![Karte Aachen Stadtbezirke](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/57/Karte_Aachen_Stadtbezirke.png)
Aachen ( ; ;
Aachen dialect
Southeast Limburgish (Dutch: ''Zuidoost-Limburgs'', Ripuarian: ''Süüdoß-Limburjesch''), also referred to as Southern Meuse-Rhenish, is a subdivision of what recently has been named Meuse-Rhenish. Both terms denote a rather compact grouping of ...
: ''Oche'' ;
French and traditional
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
: Aix-la-Chapelle; or ''Aquisgranum''; nl, Aken ; Polish: Akwizgran) is, with around 249,000 inhabitants, the
13th-largest city in
North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia (german: Nordrhein-Westfalen, ; li, Noordrien-Wesfale ; nds, Noordrhien-Westfalen; ksh, Noodrhing-Wäßßfaale), commonly shortened to NRW (), is a state (''Land'') in Western Germany. With more than 18 million inha ...
, and the
28th-largest city of
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
.
It is the westernmost city in Germany, and borders
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
and the
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
to the west, the
triborder area. It is located between
Maastricht
Maastricht ( , , ; li, Mestreech ; french: Maestricht ; es, Mastrique ) is a city and a municipality in the southeastern Netherlands. It is the capital and largest city of the province of Limburg. Maastricht is located on both sides of the ...
(NL) and
Liège (BE) in the west, and
Bonn
The federal city of Bonn ( lat, Bonna) is a city on the banks of the Rhine in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, with a population of over 300,000. About south-southeast of Cologne, Bonn is in the southernmost part of the Rhine-Ru ...
and
Cologne
Cologne ( ; german: Köln ; ksh, Kölle ) is the largest city of the German western state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and the fourth-most populous city of Germany with 1.1 million inhabitants in the city proper and 3.6 millio ...
in the east. The
Wurm River
The Wurm (; nl, Worm ) is a river in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia in western Germany. It rises in the Eifel mountains and flows for 57 kilometres before discharging into the Rur.
Geography
The Wurm is a left (western) tributary of t ...
flows through the city, and together with
Mönchengladbach
Mönchengladbach (, li, Jlabbach ) is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located west of the Rhine, halfway between Düsseldorf and the Dutch border.
Geography Municipal subdivisions
Since 2009, the territory of Mönchengladbac ...
, Aachen is the only larger German city in the
drainage basin
A drainage basin is an area of land where all flowing surface water converges to a single point, such as a river mouth, or flows into another body of water, such as a lake or ocean. A basin is separated from adjacent basins by a perimeter, ...
of the
Meuse
The Meuse ( , , , ; wa, Moûze ) or Maas ( , ; li, Maos or ) is a major European river, rising in France and flowing through Belgium and the Netherlands before draining into the North Sea from the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta. It has a t ...
. Aachen is the seat of the
City Region Aachen (german: link=yes, Städteregion Aachen).
Aachen developed from a
Roman
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
settlement and (bath complex), subsequently becoming the preferred medieval Imperial residence of Emperor
Charlemagne
Charlemagne ( , ) or Charles the Great ( la, Carolus Magnus; german: Karl der Große; 2 April 747 – 28 January 814), a member of the Carolingian dynasty, was King of the Franks from 768, King of the Lombards from 774, and the first ...
of the
Frankish Empire
Francia, also called the Kingdom of the Franks ( la, Regnum Francorum), Frankish Kingdom, Frankland or Frankish Empire ( la, Imperium Francorum), was the largest post-Roman barbarian kingdom in Western Europe. It was ruled by the Franks du ...
, and, from 936 to 1531, the place where 31
Holy Roman Emperors
The Holy Roman Emperor, originally and officially the Emperor of the Romans ( la, Imperator Romanorum, german: Kaiser der Römer) during the Middle Ages, and also known as the Roman-German Emperor since the early modern period ( la, Imperat ...
were crowned
Kings of the Germans.
One of Germany's leading institutes of higher education in technology, the
RWTH Aachen University (), is located in the city. Its university hospital
Uniklinikum Aachen is Europe's largest single-building hospital. Aachen's industries include science, engineering and information technology. In 2009, Aachen was ranked eighth among cities in Germany for innovation.
The
regional dialect
The term dialect (from Latin , , from the Ancient Greek word , 'discourse', from , 'through' and , 'I speak') can refer to either of two distinctly different types of linguistic phenomena:
One usage refers to a variety of a language that is a ...
spoken in the city is a
Central Franconian,
Ripuarian variant with strong
Limburgish influences from the dialects in the neighbouring Netherlands. As a
Rhenish
The Rhineland (german: Rheinland; french: Rhénanie; nl, Rijnland; ksh, Rhingland; Latinised name: ''Rhenania'') is a loosely defined area of Western Germany along the Rhine, chiefly its middle section.
Term
Historically, the Rhinelands ...
city, Aachen is one of the main centres of
carnival celebrations
in Germany, along with
Cologne
Cologne ( ; german: Köln ; ksh, Kölle ) is the largest city of the German western state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and the fourth-most populous city of Germany with 1.1 million inhabitants in the city proper and 3.6 millio ...
,
Mainz
Mainz () is the capital and largest city of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
Mainz is on the left bank of the Rhine, opposite to the place that the Main joins the Rhine. Downstream of the confluence, the Rhine flows to the north-west, with Ma ...
and
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf ( , , ; often in English sources; Low Franconian and Ripuarian: ''Düsseldörp'' ; archaic nl, Dusseldorp ) is the capital city of North Rhine-Westphalia, the most populous state of Germany. It is the second-largest city in th ...
. The
culinary specialty for which the city is best known is
Aachener Printen
Aachener Printen are a type of Lebkuchen originating from the city of Aachen in Germany. Somewhat similar to gingerbread, they were originally sweetened with honey, but are now generally sweetened with a syrup made from sugar beets.
The term is ...
, a type of
gingerbread.
History
Early history
Flint quarries on the
Lousberg, Schneeberg, and Königshügel, first used during
Neolithic
The Neolithic period, or New Stone Age, is an Old World archaeological period and the final division of the Stone Age. It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wide-ranging set of developments that appear to have arisen independently in several p ...
times (3000–2500 BC), attest to the long occupation of the site of Aachen, as do recent finds under the modern city's ''Elisengarten'' pointing to a former settlement from the same period.
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second prin ...
(around 1600 BC) settlement is evidenced by the remains of barrows (burial mounds) found, for example, on the Klausberg. During the
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the final epoch of the three-age division of the prehistory and protohistory of humanity. It was preceded by the Stone Age ( Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic) and the Bronze Age ( Chalcolithic). The concept has been mostl ...
, the area was settled by Celtic peoples who were perhaps drawn by the marshy Aachen basin's
hot sulphur springs where they worshipped
Grannus
Grannus (also ''Granus'', '' Mogounus,'' and ''Amarcolitanus'') was a Celtic deity of classical antiquity. He was regularly identified with Apollo as Apollo Grannus and frequently worshipped in conjunction with Sirona, and sometimes with Mars and ...
, god of light and healing.
Later, the 25-hectare Roman spa resort town of Aquae Granni was, according to legend, founded by Grenus, under
Hadrian, around 124 AD. Instead, the fictitious founder refers to the Celtic god, and it seems it was the Roman 6th Legion at the start of the 1st century AD that first channelled the hot springs into a spa at Büchel, adding at the end of the same century the ''Münstertherme'' spa,
[.] two water pipelines, and a probable sanctuary dedicated to Grannus. A kind of forum, surrounded by colonnades, connected the two spa complexes. There was also an extensive residential area. The Romans built bathhouses near
Burtscheid
Burtscheid ( la, Porcetum) is a district of the city of Aachen, part of the Aachen-Mitte Stadtbezirk. It is a health resort.
History
It was inhabited since ancient times by Celts and Romans, who were attracted by the presence of hot springs.
...
. A temple precinct called ''Vernenum'' was built near the modern
Kornelimünster/Walheim. Today, remains have been found of three bathhouses,
[.] including two fountains in the ''Elisenbrunnen'' and the Burtscheid bathhouse.
Roman civil administration in Aachen eventually broke down as the baths and other public buildings (along with most of the
villae rusticae
Villa rustica () was the term used by the ancient Romans to denote a farmhouse or villa set in the countryside and with an agricultural section, which applies to the vast majority of Roman villas. In some cases they were at the centre of a large ...
of the surrounding countryside) were destroyed around AD 375 at the start of the
migration period. The last Roman coin finds are from the time of Emperor
Gratian
Gratian (; la, Gratianus; 18 April 359 – 25 August 383) was emperor of the Western Roman Empire from 367 to 383. The eldest son of Valentinian I, Gratian accompanied his father on several campaigns along the Rhine and Danube frontiers and w ...
