Economy Car Rental Aachen City Centre

Aachen is the 13th-largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia and the 28th-largest city in Germany, with a population of about 249,000 people.

It is Germany's westernmost city, bordering Belgium and the Netherlands to the west. It is situated in the west between Maastricht (NL) and Liège (BE), and in the east between Bonn and Cologne. The Wurm River flows through the city, and Aachen, along with Mönchengladbach, is the only major German city in the Meuse drainage basin. Aachen is the administrative center of the Aachen City Region (German: Städteregion Aachen).

Aachen grew from a Roman town and spa to become Emperor Charlemagne's favourite medieval Imperial palace in the Frankish Empire, and the site where 31 Holy Roman Emperors were crowned Kings of the Germans from 936 to 1531.

The regional dialect spoken in the city is a Central Franconian, Ripuarian variation with heavy Limburgish influences from neighboring Dutch languages. Aachen, being a Rhenish city, is one of Germany's major carnival celebration centers, along with Cologne, Mainz, and Düsseldorf. Aachener Printen, a sort of gingerbread, is the city's most famous culinary specialty.

The main attractions

Charlemagne directed the construction of Aachen Cathedral. Construction began about AD 796, and it was completed around AD 798, making it the biggest cathedral north of the Alps. Odo of Metz constructed it after seeing the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna, Italy. The cathedral was expanded numerous times over the centuries, resulting in an unusual and one-of-a-kind blend of architectural styles. The Cathedral of Aachen has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Throughout its history, the Cathedral Treasury has held a collection of liturgical items. The origin of this ecclesiastical treasure is debatable, with some claiming that Charlemagne endowed his chapel with the first collection, while the remainder were accumulated through time. Others claim that the items were amassed throughout time in locations such as Jerusalem and Constantinople.

The Aachen Rathaus is located between two prominent squares, the Markt and the Katschhof (between city hall and cathedral). The coronation hall is located on the first floor of the structure. Inside, five paintings by Aachen artist Alfred Rethel depict famous episodes from Charlemagne's life, as well as Charlemagne's signature. In addition, valuable copies of the Imperial Regalia are preserved here.