The Aachen Cathedral was among the first twelve entries in the WH list in 1978 and was the first German WHS. This is justified because of the historical and architectural significance.

Charlemagne wanted to create a Christian empire north of the Alps in succession of the Roman Empire. He built his palace in Aachen, at the place where today the City Hall is. His Palatine Chapel, the famous octagon, is the core of the Aachen Cathedral. It is considered the oldest (and for a long time the largest) vaulted building north of the Alps. But the Carolingian structure is not visible from the outside, it is covered by a striking Baroque dome (that reminds of a lemon squeezer) and surrounded by a ring of Gothic chapels. The Gothic choir hall, the Baroque dome and the tower of the westwork dominate the unusual outer appearance of the cathedral. However, I liked that mixture of architectural styles, certainly there is no cathedral with a similar shape.

The interior of the octagon is stunning: the massive columns, the high arches of the upper gallery, the huge copper chandelier. And also the mosaics of the dome and in the aisle harmonize with the whole ensemble, though they are relatively new. They were made in the late 19th Century based on medieval motifs. But also parts of the Carolingian artwork have been preserved: the ancient marble columns in the arches of the upper gallery (some of them are in the Louvre), the bronze gratings, and the bronze entrance doors which are decorated with lion heads.

Admission to the cathedral is free (only one Euro donation for taking pictures), but I recommend to take a guided tour. You can walk in the choir hall and have a closer look at the Shrine of Charlemagne. I was impressed by the architecture of the choir hall, it consists almost entirely of glass windows. And you can visit the gallery with the throne of Charlemagne. The throne is simple and plain, decorations are entirely absent (photo). It is made of marble slabs which came from Jerusalem and have been dated to the year 800. Charlemagne, however, was not crowned on the throne, but after him Aachen was the coronation place of German monarchs for about 600 years.

The Aachen Cathedral and the nearby Cologne cathedral are the most important religious buildings in Germany, but they are different in almost every respect: the size, the historical significance, the architectural style, and the appearance of the surrounding square.

Aachen is a charming city, the university (with some interesting modern architecture) is close to the old town and ensures a good night life. There is also a interesting museum of modern art (Ludwig Forum) in a former factory building designed in the Bauhaus style.