(AD 375–383). Rome withdrew its troops from the area, but the town remained populated. By 470, the town came to be ruled by the
Ripuarian Franks
Ripuarian or Rhineland Franks (Latin: ''Ripuarii'' or ''Ribuarii'') were one of the two main groupings of early Frankish people, and specifically it was the name eventually applied to the tribes who settled in the old Roman territory of the Ubii, ...
[.] and subordinated to their capital,
Cologne
Cologne ( ; german: Köln ; ksh, Kölle ) is the largest city of the German western state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and the fourth-most populous city of Germany with 1.1 million inhabitants in the city proper and 3.6 millio ...
.
Etymology
The name ''Aachen'' is a modern descendant, like southern German , german: Aach, meaning "river" or "stream", from
Old High German
Old High German (OHG; german: Althochdeutsch (Ahd.)) is the earliest stage of the German language, conventionally covering the period from around 750 to 1050.
There is no standardised or supra-regional form of German at this period, and Old High ...
, meaning "water" or "stream", which directly translates (and etymologically corresponds) to
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
, referring to the springs. The location has been inhabited by humans since the
Neolithic
The Neolithic period, or New Stone Age, is an Old World archaeological period and the final division of the Stone Age. It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wide-ranging set of developments that appear to have arisen independently in several p ...
era, about 5,000 years ago, attracted to its warm
mineral springs. Latin figures in Aachen's
Roman
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
name , which meant "waters of
Grannus
Grannus (also ''Granus'', '' Mogounus,'' and ''Amarcolitanus'') was a Celtic deity of classical antiquity. He was regularly identified with Apollo as Apollo Grannus and frequently worshipped in conjunction with Sirona, and sometimes with Mars and ...
", referring to the
Celtic
Celtic, Celtics or Keltic may refer to:
Language and ethnicity
*pertaining to Celts, a collection of Indo-European peoples in Europe and Anatolia
**Celts (modern)
*Celtic languages
**Proto-Celtic language
* Celtic music
*Celtic nations
Sports Fo ...
god of healing who was worshipped at the springs.
[.] This word became in
Walloon and in French, and subsequently after
Charlemagne
Charlemagne ( , ) or Charles the Great ( la, Carolus Magnus; german: Karl der Große; 2 April 747 – 28 January 814), a member of the Carolingian dynasty, was King of the Franks from 768, King of the Lombards from 774, and the first ...
had his
palatine chapel built there in the late 8th century and then made the city his empire's capital.
As a spa city, Aachen has the right to name itself ''Bad Aachen'', but chooses not to, so it remains on the top of alphabetical lists.
Aachen's name in French and German evolved in parallel. The city is known by a variety of different names in other languages:
Dialect
Aachen is at the western end of the
Benrath line that divides
High German
The High German dialects (german: hochdeutsche Mundarten), or simply High German (); not to be confused with Standard High German which is commonly also called ''High German'', comprise the varieties of German spoken south of the Benrath and ...
to the south from the rest of the
West Germanic
The West Germanic languages constitute the largest of the three branches of the Germanic family of languages (the others being the North Germanic and the extinct East Germanic languages). The West Germanic branch is classically subdivided into ...
speech area to the north.
Aachen's local dialect is called and belongs to the
Ripuarian language
Ripuarian ( ; also ''Ripuarian Franconian''; german: Ripuarisch, , ''ripuarische Mundart, ripuarischer Dialekt, ripuarisch-fränkische Mundart, Ribuarisch'', nl, Ripuarisch , ''Noordmiddelfrankisch'') is a German dialect group, part of the W ...
.
Middle Ages
![Aachener Heiligtumszeigung Oelgemaelde 17Jh](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Aachener_Heiligtumszeigung_Oelgemaelde_17Jh.jpg)
After Roman times,
Pepin the Short had a castle residence built in the town, due to the proximity of the hot springs and also for strategic reasons as it is located between the
Rhineland
The Rhineland (german: Rheinland; french: Rhénanie; nl, Rijnland; ksh, Rhingland; Latinised name: ''Rhenania'') is a loosely defined area of Western Germany along the Rhine, chiefly its middle section.
Term
Historically, the Rhinelands ...
and northern France.
[.] Einhard mentions that in 765–766 Pepin spent both Christmas and Easter at ''Aquis villa'' ('), ("and
ecelebrated Christmas in the town Aquis, and similarly Easter") which must have been sufficiently equipped to support the royal household for several months. In the year of his coronation as king of the
Franks
The Franks ( la, Franci or ) were a group of Germanic peoples whose name was first mentioned in 3rd-century Roman sources, and associated with tribes between the Lower Rhine and the Ems River, on the edge of the Roman Empire.H. Schutz: Tools, ...
, 768,
Charlemagne
Charlemagne ( , ) or Charles the Great ( la, Carolus Magnus; german: Karl der Große; 2 April 747 – 28 January 814), a member of the Carolingian dynasty, was King of the Franks from 768, King of the Lombards from 774, and the first ...
came to spend Christmas at Aachen for the first time. He remained there in a mansion which he may have extended, although there is no source attesting to any significant building activity at Aachen in his time, apart from the building of the
Palatine Chapel (since 1930, cathedral) and the
Palace. Charlemagne spent most winters in Aachen between 792 and his death in 814. Aachen became the focus of his court and the political centre of his empire. After his death, the king was buried in the church which he had built;
[.] his original tomb has been lost, while his alleged remains are preserved in the ''
Karlsschrein
The Karlsschrein ( en, Shrine of Charlemagne) is located in Aachen Cathedral and contains the remains of Charlemagne. It was completed in 1215 in Aachen at the command of Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor. Previously, Charlemagne's remains had be ...
'', the shrine where he was reburied after being declared a saint; his saintliness, however, was never officially acknowledged by the Roman Curia as such.
In 936,
Otto I
Otto I (23 November 912 – 7 May 973), traditionally known as Otto the Great (german: Otto der Große, it, Ottone il Grande), was East Frankish king from 936 and Holy Roman Emperor from 962 until his death in 973. He was the oldest son of He ...
was crowned king of
East Francia in the collegiate church built by Charlemagne. During the reign of
Otto II
Otto II (955 – 7 December 983), called the Red (''der Rote''), was Holy Roman Emperor from 973 until his death in 983. A member of the Ottonian dynasty, Otto II was the youngest and sole surviving son of Otto the Great and Adelaide of Ita ...
, the nobles revolted and the
West Franks under
Lothair[.] raided Aachen in 978. Aachen was attacked again by
Odo of Champagne, who attacked the imperial palace while
Conrad II
Conrad II ( – 4 June 1039), also known as and , was the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire from 1027 until his death in 1039. The first of a succession of four Salian emperors, who reigned for one century until 1125, Conrad ruled the kingdoms ...
was absent. Odo relinquished it quickly and was killed soon afterwards. The palace and town of Aachen had fortifying walls built by order of Emperor
Frederick Barbarossa between 1172 and 1176.
Over the next 500 years, most kings of
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
destined to reign over the
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a political entity in Western, Central, and Southern Europe that developed during the Early Middle Ages and continued until its dissolution in 1806 during the Napoleonic Wars.
From the accession of Otto I in 962 ...
were crowned in Aachen. The original audience hall built by Charlemagne was torn down and replaced by the current
city hall in 1330.
The last king to be crowned here was
Ferdinand I in 1531.
During the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...
, Aachen remained a city of regional importance, due to its proximity to
Flanders
Flanders (, ; Dutch: ''Vlaanderen'' ) is the Flemish-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to cultu ...
; it achieved a modest position in the trade in
wool
Wool is the textile fibre obtained from sheep and other mammals, especially goats, rabbits, and camelids. The term may also refer to inorganic materials, such as mineral wool and glass wool, that have properties similar to animal wool. ...
len cloths, favoured by imperial privilege. The city remained a
free imperial city
In the Holy Roman Empire, the collective term free and imperial cities (german: Freie und Reichsstädte), briefly worded free imperial city (', la, urbs imperialis libera), was used from the fifteenth century to denote a self-ruling city that ...
