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The ancient
Imperial City of Aachen (Aix-la-Chapelle) is a Cathedral
city and spa in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia,
Germany. It is located at the frontier where Germany,
Belgium, and the Netherlands meet. It has been visited for
its thermal springs since Roman times, and the spa
facilities continue today. Aachen is inseparably connected
with Charlemagne, Holy Roman Emperor from 800, who selected
this spot as the center of his vast Frankish empire. The
14th-century town hall (Rathus), containing the Hall of the
Emperors, is built on the site of Charlemagne's palace.
Two treaties of peace were concluded at Aachen during the
seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.
By the
first, dated 2 May 1668, Louis XIV was compelled, by the
Triple Alliance between England, the Netherlands, and
Sweden, to abandon the war against the Spanish
Netherlands, to restore the Franche Comte, which he had
conquered, and to content himself with twelve Flemish
fortresses.
The second treaty, dated 18 October, 1748, put an end to
the War of the Austrian Succession and resolved some
North American issues between England and France . In
1793 and 1794, Aachen was occupied by the French,
incorporated with the French Republic in 1798 and 1802,
and made the capital of the Department of the Roer. In
1815 Aachen became Prussian territory.
The congress
or conference of Aix-la-Chapelle, held in the autumn of
1818, was primarily a meeting of the four allied powers
-Great Britain, Austria, Prussia and Russia - to decide the
question of the withdrawal of the army of occupation from
France and the nature of the modifications to be introduced
in consequence into the relations of the four powers towards
each other, and collectively towards France.
A great example of Byzantine architecture, the Aachen
Cathedral was built by Emperor Charlemagne of the Holy Roman
Empire. Charlemagne himself had overseen the construction
work, until it finally complied with his wishes. What they
actually had built was a palace for him, of which now only
the church remains.
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During the 14th
and 15th centuries new features such as the choir were added
to the church, in the then fashionable Gothic style. More
additions followed in the following centuries, the 74 meters
high tower as recent as 1884. Obviously, this permanent (re)construction
of the Cathedral lead to a mixture of styles.
The cathedral, in which Charlemagne is buried, has a Gothic
choir, completed in 1414. The Palatine chapel dates from the
9th century.
This Palatine
chapel, with its octagonal basilica and cupola, has long
been regarded as one of the greatest achievements in
Cathedral construction. Originally inspired by eastern
churches of the Roman Empire, splendid facings were added
during the course of the Middle Ages.
Charlemagne's relics are exhibited to the public every seven
years there was an exhibition in 2000. The Holy Roman
Emperors were crowned here from 813 until 1531. Charlemagne
died in 814, and was buried in his own Cathedral. His bones
are still preserved in the Shrine of Charles. |
In World War II, Aachen was the first German city to be
taken by the Allies when it was captured by the US 1st Army
in October 1944 a large part of the city was destroyed and
has since been rebuilt.
Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia tells us that “Today the city
is an important railroad junction and industrial and
convention center. The major manufactures include machinery,
processed food, marzipan, chocolate, gingerbread, railroad
equipment, and textiles. Aachen produces about 20 percent of
Germany's woolen products”.
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Copyright © June 2004, All Rights Reserved
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