, painted by Albrecht Dürer

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  Bronze model near the main entrance

The Westwork (Western Entrance)

Lion head doorknocker of the Carolingian Wolf's Door

Aachen Cathedral seen from the west

The westwork is the western front part of the cathedral. It has two stair-towers on its sides. An 18th-century porch was added to the west end.

The bronze doors on this porch are called the Wolfstür (Wolf's Door). They weigh a lot! These doors were made in Aachen around 800. Each door has eight rectangular sections. The number eight was important in Christianity, symbolizing Sunday and perfection. These sections are framed by decorations shaped like eggs. Eggs symbolize life and new beginnings. The door handles are shaped like lion heads. They are surrounded by 24 acanthus scrolls. The Wolf's Door was designed to look like ancient Roman temple doors. This showed Charlemagne's idea of making Aachen a "New Rome."

Bronze pine cone in the entrance hall

Inside the entrance hall, there is a bronze bear statue, probably from the 900s. Opposite it is a bronze pine cone, about 91 cm tall. Its age is debated, but its base is from the Ottonian period. It has an inscription mentioning the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Some think it was once a waterspout on a fountain.

The upper part of the west wall is made of fine brick. Inside, it curves outwards, while outside it curves inwards. The large western window we see today was designed in 1956 by Ewald Mataré. It replaced a smaller window from Charlemagne's time. Mataré's design uses bronze and quartz, mimicking the old bronze gate inside the dome.

The purpose of the upper floor of the west facade is not fully clear. It might have been used for baptism ceremonies. A small window there, called a Fensetella, looks down into the former courtyard. A passage from the King's Hall in the palace also connected to this room. The lower, arched room in the west was likely Charlemagne's burial place after he died in 814.

View from west-south-west at night

The Gothic Choir

Between 1355 and 1414, a beautiful Gothic choir was added to the east of the Octagon. Before this, there was a simpler rectangular choir from Charlemagne's time.

The Gothic choir is 25 meters long, 13 meters wide, and 32 meters high. Its outer walls have many windows, covering over 1,000 square meters with glass! This is why it's sometimes called the Glashaus (glass house). It was designed to be like a glass box for Aachen's holy relics and Charlemagne's body. Its design is similar to the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris, which also held important relics. Iron rods were built into the choir's vault to support the narrow stone walls and allow for so much glass.

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  Karlsschrein (Shrine of Charlemagne) (1182-1215)

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  Tomb of Otto III, Holy Roman Emperor (ruled 996-1002)

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  Eagle lectern with a bat, 15th century

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  Marienschrein (Shrine of St. Mary) (1238), one of Aachen's reliquaries.

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  Ambon of Henry II on the south wall of the first choir section

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  Choir with illuminated Apostles and the Shrine of Charlemagne

Side Chapels

Annakapelle on the left, Matthiaskapelle (Chapel of St Matthew) on the right

Several side chapels surround the main octagon. Moving clockwise from the southeast, they include:

• The Matthiaskapelle (Chapel of St Matthew), built in the late 1300s, next to the choir.
• The Gothic Annakapelle (Chapel of St Anne), next to St Matthew's Chapel. It was once an entrance hall but later became a chapel.
• The Chapel of Hungary, south of the western facade. It was originally Gothic but was rebuilt in the Baroque style in the 1700s.
• The Chapel of St Nicholas & St Michael, from the 1400s, north of the western facade. It has a neo-baroque altar from the 1900s.
• The Chapel of St Charles & Hubert, built into the octagon in the northeast.
• Other chapels are found in the cloisters and the cathedral courtyard.

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  Annakapelle (Chapel of St Anne)

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  Ungarnkapelle (Chapel of Hungary)

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  Chancel of the Nikolauskapelle (Chapel of St Nicholas)

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  Allerheiligenkapelle (All Saints Chapel)

Special Items in the Cathedral

Karlsthron (Throne of Charlemagne)

Barbarossa chandelier

Aachen Cathedral holds many amazing medieval art pieces. These come from different periods and are very important for their art and religious meaning.