, subject to the emperor only, but was politically far too weak to influence the policies of any of its neighbours. The only dominion it had was over
Burtscheid
Burtscheid ( la, Porcetum) is a district of the city of Aachen, part of the Aachen-Mitte Stadtbezirk. It is a health resort.
History
It was inhabited since ancient times by Celts and Romans, who were attracted by the presence of hot springs.
...
, a neighbouring territory ruled by a
Benedictine
, image = Medalla San Benito.PNG
, caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal
, abbreviation = OSB
, formation =
, motto = (English: 'Pray and Work')
, foun ...
abbess
An abbess (Latin: ''abbatissa''), also known as a mother superior, is the female superior of a community of Catholic nuns in an abbey.
Description
In the Catholic Church (both the Latin Church and Eastern Catholic), Eastern Orthodox, Copt ...
. It was forced to accept that all of its traffic must pass through the "Aachener Reich". Even in the late 18th century the Abbess of Burtscheid was prevented from building a road linking her territory to the neighbouring estates of the
duke of Jülich
Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ranke ...
; the city of Aachen even deployed its handful of soldiers to chase away the road-diggers.
As an imperial city, Aachen held certain political privileges that allowed it to remain independent of the troubles of Europe for many years. It remained a direct vassal of the Holy Roman Empire throughout most of the Middle Ages. It was also the site of many important church councils, including the
Council of 837 and the
Council of 1166
A council is a group of people who come together to consult, deliberate, or make decisions. A council may function as a legislature, especially at a town, city or county/ shire level, but most legislative bodies at the state/provincial or nati ...
, a council convened by the
antipope Paschal III
Antipope Paschal III (or Paschal III) () was a 12th-century clergyman who, from 1164 to 1168, was the second antipope to challenge the reign of Pope Alexander III. He had previously served as Cardinal of St. Maria.
Biography
Born Guido of Crem ...
.
Manuscript production
![The Siege of Aachen](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e8/The_Siege_of_Aachen.png)
Aachen has proved an important site for the production of historical manuscripts. Under Charlemagne's purview, both the
Ada Gospels
The Ada Gospels (Trier, Stadtbibliothek, Codex 22) is a late eighth century or early ninth century Carolingian gospel book in the Stadtbibliothek, Trier, Germany. The manuscript contains a dedication to Charlemagne's sister Ada, from where it ge ...
and the
Coronation Gospel {{Unreferenced, date=January 2014
A number of medieval illuminated manuscript Gospel books are called the Coronation Gospels, meaning they have, at least by tradition, had a coronation oath sworn upon them at some point.
The plain term is mainly ...
s may have been produced in Aachen.
[.] In addition, quantities of the other texts in the court library were also produced locally. During the reign of
Louis the Pious
Louis the Pious (german: Ludwig der Fromme; french: Louis le Pieux; 16 April 778 – 20 June 840), also called the Fair, and the Debonaire, was King of the Franks and co-emperor with his father, Charlemagne, from 813. He was also King of Aqui ...
(814–840), substantial quantities of ancient texts were produced at Aachen, including legal manuscripts such as the leges scriptorium group,
patristic texts including the five manuscripts of the
Bamberg Pliny Group
Bamberg (, , ; East Franconian: ''Bambärch'') is a town in Upper Franconia, Germany, on the river Regnitz close to its confluence with the river Main. The town dates back to the 9th century, when its name was derived from the nearby ' castle. C ...
.
Finally, under
Lothair I (840–855), texts of outstanding quality were still being produced. This however marked the end of the period of manuscript production at Aachen.
16th–18th centuries
![Rhein-Strom 0184a Achen](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fd/Rhein-Strom_0184a_Achen.jpg)
In 1598, following the invasion of
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries
**Spanish cuisine
Other places
* Spanish, Ontario, Can ...
troops from the
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
,
Rudolf deposed all
Protestant
Protestantism is a Christian denomination, branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Reformation, Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century agai ...
office holders in Aachen and even went as far as expelling them from the city. From the early 16th century, Aachen started to lose its power and influence. First the
coronations of emperors were moved from Aachen to
Frankfurt
Frankfurt, officially Frankfurt am Main (; Hessian: , " Frank ford on the Main"), is the most populous city in the German state of Hesse. Its 791,000 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located on it ...
. This was followed by the
religious wars
A religious war or a war of religion, sometimes also known as a holy war ( la, sanctum bellum), is a war which is primarily caused or justified by differences in religion. In the modern period, there are frequent debates over the extent to wh ...
and the great fire of 1656.
[.] After the destruction of most of the city in 1656, the rebuilding was mostly in the
Baroque style.
The decline of Aachen culminated in 1794, when the French, led by General
Charles Dumouriez
Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English and French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*karilaz'' (in Latin alphabet), whose meaning was " ...
,
occupied Aachen.
In 1542, the Dutch
humanist
Humanism is a philosophical stance that emphasizes the individual and social potential and agency of human beings. It considers human beings the starting point for serious moral and philosophical inquiry.
The meaning of the term "human ...
and physician
Francis Fabricius published his study of the health benefits of the hot springs in Aachen. By the middle of the 17th century, the city had developed a considerable reputation as a spa, although this was in part because Aachen was then – and remained well into the 19th century – a place of high-level prostitution. Traces of this hidden agenda of the city's history are found in the 18th-century guidebooks to Aachen as well as to the other spas.
The main
indication for visiting patients, ironically, was
syphilis; only by the end of the 19th century had
rheumatism become the most important object of cures at Aachen and Burtscheid.
Aachen was chosen as the site of several important congresses and peace treaties: the
first congress of Aachen (often referred to as the Congress of Aix-la-Chapelle in English) on 2 May 1668,
[.] leading to the
First Treaty of Aachen in the same year which ended the
War of Devolution
In the 1667 to 1668 War of Devolution (, ), France occupied large parts of the Spanish Netherlands and Franche-Comté, both then provinces of the Holy Roman Empire (and properties of the King of Spain). The name derives from an obscure law know ...
. The
second congress ended with the
second treaty in 1748, ending the
War of the Austrian Succession
The War of the Austrian Succession () was a European conflict that took place between 1740 and 1748. Fought primarily in Central Europe, the Austrian Netherlands, Italy, the Atlantic and Mediterranean, related conflicts included King George's ...
. In 1789, there was a constitutional crisis in the Aachen government, and in 1794 Aachen lost its status as a
free imperial city
In the Holy Roman Empire, the collective term free and imperial cities (german: Freie und Reichsstädte), briefly worded free imperial city (', la, urbs imperialis libera), was used from the fifteenth century to denote a self-ruling city that ...
.
19th century
![KleineSchwimmhalle](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3a/KleineSchwimmhalle.JPG)
On 9 February 1801, the
Peace of Lunéville removed the ownership of Aachen and the entire "left bank" of the Rhine from Germany (the
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a political entity in Western, Central, and Southern Europe that developed during the Early Middle Ages and continued until its dissolution in 1806 during the Napoleonic Wars.
From the accession of Otto I in 962 ...
) and granted it to France.
In 1815, control of the town was passed to the
Kingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia (german: Königreich Preußen, ) was a German kingdom that constituted the state of Prussia between 1701 and 1918. Marriott, J. A. R., and Charles Grant Robertson. ''The Evolution of Prussia, the Making of an Empire''. ...
through an agreement reached by the
Congress of Vienna
The Congress of Vienna (, ) of 1814–1815 was a series of international diplomatic meetings to discuss and agree upon a possible new layout of the European political and constitutional order after the downfall of the French Emperor Napoleon B ...
.
The
third congress took place in 1818, to decide the fate of occupied
Napoleon
Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
ic France.
By the middle of the 19th century, industrialisation had swept away most of the city's medieval rules of production and commerce, although the entirely corrupt remains of the city's medieval constitution were kept in place (compare the famous remarks of Georg Forster in his ''Ansichten vom Niederrhein'') until 1801, when Aachen became the "
chef-lieu
An administrative center is a seat of regional administration or local government, or a county town, or the place where the central administration of a commune is located.
In countries with French as administrative language (such as Belgium, Lu ...
du
département de la Roer
Roer was a department of the French First Republic and later First French Empire in present-day Germany and the Netherlands. It was named after the river Roer (Rur), which flows through the department. It was formed in 1797, when the left ban ...
" in Napoleon's
First French Empire
The First French Empire, officially the French Republic, then the French Empire (; Latin: ) after 1809, also known as Napoleonic France, was the empire ruled by Napoleon Bonaparte, who established French hegemony over much of continental Eu ...
