⛪ Aachen Cathedral
Charlemagne's imperial chapel and coronation church
📋 Fast Facts
- Founded by Emperor Charlemagne in the late 8th century; he was buried here in 814
- UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1978 — one of the first sites inscribed on the list
- Served as coronation church for 31 German kings and 12 queens (936–1531)
- Core structure is an octagonal Palatine Chapel, a masterpiece of Carolingian architecture
Aachen Cathedral, known in German as the Aachener Dom, is a Roman Catholic cathedral and the seat of the Diocese of Aachen. Built under Emperor Charlemagne's orders in the late 8th century, it represents one of the finest examples of Carolingian architecture and remains a landmark of medieval European ecclesiastical and political history. The cathedral has functioned continuously as a place of worship, coronation, and pilgrimage for over 1,200 years ...