Other Definitions
aachen (dest)
aachen (enc)
aachen (dict)
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Aachen Although the surviving architectural legacy of Charlemagne is small, Aachen still retains its crowning jewel, the former Palace chapel. Now the heart of the Dom, the original octagon had to be enlarged by adding the Gothic chancel to accommodate the number of pilgrims that poured in. Some original furnishings – including the great bronze doors – survived, but these are overshadowed by the additions of Charlemagne’s successors. Charlemagne’s palace once extended across the Katsch Hof, now lined with ugly modern buildings, to the site of the 14th century Rathaus, which incorporates two of the palace’s towers. Fronting the Markt, which boasts the finest of the medieval houses left in the city, its facade is lined with the figures of fifty Holy Roman Emperors. The glory of the interior is the much-restored Kaisersaal, repository of the crown jewels – in reproduction. The originals have been in Vienna since the early 19th century, when they were commandered by the Habsburgs for their new role as emperors of Austria.
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