Also, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Check out our Privacy Policy and Disclosure. But for European history buffs, Aachen is a must-see. After all, Charlemagne medieval Frankish king and Holy Roman Emperor extraordinaire , established Aachen as his principal residence and the center of his empire in the late 8th century, making it a key political and cultural hubโฆ and over years later, we can still ogle relics from his reign. Otherwise, you might find it a bit boring.
But hey, compact as it is, it makes a nice destination for a day or two, with a splash of student-city enthusiasm through bars and restaurants to keep you going. This portion of the cathedral has been around for over years, setting the stage for dozens of German coronations over the centuries.
Yay โ Bonus bragging rights. If shiny objects are your thing, another fun thing to do in Aachen is a visit to the Aachen Cathedral Treasury, home to a remarkable collection of religious artifacts, many of which date back to the time of Charlemagne. Highlights of the collection includeโฆ.
The walls are adorned with stunning frescoes depicting scenes from the life of Charlemagne and the history of the Holy Roman Empire. There are also guided tours in German on weekends from โ am.
Now a big reason that Charlemagne was so keen on living in Aachen was thanks to its magical mineral springs, said to bring immeasurable health benefits. Today, these same springs are still active in the city, with the most obvious place to admire them being the Elisenbrunnen, a neoclassical pavilion built between and Named after Princess Elisabeth Ludovika of Bavaria, the Elisenbrunnen was constructed to house and highlight the natural thermal springs.
