Mid-Week Skiving
I can’t remember exactly why I decided that skipping out on a day in the library to go to Aachen was better than waiting to the weekend, since there wasn’t any rugby to watch at the weekend (I’ve found an Irish pub in Cologne that shows rugby, and I’m very excited about the possibility of seeing the autumn internationals – or I was until practically the entire England squad ended up in the hospital). I suspect it was to do with the weathe – that I decided that I didn’t see the point in day-tripping in the rain, and so picked the first not-rainy day to go hop on the train.
Aachen is a wee city (well, wee-er than Cologne) near the border, and it is where Charlemagne had his palace. It’s busy developing a Charlemagne trail at the moment, which could be fun. I mostly wanted to see the cathedral (which is home to Charlemagne’s throne) and go spa-ing. I also fancied seeing the cathedral treasury, but in the end I passed up on it to go spa-ing, on the theory that I would be going back to Aachen, hopefully with the brilliant @Sunsetmog if she can make it out here, and could go to the Treasury then. In the end result, I probably should have gone to the Treasury instead, spa-ing was fine, but just not quite as unwinding as it should have been, due to – well, cultural differences/personal hang-ups. I just don’t do mixed nekkid saunaing. I find this not relaxing. I also like my spa-baths to be not two flights of stairs away from my saunas. Carolus Thermen is big and swish and all, but it’s actually too big for my tastes. Well now I know – next time I will go for Mediaeval Treasures.
The Cathedral was Made of Awesome, though. FYI, the Treasury is open from 10am and the cathedral from 11am (there are services before, so you can pop in, but not really tourist). Also, if you want to see Charlemagne’s throne, which is up in the gallery, you have to take a tour. It’s about €3 and it also takes you into the cathedral Choir, which is otherwise gated off, so it’s worth it – even in German. I did the German tour in the morning, ‘cos I wanted to go to the Spa, but there’s an English one at 2pm nowadays, which is a Good Thing, ‘cos I’m pretty sure, based on what I gleaned, that the tour guides are good and interesting.
It’s just the most gorgeous building. If you come at it from the train station you sort of fall upon it, set in a wee square, all soaring lines and architectural wonder. Then you go round a corner and find yourself in the small square in front of the cathedral. The other side of the cathedral faces onto a large square between the cathedral and the Rathaus, but it’s a bit empty and not as nice. Basically, the cathedral’s in two bits. There’s the older two tier octagon, which
Charlemagne’s original chapel, and which is a masterpiece of mosaic bling, and is home to the throne (a very simple set of marble blocks bound together, with a view down to the altar. Then there’s the the later, gothic choir, which flies up straight and narrow, and seems to be made of stained glass windows (which were restored after the war). It really is the original definition of awesome. There was definitely awe involved as I stood with my neck craned looking up at the ceilings and windows. Although it’s relatively small, it’s definitely one of the loveliest cathedrals I’ve been in – and I’ve now been in a fairly large number of European cathedrals.
Finally, in Aachen, there was Printen. Nom nom nom nom nom. Printen is Aachen’s own special kind of lebkuchen (german gingerbread) – a spicy, chewy biscuit, with crunchy rock candy bits. It comes in all shapes and sizes, and coatings – sugar glaze, chocolate, chocolate with bits – and it’s NUMMY. I came home with a stash at it.
Tags: Aachen, day trips, germany, photos, Travel