. In 1815, after the
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fren ...
, the
Kingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia (german: Königreich Preußen, ) was a German kingdom that constituted the state of Prussia between 1701 and 1918. Marriott, J. A. R., and Charles Grant Robertson. ''The Evolution of Prussia, the Making of an Empire''. ...
took over within the new
German Confederation
The German Confederation (german: Deutscher Bund, ) was an association of 39 predominantly German-speaking sovereign states in Central Europe. It was created by the Congress of Vienna in 1815 as a replacement of the former Holy Roman Empire, w ...
. The city was one of its most socially and politically backward centres until the end of the 19th century. Administered within the
Rhine Province, by 1880 the population was 80,000. Starting in 1838, the railway from
Cologne
Cologne ( ; german: Köln ; ksh, Kölle ) is the largest city of the German western state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and the fourth-most populous city of Germany with 1.1 million inhabitants in the city proper and 3.6 millio ...
to
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
passed through Aachen. The city suffered extreme overcrowding and deplorable sanitary conditions until 1875, when the medieval fortifications were finally abandoned as a limit to building and new, better housing was built in the east of the city, where sanitary drainage was easiest. In December 1880, the
Aachen tramway network was opened, and in 1895 it was electrified. In the 19th century and up to the 1930s, the city was important in the production of railway locomotives and carriages, iron, pins,
needles, buttons, tobacco, woollen goods, and silk goods.
20th century
World War II
After
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, Aachen was occupied by the Allies until 1930, along with the rest of German territory west of the Rhine.
Aachen was one of the locations involved in the ill-fated
Rhenish Republic
The Rhenish Republic (german: Rheinische Republik) was proclaimed at Aachen (Aix-la-Chapelle) in October 1923 during the occupation of the Ruhr by troops from France and Belgium (January 19231925) and subjected itself to French protectorate. It ...
. On 21 October 1923, an armed mob took over the city hall. Similar actions took place in
Mönchen-Gladbach,
Duisburg
Duisburg () is a city in the Ruhr metropolitan area of the western German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Lying on the confluence of the Rhine and the Ruhr rivers in the center of the Rhine-Ruhr Region, Duisburg is the 5th largest city in No ...
, and
Krefeld
Krefeld ( , ; li, Krieëvel ), also spelled Crefeld until 1925 (though the spelling was still being used in British papers throughout the Second World War), is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located northwest of Düsseldorf, i ...
. This republic lasted only about a year. Aachen was heavily damaged during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. According to
Jörg Friedrich in ''The Fire'' (2008), two Allied air raids on 11 April and 24 May 1944 "radically destroyed" the city. The first killed 1,525, including 212 children, and bombed six hospitals. During the second, 442 aircraft hit two railway stations, killed 207, and left 15,000 homeless. The raids also destroyed
Aachen-Eilendorf and
Aachen-Burtscheid.
The city and its fortified surroundings were laid siege to from 12 September to 21 October 1944 by the US 1st Infantry Division
[.] with the 3rd Armored Division assisting from the south. Around 13 October the US 2nd Armored Division played their part, coming from the north and getting as close as
Würselen
Würselen (, Ripuarian: ) is a town in the borough of Aachen, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
Geography
Würselen lies north of the city of Aachen in the immediate vicinity of the tripoint of Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands. Its neigh ...
, while the 30th Infantry Division played a crucial role in completing the encirclement of Aachen on 16 October 1944. With reinforcements from the US 28th Infantry Division the
Battle of Aachen
The Battle of Aachen was a combat action of World War II, fought by American and German forces in and around Aachen, Germany, between 2–21 October 1944. The city had been incorporated into the Siegfried Line, the main defensive network o ...
continued involving direct assaults through the heavily defended city, which finally forced the German garrison to surrender on 21 October 1944.
Aachen was the first German city to be captured by the Western Allies, and its residents welcomed the soldiers as liberators.
[.] What remained of the city was destroyed—in some areas completely—during the fighting, mostly by
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
artillery
Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during siege ...
fire and demolitions carried out by the
Waffen-SS
The (, "Armed SS") was the combat branch of the Nazi Party's ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS) organisation. Its formations included men from Nazi Germany, along with Waffen-SS foreign volunteers and conscripts, volunteers and conscripts from both occup ...
defenders. Damaged buildings included the medieval churches of
St. Foillan,
St. Paul
Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...
and Saint Nicholas, St. Nicholas, and the Aachen Rathaus, Rathaus (city hall), although Aachen Cathedral was largely unscathed. Only 4,000 inhabitants remained in the city; the rest had followed evacuation orders. Its first Allied-appointed mayor, Franz Oppenhoff, was assassinated by an SS commando unit.
History of Aachen Jews
![View of the old synagogue in Aachen after its destruction during Kristallnacht 02](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/25/View_of_the_old_synagogue_in_Aachen_after_its_destruction_during_Kristallnacht_02.jpg)
During the
Roman
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
period, Aachen was the site of a flourishing Jewish community. Later, during the Carolingian empire, a Jewish community lived near the royal palace.
[.] In 797, Isaac, a Jewish merchant, accompanied two ambassadors of
Charlemagne
Charlemagne ( , ) or Charles the Great ( la, Carolus Magnus; german: Karl der Große; 2 April 747 – 28 January 814), a member of the Carolingian dynasty, was King of the Franks from 768, King of the Lombards from 774, and the first ...
to the court of Harun al-Rashid. He returned to Aachen in July 802, bearing an elephant called ''Abul-Abbas'' as a gift for the emperor. During the 13th century, many Jews converted to Christianity, as shown in the records of the Aachen Cathedral, Aachen Minster (today's Cathedral). In 1486, the Jews of Aachen offered gifts to Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor, Maximilian I during his coronation ceremony. In 1629, the Aachen Jewish community was expelled from the city. In 1667, six Jews were allowed to return. Most of the Aachen Jews settled in the nearby town of
Burtscheid
Burtscheid ( la, Porcetum) is a district of the city of Aachen, part of the Aachen-Mitte Stadtbezirk. It is a health resort.
History
It was inhabited since ancient times by Celts and Romans, who were attracted by the presence of hot springs.
...
. On 16 May 1815, the Jewish community of the city offered an homage in its synagogue to the Prussian king, Friedrich Wilhelm III. A Jewish cemetery, Aachen, Jewish cemetery was acquired in 1822. 1,345 Jews lived in the city in 1933. The synagogue was destroyed during ''Kristallnacht'' in 1938. In 1939, after emigration and arrests, 782 Jews remained in the city. After
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, only 62 Jews lived there. In 2003, 1,434 Jews were living in Aachen. In Jewish texts, the city of Aachen was called ''Aish'' or ''Ash'' (אש).
21st century
The city of Aachen has developed into a technology hub as a by-product of hosting one of the leading Institute of Technology, universities of technology in Germany with the RWTH Aachen (Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule), known especially for mechanical engineering, automotive and manufacturing technology as well as for its research and academic hospital Klinikum Aachen, one of the largest medical facilities in Europe.
Geography
![2017-05 Vaalserberg 13](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0f/2017-05_Vaalserberg_13.jpg)
Aachen is located in the middle of the Meuse–Rhine Euroregion, close to Vaalserberg#Three-Country Point, the border tripoint of Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium. The town of Vaals in the Netherlands lies nearby at about from Aachen's city centre, while the Dutch city of Heerlen and Eupen, the capital of the German-speaking Community of Belgium, are both located about from Aachen city centre. Aachen lies near the head of the open valley of the Wurm (which today flows through the city in canalised form), part of the larger basin of the
Meuse
The Meuse ( , , , ; wa, Moûze ) or Maas ( , ; li, Maos or ) is a major European river, rising in France and flowing through Belgium and the Netherlands before draining into the North Sea from the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta. It has a t ...
, and about north of the High Fens, which form the northern edge of the Eifel uplands of the Rhenish Massif.
The maximum dimensions of the city's territory are from north to south, and from east to west. The city limits are long, of which border Belgium and the Netherlands. The highest point in Aachen, located in the far southeast of the city, lies at an elevation of above sea level. The lowest point, in the north, and on the border with the Netherlands, is at .
Climate
As the westernmost city in Germany
[.] (and close to the Low Countries), Aachen and the surrounding area belongs to a Temperate climate, temperate Oceanic climate, climate zone (Köppen climate classification, Cfb), with humid weather, mild winters, and warm summers. Because of its location north of the Eifel and the High Fens and its subsequent prevailing westerly weather patterns, rainfall in Aachen (on average 805 mm/year) is comparatively higher than, for example, in
Bonn
The federal city of Bonn ( lat, Bonna) is a city on the banks of the Rhine in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, with a population of over 300,000. About south-southeast of Cologne, Bonn is in the southernmost part of the Rhine-Ru ...
