| Registration Classification | cultural heritage |
| Registration Criteria | (1),(2),(4),(6) |
| Year of registration | 1978 |
In the city of Aachen, near the Franc border, the great Frankish emperor Karl the Great is laid to rest in Aachen Cathedral. The octagonal cathedral with its magnificent cupola is famous as the site of the coronation of the Holy Roman Emperor until the 16th century.
Here, a World Heritage enthusiast explains why Aachen Cathedral is a World Heritage Site in an easy-to-understand manner. Read this and you will definitely learn more about Aachen Cathedral!
What is Aachen Cathedral?
Aachen, located in North Rhine-Westphalia near the border with France, was so beloved by Karl the Great that it became the capital of the Frankish kingdom that once ruled most of Western Europe. A chapel was built here between 793 and 813, and the emperor was buried here in 814.
The chapel is an octagonal structure covered by a dome in a “concentrated” architectural style with a perambulatory. The chapel is covered by a dome and has an octagonal structure with a perambulatory and a “concentrated” architectural style called “intensive” with a dome. A total of 30 emperors were crowned here!
Aachen Cathedral is a symbol of Karl the Great’s classical revival movement (Carolingian Renaissance), a fusion of classicist and Byzantine styles that greatly influenced subsequent European architecture. The treasury once housed the coffin of Emperor Karl the Great, a jeweled crucifix, and a bust of Karl the Great.
Chapel
The chapel was enlarged in each period, and in the 13th century a gable-roofed coffin called “Karl’s Shrine” (relic box of Karl the Great) was placed on the main altar.In the 15th century, a Gothic inner sanctuary was added, and in the 17th century, a Baroque cupola was added.
The body of Emperor Karl the Great is enshrined in the house-shaped vessel “Karl’s Shrine,” built in 1215 and featuring a golden coffin with the Holy Roman Emperor’s image also carved around it.
For what reason is Aachen Cathedral on the World Heritage List?
Aachen Cathedral was recognized for
Registration Criteria (i)
The cathedral is highly regarded as the first domed structure north of the Alps.
Registration Criteria (ii)
The Carolingian Renaissance was one of the original forms of religious architecture, which means that the cathedral shows both classical and Byzantine architectural styles.
Registration Criteria (iv)
The point is that the centralized chapel was an excellent architectural style for its time.
Registration Criteria (vi)
As the place where Karl the Great was buried, it means that the Holy Roman Emperor was crowned in Aachen until 1531.
World Heritage Mania Conclusions and Comments
As a cathedral, it is small compared to Gothic buildings such as Cologne Cathedral, which was built later, but it is wonderful that it was the first domed structure built north of the Alps.Another point of appreciation is that, as Karl the Great ruled Western Europe, he brought the architectural style of the Byzantine Empire and incorporated it into the church architecture. This was the birth of one of the church architectural styles, the “intensive style.
The fact that 30 emperors ascended to the throne in Aachen during the reign of the Holy Roman Emperor is a testament to the importance of Aachen as a place of great emperors.
*The information here is based on research conducted by a World Heritage Site enthusiast.As for the data, interpretation differs depending on the media.