Charlemagne's Throne

You can find the Throne of Charlemagne in the western gallery, opposite the choir. This throne has been studied a lot recently. The original Carolingian throne used parts from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. Its look and place in the chapel have stayed the same for centuries. From 936 to 1531, thirty-one German kings sat on this throne after their coronations.

Shrine of St. Mary (Marienschrein)

The Marienschrein (Shrine of St. Mary) is in the choir of the church. It was made between 1220 and 1239. It is decorated with figures of Christ, Mary, Charlemagne, Pope Leo III, and the Twelve Apostles. This shrine holds four very important Aachen relics: St. Mary's cloak, Christ's swaddling clothes, St. John the Baptist's beheading cloth, and Christ's loincloth. Since 1349, these relics are taken out and shown to believers every seven years during the Great Aachen Pilgrimage. The last pilgrimage happened in June 2023.

Barbarossa Chandelier

A large wheel chandelier hangs from the dome's ceiling. It is about four meters above the ground and over four meters wide. This is the Barbarossa Chandelier, made around 1165-1170. It was a gift from Emperor Frederick Barbarossa and his wife Beatrice. Its forty-eight candles are lit for special church celebrations.

Ambon of Henry II

Pala d'Oro

Between 1002 and 1014, Henry II had a pulpit built. This ambon is one of the most beautiful art treasures from the Ottonian Renaissance. An inscription clearly names Henry II as the donor. The pulpit is made of oak and covered with delicate metalwork and precious stones. It includes ancient artifacts, like four copper reliefs of the Evangelists and six ivory panels from the 500s. The wooden stairs were added in 1782. The Ambon is still used for church services today.

Golden Altar (Pala d'Oro)

The Pala d'Oro is a golden altarpiece that serves as the front of the high altar. It was likely made around 1020 in Fulda. It has seventeen gold panels with raised pictures. In the center, Christ sits as the Redeemer, surrounded by Mary and the Archangel Michael. Four round medallions show symbols of the Evangelists. Twelve other panels show scenes from the life of Jesus, starting with his entry into Jerusalem and ending with the women meeting the risen Christ on Easter morning. These pictures are read like a book, from left to right.

Cathedral Treasury

Reliquary bust of Charlemagne (treasury)

The Aachen cathedral treasury holds very important items. These include the Cross of Lothair, the Bust of Charlemagne, and the Persephone sarcophagus. It is considered one of the most important church treasuries in northern Europe. Pilgrims can see some of these relics every seven years when they are displayed.

Organs

Choir organ

Aachen Cathedral has a large organ system that was installed in 1939. It includes parts of an older organ from 1845-1847. The current instrument was expanded to 65 stops (different sounds) and spread throughout the cathedral for a balanced sound.

From 1991 to 1993, the organ was restored and grew to 89 stops. A separate organ was also created in the upper church. The cathedral also has a small organ called the Zoboli Organ, built around 1850 in the classic Italian style.

Bells

Tower of Aachen Cathedral

The cathedral has eight bells hanging in a wooden frame. These bells were made in 1659, after a big city fire in 1656. The largest bell, called "Maria," weighs over 6 tons. It was made in 1958. In Germany, bells are numbered from largest to smallest.

Historical Importance

Charlemagne's Final Resting Place

Shrine of Charlemagne (1215)

The Carolingian octagon, the heart of Aachen Cathedral, was Charlemagne's palace chapel and his burial place. He died on January 28, 814, and was buried in his church. The exact spot is not known for sure. However, he was likely buried in the Persephone sarcophagus under the west tower.

In the year 1000, Emperor Otto III had Charlemagne's tomb opened. A courtier named Otto of Lomello wrote about what they saw. He said Charlemagne was not lying down like other dead people. Instead, he was sitting as if alive, wearing a golden crown and holding a scepter. His fingernails had grown through his gloves.

In 1165, when Charlemagne was made a saint, Emperor Frederick Barbarossa opened the tomb again. He reburied Charlemagne's remains. In 1215, Emperor Frederick II placed the remains into a gold and silver box. This box is known as the Karlsschrein (Shrine of Charlemagne), where they are kept today.