(with 669 mm/year). Another factor in the local weather forces of Aachen is the occurrence of Foehn winds on the southerly air currents, which results from the city's geographic location on the northern edge of the Eifel.
Because the city is surrounded by hills, it suffers from inversion (meteorology), inversion-related smog. Some areas of the city have become urban heat islands as a result of poor heat exchange, both because of the area's natural geography and from human activity. The city's numerous cold air corridors, which are slated to remain as free as possible from new construction, therefore play an important role in the urban climate of Aachen.
The January average is
, while the July average is . Precipitation is almost evenly spread throughout the year.
Geology
![Aachen Felsen St](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e8/Aachen_Felsen_St.Adalbert.JPG)
The geology of Aachen is very structurally heterogeneous. The oldest occurring rocks in the area surrounding the city originate from the Devonian period and include carboniferous sandstone, greywacke, claystone and limestone. These formations are part of the Rhenish Massif, north of the High Fens. In the Pennsylvanian (geology), Pennsylvanian subperiod of the Carboniferous geological period, these rock layers were narrowed and folded as a result of the Variscan orogeny. After this event, and over the course of the following 200 million years, this area has been continuously flattened.
During the Cretaceous period, the ocean penetrated the continent from the direction of the North Sea up to the mountainous area near Aachen, bringing with it clay, sand, and chalk deposits. While the clay (which was the basis for a major pottery industry in nearby Raeren) is mostly found in the lower areas of Aachen, the hills of the Aachen Forest and the
Lousberg were formed from upper Cretaceous sand and chalk deposits. More recent sedimentation is mainly located in the north and east of Aachen and was formed through tertiary and quaternary river and wind activities.
Along the major thrust fault of the Variscan orogeny, there are over 30 thermal springs in Aachen and
Burtscheid
Burtscheid ( la, Porcetum) is a district of the city of Aachen, part of the Aachen-Mitte Stadtbezirk. It is a health resort.
History
It was inhabited since ancient times by Celts and Romans, who were attracted by the presence of hot springs.
...
. Additionally, the subsurface of Aachen is traversed by numerous active faults that belong to the Rurgraben fault system, which has been responsible for numerous earthquakes in the past, including the 1756 Düren earthquake
[.] and the 1992 Roermond earthquake,
[.] which was the strongest earthquake ever recorded in the
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
.
Demographics
![Age structure aachen vs germany](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c2/Age_structure_aachen_vs_germany.svg)
Aachen has 245,885 inhabitants (as of 31 December 2015), of whom 118,272 are female, and 127,613 are male.
The unemployment rate in the city is, as of April 2012, 9.7 percent. At the end of 2009, the foreign-born residents of Aachen made up 13.6 percent of the total population.
[.] A significant portion of foreign residents are students at the
RWTH Aachen University.
Boroughs
The city is divided into seven administrative districts, or boroughs, each with its own district council, district leader, and district authority. The councils are elected locally by those who live within the district, and these districts are further subdivided into smaller sections for statistical purposes, with each sub-district named by a two-digit number.
The districts of Aachen, including their constituent statistical districts, are:
* Aachen-Mitte: 10 Markt, 13 Theater, 14 Lindenplatz, 15 St. Jakob, 16 Westpark, 17 Hanbruch, 18 Hörn, 21 Ponttor, 22 Hansemannplatz, 23 Soers, 24 Jülicher Straße, 25 Kalkofen, 31 Kaiserplatz, 32 Adalbertsteinweg, 33 Panneschopp, 34 Rothe Erde, 35 Trierer Straße, 36 Frankenberger Viertel, Frankenberg, 37 Forst (Aachen), Forst, 41 Beverau, 42
Burtscheid
Burtscheid ( la, Porcetum) is a district of the city of Aachen, part of the Aachen-Mitte Stadtbezirk. It is a health resort.
History
It was inhabited since ancient times by Celts and Romans, who were attracted by the presence of hot springs.
...
Kurgarten, 43 Burtscheid Abbey, 46 Burtscheid Steinebrück, 47 Marschiertor, 48 Hangeweiher
* Brand (Aachen), Brand: 51 Brand
* Eilendorf (Aachen), Eilendorf: 52 Eilendorf
* Haaren (Aachen), Haaren: 53 Haaren (including Verlautenheide)
*
Kornelimünster/Walheim: 61 Kornelimünster, 62 Oberforstbach, 63 Walheim (Aachen), Walheim
* Laurensberg: 64 Vaalserquartier, 65 Laurensberg
* Richterich: 88 Richterich
Regardless of official statistical designations, there are 50 neighbourhoods and communities within Aachen, here arranged by district:
* Aachen-Mitte: Beverau, Bildchen,
Burtscheid
Burtscheid ( la, Porcetum) is a district of the city of Aachen, part of the Aachen-Mitte Stadtbezirk. It is a health resort.
History
It was inhabited since ancient times by Celts and Romans, who were attracted by the presence of hot springs.
...
, Forst, Frankenberg, Grüne Eiche, Hörn, Lintert, Ponttor, Pontviertel, Preuswald, Ronheide, Rosviertel, Rothe Erde, Stadtmitte, Steinebrück, West
* Brand (Aachen), Brand: Brand, Eich, Freund (Aachen), Freund, Hitfeld, Niederforstbach
* Eilendorf (Aachen), Eilendorf: Eilendorf, Nirm
* Haaren (Aachen), Haaren: Haaren, Hüls, Verlautenheide
*
Kornelimünster/Walheim: Friesenrath, Hahn (Aachen), Hahn, Kitzenhaus, Kornelimünster, Krauthausen (Aachen), Krauthausen, Lichtenbusch, Nütheim, Oberforstbach, Sief, Schleckheim, Schmithof, Walheim
* Laurensberg: Gut Kullen, Kronenberg, Laurensberg, Lemiers, Melaten, Orsbach, Seffent, Soers, Steppenberg, Vaalserquartier, Vetschau (Aachen), Vetschau
* Richterich: Horbach (Aachen), Horbach, Huf, Richterich
Neighbouring communities
The following cities and communities border Aachen, clockwise from the northwest:
Herzogenrath,
Würselen
Würselen (, Ripuarian: ) is a town in the borough of Aachen, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
Geography
Würselen lies north of the city of Aachen in the immediate vicinity of the tripoint of Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands. Its neigh ...
, Eschweiler, Stolberg (Rhineland), Stolberg and Roetgen (which are all in the Aachen (district), district of Aachen); Raeren, Kelmis and Plombières (Liège Province in Belgium) as well as Vaals, Gulpen-Wittem, Simpelveld, Heerlen and Kerkrade (all in Limburg (Netherlands), Limburg Province in the Netherlands).
