Palatine Chapel, AachenThe Palatine Chapel in Aachen is an early medieval chapel and remaining component of Charlemagne's Palace of Aachen in what is now Germany. Although the palace itself no longer exists, the chapel was preserved and now forms the central part of Aachen Cathedral. It is Aachen's major landmark and a central monument of the Carolingian Renaissance. The chapel held the remains of Charlemagne.
Carolingian architectureCarolingian architecture is the style of north European Pre-Romanesque architecture belonging to the period of the Carolingian Renaissance of the late 8th and 9th centuries, when the Carolingian dynasty dominated west European politics. It was a conscious attempt to emulate Roman architecture and to that end it borrowed heavily from Early Christian and Byzantine architecture, though there are nonetheless innovations of its own, resulting in a unique character.
Carolingian EmpireThe Carolingian Empire (800–887) was a Frankish-dominated empire in Western and Central Europe during the Early Middle Ages. It was ruled by the Carolingian dynasty, which had ruled as kings of the Franks since 751 and as kings of the Lombards in Italy from 774. In 800 Pope Leo III crowned King Charlemagne as the Roman emperor in return for political protection, disregarding the universalist claims of the weakened Byzantine Empire.
CharlemagneCharlemagne ( SHAR-lə-mayn; 2 April 748 – 28 January 814) was King of the Franks from 768, King of the Lombards from 774, and Emperor of what is now known as the Carolingian Empire from 800. He united most of Western and Central Europe and was the first recognised emperor to rule from the west after the fall of the Western Roman Empire approximately three centuries earlier.
AachenAachen is the 13th-largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia and the 27th-largest city of Germany, with around 264,000 inhabitants. It is the western-most major city in Germany, lying approximately 61 km (38 mi) west of Cologne and Bonn, directly bordering Belgium in the southwest, and the Netherlands in the northwest. The city lies in the Meuse–Rhine Euroregion and is the seat of the district of Aachen (Städteregion Aachen).
ThermaeIn ancient Rome, thermae (from Greek θερμόςthermos, "hot") and balneae (from Greek βαλανεῖονbalaneion) were facilities for bathing. Thermae usually refers to the large imperialbath complexes, while balneae were smaller-scale facilities, public or private, that existed in great numbers throughout Rome. Most Roman cities had at least one – if not many – such buildings, which were centers not only for bathing, but socializing and reading as well.
Pepin the ShortPepin the Short (Latin: Pipinus; French: Pépin le Bref; German: Pippin der Kurze; c. 714 – 24 September 768) was King of the Franks from 751 until his death in 768. He was the first Carolingian to become king. Pepin was the son of the Frankish prince Charles Martel and his wife Rotrude. Pepin's upbringing was distinguished by the ecclesiastical education he had received from the Christian monks of the Abbey Church of St. Denis, near Paris.
North Rhine-WestphaliaState in GermanyState in GermanyNorth Rhine-Westphalia or North-Rhine/Westphalia (German: Nordrhein-Westfalen), commonly shortened to NRW, is a landlocked state (Land) in Western Germany. With more than 18 million inhabitants, it is the most populous state in Germany. Apart from the city-states (Berlin, Hamburg and Bremen), it is also the most densely populated state in Germany. Covering an area of 34,084 km (13,160 sq mi), it is the fourth-largest German state by size.
Carolingian RenaissanceThe Carolingian Renaissance was the first of three medieval renaissances, a period of cultural activity in the Carolingian Empire. Charlemagne's reign led to an intellectual revival beginning in the 8th century and continuing throughout the 9th century, taking inspiration from ancient Roman and Greek culture and the Christian Roman Empire of the 4th century.
Odo of MetzOdo of Metz or Eudes of Metz (fl. c. 806 – c. 811) was a Frankish architect, maybe of possible Armenian origin, who lived in the Carolingian Empire during Charlemagne's reign. Nothing is known of Odo's life, training or education. It is possible he was of Armenian origin; the tradition may stem from a perceived association between the innovative style of his works and early Armenian churches. There is no concrete evidence of his origins, however.
GermanyCountry in EuropeGermany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Western and Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north with the Alps to the south. Its 16 constituent states have a total population of over 83 million, making it the most populous member state of the European Union (EU).
States of GermanyFirst-level administrative subdivisions of GermanyThe Federal Republic of Germany is a federation and consists of sixteen partly sovereign "states" (German: Länder, sing.Land). Of the 16 states, 13 are so-called "area-states" (Flächenländer); in these, below the level of the state government, there is a division into local authorities (counties and county-level cities) that have their own administration.
PaganismIn early Christianity, paganism (from Latin: paganus, lit. 'rustic') collectively referred to the diverse religious practices of all people who were polytheists. More specifically, it denoted anyone who did not adhere to an Abrahamic religion in the Roman Empire. The term pagan was an exonym used by Christians to distinguish themselves from those deemed outside their faith, and very few self-identified with the label.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.