Centre Charlemagne, Aachen

Centre Charlemagne, Aachen

The Centre Charlemagne – Neues Stadtmuseum Aachen is the city museum, tracing the evolution of Aachen from the Neolithic era to the present day.

The Centre Charlemagne – Neues Stadtmuseum Aachen is the city museum, tracing the evolution of Aachen from the Neolithic era to the present day. It presents the history of the city according to the important eras -

• Early settlement of Aachen from 5^th century BC to 7^th century AD – traces the origins of the city as a Roman city with thermal springs, followed by Franconian rule.
• Charlemagne’s Palace and St Mary’s Church in the 8^th - 9^th century – details the Carolingian period, Charlemagne’s rein and Aachen’s rise to fame as a power centre in Europe. It focuses especially on Charlemagne, the founding father of France and Germany, who made Aachen the residence of the Carolingian monarch.
• The city of coronations from the 10^th to 16^th century when it witnessed the coronation of 42 East Franconian and Roman-German monarchs, from Otto I in 936 to Ferdinand I in 1531.
• The Baroque spa resort – In the 17^th century, it witnessed a political and economic decline due to sectarian conflicts and the loss of coronations, exacerbated by the Great Fire of 1656. It was redeveloped as a health and spa resort for the wealthy in the 18^th century.
• Dawn of the modern age in the 19^th century – as the Prussian government promoted industrial development.
• From frontline town to its progression as a European city post World War II.