Politics
Mayor
The current Mayor of Aachen is Sibylle Keupen, an Independent politician, independent endorsed by Alliance 90/The Greens, since 2020. The most recent mayoral election was held on 13 September 2020, with a runoff held on 27 September, and the results were as follows:
! rowspan=2 colspan=2, Candidate
! rowspan=2, Party
! colspan=2, First round
! colspan=2, Second round
, -
! Votes
! %
! Votes
! %
, -
, bgcolor=,
, align=left, Sibylle Keupen
, align=left, Independent politician, Independent (Alliance 90/The Greens, Green)
, 39,662
, 38.9
, 53,685
, 67.4
, -
, bgcolor=,
, align=left, Harald Baal
, align=left, Christian Democratic Union of Germany, Christian Democratic Union
, 25,253
, 24.8
, 26,003
, 32.6
, -
, bgcolor=,
, align=left, Mathias Dopatka
, align=left, Social Democratic Party of Germany, Social Democratic Party
, 23,031
, 22.6
, -
, bgcolor=,
, align=left, Markus Mohr
, align=left, Alternative for Germany
, 3,387
, 3.3
, -
, bgcolor=,
, align=left, Wilhelm Helg
, align=left, Free Democratic Party (Germany), Free Democratic Party
, 3,122
, 3.1
, -
, bgcolor=,
, align=left, Leo Deumens
, align=left, The Left (Germany), The Left
, 2,397
, 2.4
, -
, bgcolor=,
, align=left, Hubert vom Venn
, align=left, Die PARTEI
, 2,112
, 2.1
, -
, bgcolor=,
, align=left, Jörg Polzin
, align=left, Independent politician, Independent
, 938
, 0.9
, -
,
, align=left, Ralf Haupts
, align=left, Independent Voters' Association Aachen
, 932
, 0.9
, -
, bgcolor=,
, align=left, Matthias Achilles
, align=left, Pirate Party Germany
, 848
, 0.8
, -
, bgcolor=,
, align=left, Adonis Böving
, align=left, Independent politician, Independent
, 317
, 0.3
, -
! colspan=3, Valid votes
! 101,999
! 99.2
! 79,688
! 99.3
, -
! colspan=3, Invalid votes
! 819
! 0.8
! 532
! 0.7
, -
! colspan=3, Total
! 102,818
! 100.0
! 80,220
! 100.0
, -
! colspan=3, Electorate/voter turnout
! 192,502
! 53.4
! 192,435
! 41.7
, -
, colspan=7, Source
State Returning Officer
City council
![2020 Aachen City Council election](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/56/2020_Aachen_City_Council_election.svg)
The Aachen city council governs the city alongside the Mayor. The most recent city council election was held on 13 September 2020, and the results were as follows:
! colspan=2, Party
! Votes
! %
! +/-
! Seats
! +/-
, -
, bgcolor=,
, align=left, Alliance 90/The Greens (Grüne)
, 34,712
, 34.1
, 17.5
, 20
, 7
, -
, bgcolor=,
, align=left, Christian Democratic Union of Germany, Christian Democratic Union (CDU)
, 25,268
, 24.8
, 11.5
, 14
, 14
, -
, bgcolor=,
, align=left, Social Democratic Party of Germany, Social Democratic Party (SPD)
, 18,676
, 18.3
, 7.7
, 11
, 9
, -
, bgcolor=,
, align=left, Free Democratic Party (Germany), Free Democratic Party (FDP)
, 5,042
, 4.9
, 0.5
, 3
, ±0
, -
, bgcolor=,
, align=left, The Left (Germany), The Left (Die Linke)
, 4,694
, 4.6
, 1.5
, 3
, 2
, -
, bgcolor=,
, align=left, Alternative for Germany (AfD)
, 3,816
, 3.7
, 1.2
, 2
, ±0
, -
, bgcolor=,
, align=left, Volt Europa#Germany, Volt Germany (Volt)
, 3,784
, 3.7
, New
, 2
, New
, -
, bgcolor=,
, align=left, Die PARTEI (PARTEI)
, 2,295
, 2.3
, 1.8
, 1
, 1
, -
,
, align=left, Independent Voters' Association Aachen (UWG)
, 1,632
, 1.6
, 0.2
, 1
, ±0
, -
, bgcolor=,
, align=left, Pirate Party Germany (Piraten)
, 1,226
, 1.2
, 2.2
, 1
, 2
, -
, colspan=7 bgcolor=lightgrey,
, -
, bgcolor=,
, align=left, Ecological Democratic Party (ÖDP)
, 673
, 0.7
, New
, 0
, New
, -
,
, align=left, Voter Group
, 45
, 0.0
, New
, 0
, New
, -
! colspan=2, Valid votes
! 101,863
! 99.1
!
!
!
, -
! colspan=2, Invalid votes
! 918
! 0.9
!
!
!
, -
! colspan=2, Total
! 102,781
! 100.0
!
! 58
! 18
, -
! colspan=2, Electorate/voter turnout
! 192,502
! 53.4
! 0.7
!
!
, -
, colspan=7, Source
State Returning Officer
Main sights
Cathedral
![Aachen Germany Imperial-Cathedral-01](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/be/Aachen_Germany_Imperial-Cathedral-01.jpg)
Aachen Cathedral was erected on the orders of
Charlemagne
Charlemagne ( , ) or Charles the Great ( la, Carolus Magnus; german: Karl der Große; 2 April 747 – 28 January 814), a member of the Carolingian dynasty, was King of the Franks from 768, King of the Lombards from 774, and the first ...
. Construction began ''c.'' AD 796, and it was, on completion ''c.'' 798,
[.] the largest cathedral north of the Alps. It was modelled after the Basilica of San Vitale, in Ravenna, Italy,
and was built by Odo of Metz. Charlemagne also desired for the chapel to compete with the Lateran Palace, both in quality and authority.
It was originally built in the Carolingian architecture, Carolingian style, including marble covered walls, and mosaic inlay on the dome.
[.] On his death, Charlemagne's remains were interred in the cathedral and can be seen there to this day. The cathedral was extended several times in later ages, turning it into a curious and unique mixture of building styles. The throne and gallery portion date from the Ottonian dynasty, Ottonian, with portions of the original opus sectile floor still visible.
The 13th century saw gables being added to the roof, and after the fire of 1656, the dome was rebuilt. Finally, a Choir (architecture), choir was added around the start of the 15th century.
After Frederick Barbarossa Canonisation, canonised Charlemagne in 1165 the chapel became a Pilgrimage, destination for pilgrims.
For 600 years, from 936 to 1531, Aachen Cathedral was the church of coronation for 30 German kings and 12 queens. The church built by Charlemagne is still the main attraction of the city. In addition to holding the remains of its founder, it became the burial place of his successor Otto III, Holy Roman Emperor, Otto III. In the upper chamber of the gallery, Charlemagne's marble throne is housed.
[.] Aachen Cathedral has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Most of the marble and columns used in the construction of the cathedral were brought from Rome and Ravenna, including the sarcophagus in which Charlemagne was eventually laid to rest.
[.] A bronze bear from Gaul was placed inside, along with an equestrian statue from Ravenna, believed to be Theodric, in contrast to a wolf and a statue of Marcus Aurelius in the Capitoline.
Bronze pieces such as the doors and railings, some of which have survived to present day, were cast in a local foundry. Finally, there is uncertainty surrounding the bronze pine cone in the chapel, and where it was created. Wherever it was made, it was also a parallel to a piece in Rome, this in Old St. Peter's Basilica.
Cathedral Treasury
![Aachen Germany Domschatz Cross-of-Lothair-01](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/76/Aachen_Germany_Domschatz_Cross-of-Lothair-01.jpg)
Aachen Cathedral Treasury has housed, throughout its history, a collection of liturgical objects. The origin of this church treasure is in dispute as some say Charlemagne himself endowed his chapel with the original collection, while the rest were collected over time. Others say all of the objects were collected over time, from such places as Jerusalem and Constantinople.
The location of this treasury has moved over time and was unknown until the 15th century when it was located in the Matthiaskapelle (St. Matthew's Chapel) until 1873, when it was moved to the Karlskapelle (Charles' Chapel). From there it was moved to the Hungarian Chapel in 1881 and in 1931 to its present location next to the Allerseelenkapelle (Poor Souls' Chapel).
Only six of the original Carolingian Empire, Carolingian objects have remained, and of those only three are left in Aachen: the Aachen Gospels (Ada School), Aachen Gospels, a diptych of Christ, and an early Byzantine silk. The Coronation Gospels and a St. Stephen's Purse, reliquary burse of St. Stephen were moved to Vienna in 1798 and the Talisman of Charlemagne was given as a gift in 1804 to Josephine Bonaparte and subsequently to Rheims Cathedral.
210 documented pieces have been added to the treasury since its inception, typically to receive in return legitimisation of linkage to the heritage of Charlemagne. The Lothar Cross, the Gospels of Otto III and multiple additional Byzantine silks were donated by Otto III. Part of the Aachen Cathedral#Pala d'Oro, Pala d'Oro and a covering for the Aachen Gospels (Ada School), Aachen Gospels were made of gold donated by Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor, Henry II.
Frederick Barbarossa donated the candelabrum that adorns the dome and also once "crowned" the Karlsschrein, Shrine of Charlemagne, which was placed underneath in 1215. Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor, Charles IV donated a pair of reliquaries. Louis XI gave, in 1475, the crown of Margaret of York, and, in 1481, another arm reliquary of Charlemagne. Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor, Maximilian I and Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V both gave numerous works of art by Hans von Reutlingen.
Continuing the tradition, objects continued to be donated until the present, each indicative of the period of its gifting, with the last documented gift being a chalice from 1960 made by Ewald Mataré.