Emperor Otto III was also buried in the cathedral.

Coronation Church for German Kings

Charlemagne's son, Louis the Pious, crowned himself king in the chapel, following his father's wishes. Between 936 and 1531, thirty German kings were crowned in this chapel. The coronation ceremony took place at the High Altar. Afterward, the new king would sit on Charlemagne's throne, which you can still see today. All German rulers during this time, even if crowned elsewhere, would sit on Charlemagne's throne.

Aachen Pilgrimage

The Aachen pilgrimage (Aachener Heiligtumsfahrt) is a special journey for Christians. During this pilgrimage, the four most important religious relics of the cathedral are shown to believers. This tradition has been recorded since 1238. Since 1349, these relics have been displayed once every seven years. The most recent pilgrimage took place in June 2023. Its theme was "Discover Me."

Influence of the Cathedral

Aachen Cathedral was admired and copied by other builders even in the Middle Ages. Examples include Essen Minster and the Abbey Church of Ottmarsheim. In 2007, parts of the octagon and choir were recognized as important landmarks of German civil engineering.

Timeline of Aachen Cathedral

Aachen Cathedral around 1900

A German stamp from 2000 celebrating "1200 Years of Aachen Cathedral."

• 768–800: Aachen was Charlemagne's home. Construction of his palace and the Octagon began. The Octagon used columns and marble from ancient Roman buildings. Its exterior was covered in red plaster. The central part was finished by 813.
• 805: Pope Leo III officially dedicated the chapel.
• 814: Charlemagne was buried in the Palatine Chapel.
• 936: Otto I was crowned in the Palatine Chapel.
• 997: Otto III ordered paintings for the chapel walls.
• 1002: Otto III was buried in the Octagon.
• 1002–1014: Henry II donated the Ambon of Henry II.
• 1152–1190: Frederick I donated the Barbarossa chandelier.
• 1165: Charlemagne was made a saint.
• 1355–1414: The Gothic choir was built.
• 1656: A big fire in Aachen destroyed the cathedral's roof.
• 1664: New roofs were built on the octagon and choir. The Octagon got its modern "Lemon squeezer" shape.
• 1748–1767: The Chapel of Hungary was built.
• 1794: French troops occupied Aachen. Columns were taken to Paris, and the cathedral was temporarily used as a stable.
• 1814: Aachen became part of Prussia.
• 1832: Restoration work began.
• 1843: Some columns were returned from France and reinstalled in the Octagon.
• 1879–1884: A new Gothic-style addition was made to the west tower.
• 1879–1881: The dome was decorated with mosaics.
• 1949–1951: The choir windows, destroyed in WWII, were restored.
• 1986–2011: A huge restoration program for Aachen Cathedral took place. It cost about €35 million.

Legend of the Devil's Thumb

A local legend says that the people of Aachen ran out of money to finish the cathedral. They made a deal with the devil: he would give them money, and in return, he would get the soul of the first person to enter the finished cathedral. When the cathedral was done, the clever locals sent a wolf inside. The devil quickly took the animal's soul. When he realized he had been tricked, the devil stormed out. He slammed the lion head door handles so hard that he severed his thumb. Today, a wolf statue sits at the entrance. You can feel the "devil's thumb" inside the lion's mouth on the door.

Other Interesting Facts

Seismometer of the seismological station in Aachen Cathedral

• The German painter August von Brandis painted Aachen Cathedral in several of his works.
• In the garden of the cathedral, there is a statue of Saint Stephen by Imre Varga, made in 1993. It is near the Hungarian chapel.
• Since 2012, a special station in the cathedral's foundations monitors seismic activity (earthquakes) in the area.

Images for kids

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  Cathedral exterior

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  Exterior of the Palatine Chapel

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  Interior of the Palatine Chapel

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  Mosaics

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  Mosaics

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  Cross of Lothair (~ 1000) (treasury)

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  Statue of St. Stephen outside the Ungarnkapelle (Chapel of Hungary)

See also

In Spanish: Catedral de Aquisgrán para niños