Rathaus
![AachenCityHallFromSouthHDR](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5f/AachenCityHallFromSouthHDR.jpg)
The Aachen Rathaus, (English: Aachen City Hall or Aachen Town Hall) dated from 1330,
lies between two central squares, the ''Markt'' (marketplace) and the ''Katschhof'' (between city hall and cathedral). The coronation hall is on the first floor of the building. Inside one can find five frescoes by the Aachen artist Alfred Rethel which show legendary scenes from the life of Charlemagne, as well as Charlemagne's signature. Also, precious replicas of the Imperial Regalia are kept here.
Since 2009, the city hall has been a station on the ''Route Charlemagne'', a tour programme by which historical sights of Aachen are presented to visitors. At the city hall, a museum exhibition explains the history and art of the building and gives a sense of the historical coronation banquets that took place there. A portrait of Napoleon from 1807 by Louis-André-Gabriel Bouchet and one of his wife Joséphine de Beauharnais, Joséphine from 1805 by Robert Lefèvre are viewable as part of the tour.
As before, the city hall is the seat of the mayor of Aachen and of the city council, and annually the Charlemagne Prize is awarded there.
Other sights
The ''Grashaus'', a late medieval house at the ''Fischmarkt'', is one of the oldest non-religious buildings in central Aachen. It hosted the city archive, and before that, the Grashaus was the city hall until the present building took over this function.
The ''Elisenbrunnen'' is one of the most famous sights of Aachen. It is a neo-classical hall covering one of the city's famous fountains. It is just a minute away from the cathedral. Just a few steps in a south-easterly direction lies the 19th-century Theater Aachen, theatre.
Also of note are two remaining city gates, the ''Ponttor'' (Pont gate), northwest of the cathedral, and the ''Marschiertor'' (marching gate), close to the central railway station. There are also a few parts of both medieval city walls left, most of them integrated into more recent buildings, but some others still visible. There are even five towers left, some of which are used for housing.
St. Michael's Church, Aachen was built as a church of the Aachen Society of Jesus, Jesuit Collegium in 1628. It is attributed to the Rhine mannerism, and a sample of a local Renaissance architecture. The rich façade remained unfinished until 1891, when the architect Peter Friedrich Peters added to it. The church is a Greek Orthodox Church, Greek Orthodox church today, but the building is used also for concerts because of its good acoustics.
The synagogue in Aachen, which was destroyed on the Night of Broken Glass (Kristallnacht), 9 November 1938, was reinaugurated on 18 May 1995. One of the contributors to the reconstructions of the synagogue was Jürgen Linden, the Lord Mayor of Aachen from 1989 to 2009.
There are numerous other notable churches and monastery, monasteries, a few remarkable 17th- and 18th-century buildings in the particular
Baroque style typical of the region, a synagogue, a collection of statues and monuments, park areas, cemeteries, among others. Among the museums in the town are the Suermondt-Ludwig Museum, which has a fine sculpture collection and the Aachen Museum of the International Press, which is dedicated to newspapers from the 16th century to the present.
[.] The area's industrial history is reflected in dozens of 19th- and early 20th-century manufacturing sites in the city.
File:Aachen Grashaus.jpg, Grashaus
File:Aachen elisenbrunnen blau.jpg, Elisenbrunnen in Aachen
File:Aachen Theatre.jpg, Aachen Theatre
File:Aachen Neues Kurhaus.jpg, Neues Kurhaus
File:CarolusThermen01.JPG, Carolus Thermen, thermal baths named after Charlemagne
Charlemagne ( , ) or Charles the Great ( la, Carolus Magnus; german: Karl der Große; 2 April 747 – 28 January 814), a member of the Carolingian dynasty, was King of the Franks from 768, King of the Lombards from 774, and the first ...
File:Aachen-SomeBoulevard.JPG, A statue commemorating David Hansemann
Economy
![Aachen Ford-Entwicklungszentrum](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/39/Aachen_Ford-Entwicklungszentrum.jpg)
Aachen is the administrative centre for the coal-mining industries in neighbouring places to the northeast.
Products manufactured in Aachen include electrical goods, textiles, foodstuffs (chocolate and candy), glass, machinery, rubber products, furniture, metal products.
Also in and around Aachen chemicals, plastics, cosmetics, and needles and pins are produced.
[.] Though once a major player in Aachen's economy, today glassware and textile production make up only 10% of total manufacturing jobs in the city.
There have been a number of spin-offs from the university's Information technology, IT technology department.
Electric vehicle manufacturing
![2016-12-10-Post Streetscooter-9409](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f7/2016-12-10-Post_Streetscooter-9409.jpg)
In June 2010, Achim Kampker, together with Günther Schuh, founded a small company to develop Street Scooter GmbH; in August 2014, it was renamed StreetScooter GmbH. This was a privately organised research initiative at the
RWTH Aachen University which later became an independent company in Aachen. Kampker was also the founder and chairman of the European Network for Affordable and Sustainable Electromobility. In May 2014, the company announced that the city of Aachen, the city council Aachen and the savings bank Aachen had ordered electric vehicles from the company. In late 2014, approximately 70 employees were manufacturing 200 vehicles annually in the premises of the Waggonfabrik Talbot, the former Talbot/Bombardier plant in Aachen.
In December 2014 Deutsche Post, Deutsche Post DHL Group purchased the StreetScooter company, which became its wholly owned subsidiary. By April 2016, the company announced that it would produce 2000 of its electric vans branded ''Work'' in Aachen by the end of the year.
In 2015, the electric vehicle start-up e.GO Mobile was founded by Günther Schuh, which started producing the e.GO Life electric passenger car and other vehicles in April 2019.
In April 2016, StreetScooter GmbH announced that it would be scaling up to manufacture approximately 10,000 of the ''Work'' vehicles annually, starting in 2017, also in Aachen. If that goal is achieved, it will become the largest electric light utility vehicle manufacturer in Europe, surpassing Renault which makes the smaller ''Renault Kangoo, Kangoo Z.E.''.
Culture
![Aachen Rosenmontag 2009](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/df/Aachen_Rosenmontag_2009.jpg)
* In 1372, Aachen became the first coin-minting city in the world to regularly place an Anno Domini date on a general circulation coin, a groschen.
* The Scotch Club in Aachen was the first discothèque in Germany, opened from 19 October 1959 until 1992. Klaus Quirini as DJ Heinrich was the first DJ ever.
* The thriving Aachen black metal scene is among the most notable in Germany, with such bands as Nagelfar, The Ruins of Beverast, Graupel and Verdunkeln.
* The local speciality of Aachen is an originally hard type of sweet bread, baked in large flat loaves, called ''
Aachener Printen
Aachener Printen are a type of Lebkuchen originating from the city of Aachen in Germany. Somewhat similar to gingerbread, they were originally sweetened with honey, but are now generally sweetened with a syrup made from sugar beets.
The term is ...
''. Unlike ''Lebkuchen'', a German form of
gingerbread sweetened with honey, ''Printen'' use a syrup made from sugar. Today, a soft version is sold under the same name which follows an entirely different recipe.
* Asteroid 274835 Aachen, discovered by amateur astronomer Erwin Schwab in 2009, was named after the city.
The official was published by the Minor Planet Center on 8 November 2019 ().
Education
![Aachen-ElegantStreet](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/20/Aachen-ElegantStreet.JPG)
RWTH Aachen, RWTH Aachen University, established as Polytechnicum in 1870, is one of German Universities Excellence Initiative, Germany's Universities of Excellence with strong emphasis on technological research, especially for electrical and mechanical engineering, computer sciences, physics, and chemistry. The university clinic attached to the RWTH, the Klinikum Aachen, is the biggest single-building hospital in Europe. Over time, a host of software and computer industries have developed around the university. It also maintains a botanical garden (the Botanischer Garten Aachen).
FH Aachen, Aachen University of Applied Sciences (AcUAS) was founded in 1971. The AcUAS offers a classic engineering education in professions such as mechatronics, construction engineering, mechanical engineering or electrical engineering. German and international students are educated in more than 20 international or foreign-oriented programmes and can acquire German as well as international degrees (Bachelor/Master) or ''Doppelabschlüsse'' (double degrees). Foreign students account for more than 21% of the student body.
The Katholische Hochschule Nordrhein-Westfalen – Abteilung Aachen (Catholic University of Applied Sciences Northrhine-Westphalia – Aachen department) offers its some 750 students a variety of degree programmes: social work, childhood education, nursing, and co-operative management. It also has the only programme of study in Germany especially designed for mothers.
The Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln (Cologne University of Music) is one of the world's foremost performing arts schools and one of the largest music institutions for higher education in Europe with one of its three campuses in Aachen. The Aachen campus substantially contributes to the Opera/Musical Theatre master's programme by collaborating with the Theater Aachen and the recently established musical theatre chair through the Rheinische Opernakademie.
The German army's Technical School (''Ausbildungszentrum Technik Landsysteme'') is in Aachen.
[.]
Sports
![Tivoli-Ost-Tribüne](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/17/Tivoli-Ost-Trib%C3%BCne.JPG)
The annual CHIO Aachen, CHIO (short for the French term ''Concours Hippique International Officiel'') is the biggest equestrianism, equestrian meeting of the world and among horsemen is considered to be as prestigious for equitation as the tournament of The Championships, Wimbledon, Wimbledon for tennis. Aachen hosted the 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games.
The local Association football, football team Alemannia Aachen had a short run in Germany's Bundesliga, first division, after its promotion in 2006. However, the team could not sustain its status and is now back in the fourth division. The stadium Old Tivoli, "Tivoli", opened in 1928, served as the venue for the team's home games and was well known for its incomparable atmosphere throughout the whole of the second division.
[.] Before the old stadium's demolition in 2011, it was used by amateurs, whilst the Bundesliga Club held its games in the new stadium "Neuer Tivoli" – meaning New Tivoli—a couple of metres down the road. The building work for the stadium which has a capacity of 32,960, began in May 2008 and was completed by the beginning of 2009.
The Ladies in Black women's volleyball team (part of the "PTSV Aachen" sports club since 2013) has played in the first German volleyball league (DVL) since 2008.
In June 2022, the local basketball club BG Aachen e.V. was promoted to the 1st regional league.
Transport
Rail
Aachen's railway station, the Aachen Central Station, Hauptbahnhof (Central Station), was constructed in 1841 for the Cologne–Aachen high-speed railway, Cologne–Aachen railway line. In 1905, it was moved closer to the city centre. It serves main lines to Cologne, Aachen–Mönchengladbach railway, Mönchengladbach and HSL 3, Liège as well as branch lines to Heerlen, Alsdorf, Stolberg (Rhineland), Stolberg and Eschweiler. Intercity-Express, ICE high speed trains from Brussels via
Cologne
Cologne ( ; german: Köln ; ksh, Kölle ) is the largest city of the German western state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and the fourth-most populous city of Germany with 1.1 million inhabitants in the city proper and 3.6 millio ...
to Frankfurt am Main and Thalys trains from Paris to Cologne also stop at Aachen Central Station. Four Regional-Express, RE lines and two Regionalbahn, RB lines connect Aachen with the Ruhrgebiet, Mönchengladbach, Spa (Belgium),
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf ( , , ; often in English sources; Low Franconian and Ripuarian: ''Düsseldörp'' ; archaic nl, Dusseldorp ) is the capital city of North Rhine-Westphalia, the most populous state of Germany. It is the second-largest city in th ...
and the Siegerland. The ''Euregiobahn'', a regional railway system, reaches several minor cities in the Aachen region.
There are four smaller stations in Aachen: ''Aachen West station, Aachen West'', ''Aachen Schanz station, Aachen Schanz'', ''Aachen-Rothe Erde station, Aachen-Rothe Erde'' and ''Eilendorf station, Eilendorf''. Slower trains stop at these. Aachen West has gained in importance with the expansion of
RWTH Aachen University.
Intercity bus stations
There are two stations for intercity bus services in Aachen: Aachen West station, in the north-west of the city, and Aachen Wilmersdorfer Straße, in the north-east.
Public transport
![OecherLongWajong1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/29/OecherLongWajong1.JPG)
The first horse tram line in Aachen opened in December 1880. After electrification in 1895, it attained a maximum length of in 1915, thus becoming the fourth-longest tram network in Germany. Many tram lines extended to the surrounding towns of Herzogenrath, Stolberg (Rheinland), Stolberg, Alsdorf as well as the Belgian and Dutch communes of Vaals, Kelmis (then ''Altenberg'') and Eupen. The Aachen tram system was linked with the Vicinal tramway, Belgian national interurban tram system. Like many tram systems in Western Europe, the Aachen tram suffered from poorly-maintained infrastructure and was so deemed unnecessary and disrupting for car drivers by local politics. On 28 September 1974, the last line 15 (Vaals–Brand) operated for one last day and was then replaced by buses. A proposal to reinstate a tram/light rail system under the name ''Campusbahn'' was dropped after a referendum.
Today, the ASEAG (''Aachener Straßenbahn und Energieversorgungs-AG'', literally "Aachen tram and power supply company") operates a bus network with 68 bus routes. Because of the location at the border, many bus routes extend to Belgium and the Netherlands. Lines 14 to Eupen, Belgium and 44 to Heerlen, Netherlands are jointly operated with Société Régionale Wallonne du Transport, Transport en Commun and Veolia Transport Nederland, respectively. ASEAG is one of the main participants in the Aachener Verkehrsverbund (AVV), a tariff association in the region. Along with ASEAG, city bus routes of Aachen are served by private contractors such as Sadar, Taeter, Schlömer, or DB Regio Bus. Line 350, which runs from
Maastricht
Maastricht ( , , ; li, Mestreech ; french: Maestricht ; es, Mastrique ) is a city and a municipality in the southeastern Netherlands. It is the capital and largest city of the province of Limburg. Maastricht is located on both sides of the ...
, also enters Aachen.
Roads
Aachen is connected to the Autobahn Bundesautobahn 4, A4 (west-east), Bundesautobahn 44, A44 (north-south) and A544 (a smaller motorway from the A4 to the ''Europaplatz'' near the city centre). There are plans to eliminate traffic jams at the Aachen road interchange.
Airport
Maastricht Aachen Airport is the main airport of Aachen and
Maastricht
Maastricht ( , , ; li, Mestreech ; french: Maestricht ; es, Mastrique ) is a city and a municipality in the southeastern Netherlands. It is the capital and largest city of the province of Limburg. Maastricht is located on both sides of the ...
. It is located around 15 nautical miles (28 km; 17 mi) northwest of Aachen. There is a shuttle-service between Aachen and the airport.
Recreational aviation is served by the (formerly military) Aachen Merzbrück Airfield.
Charlemagne Prize
![Angela Merkel, Karlspreisverleihung 2008 - 1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bd/Angela_Merkel%2C_Karlspreisverleihung_2008_-_1.jpg)
Since 1950, a committee of Aachen citizens annually awards the Charlemagne Prize (german: link=no, Karlspreis) to personalities of outstanding service to the unification of Europe. It is traditionally awarded on Ascension Day at the Aachen Rathaus, City Hall. In 2016, the Charlemagne Award was awarded to Pope Francis.
The International Charlemagne Prize of Aachen was awarded in the year 2000 to US president Bill Clinton, for his special personal contribution to co-operation with the states of Europe, for the preservation of peace, freedom, democracy and human rights in Europe, and for his support of the enlargement of the European Union. In 2004, Pope John Paul II's efforts to unite Europe were honoured with an "Extraordinary Charlemagne Medal", which was awarded for the only time ever.
Literature
Aix is the destination in Robert Browning's poem "How They Brought the Good News from Ghent to Aix", which was published in ''Dramatic Romances and Lyrics'', 1845. The poem is a first-person narrative told, in breathless galloping meter, by one of three riders; an urgent midnight errand to deliver "the news which alone could save Aix from her fate".
Notable people
Twin towns – sister cities
Aachen is Sister city, twinned with:
* Montebourg, France (1960)
* Reims, France (1967)
* Halifax, West Yorkshire, Halifax, England (1979)
* Toledo, Spain, Toledo, Spain (1985)
* Ningbo, China (1986)
* Naumburg (Saale), Naumburg, Germany (1988)
* Arlington County, Virginia, Arlington County, United States (1993)
* Kostroma, Russia (2005, suspended since March 2022)
* Sarıyer, Istanbul, Turkey (2013)
* Cape Town, South Africa (2017)
See also
* Aachen (district)
* Aachen Prison
* Aachen tram
* Aachener
* Aachener Chronik
* Aachener Bachverein
* List of mayors of Aachen
* Council of Aachen
* Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle (1668), Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle (disambiguation)
* Maastricht Aachen Airport
Notes
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External links
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{{Authority control
Aachen,
Aachen (district)
Belgium–Germany border crossings
Catholic pilgrimage sites
Cities in North Rhine-Westphalia
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Free imperial cities
Jewish German history
Matter of France
Populated places established in the 1st century
Rhineland
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