Welcome
to Aachen
Discover the city
at the heart of Europe
www.aachen-emotion.de
Hello
Welcome
to Aachen
…the city that merges science,
the arts, international flair and
5,000 years of history to offer
you a positively unique quality
of life!
Archaeology Showcase Elisengarten © Jörg Hempel
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Your guide to
Aachen
A warm welcome to our wonderful city
We’ve put together this little booklet to tell you some
things you need to know about Aachen and a few
astonishing facts as well! As you’ll see, being a border
city, Aachen is a place of great European flair, and our
unique sense of history coupled with our eye to the
future is something you’ll feel and experience, and
which goes to make Aachen a very special place.
Enjoy your time in Aachen!
4
Aachen
history
Aachen
and Europe
Aachen
academic
> Page 6
> Page 10
> Page 14
Aachen
means business
Aachen
culture
Aachen
lifestyle
> Page 18
> Page 22
> Page 26
Aachen
typical
Aachen
perspectives
Aachen
emotion
> Page 30
> Page 34
> Page 38
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Learn
about
Aachen
Aachen
history
Aachen Cathedral – The view from Katschhof square © Jörg Hempel
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Route
Charlemagne
It all started with Charlemagne
Super C
Super C
Newspaper Museum
Zeitungsmuseum
Aachen existed well before Charlemagne’s time – indeed, as you’ll see on a stroll
round the Archaeology Showcase on the Elisenbrunnen lawn, the Celts and the
Romans appreciated our thermal springs greatly. But it was the emperor Charlemagne who first made Aachen a place of historical significance. He made it his
favourite imperial residence, the first capital of his European empire.
Still bearing spiritual witness to this great past is the Church of St Mary, built by
the Emperor Charlemagne and better known as Aachen Cathedral. Here you’ll find
his imperial throne, and it was here that numerous medieval kings were crowned.
Aachen’s historic City Hall, built on the foundations of the Carolingian Royal Hall,
is a powerful reminder of Aachen’s past as a seat of worldly power.
Leaving the cathedral aside, nothing combines Aachen’s history with its present
and future more visibly than the International Charlemagne Prize whose award
ceremony on Ascension Day each year draws royalty, heads of state and key
academic kings together in Aachen. The event deliberately addresses the future
of Europe, seeking joint answers to 21st century issues.
City Hall
Rathaus
Couven Museum
Couven-Museum
Elisenbrunnen
Elisenbrunnen
Centre
Charlemagne
Centre Charlemagne
Cathedral
Dom
Grashaus
Grashaus
The “Centre Charlemagne – New Aachen City Museum” is the starting point at the
centre of the Route Charlemagne, a marked pedestrian route past all the city’s key
landmarks and buildings – a veritable history tour on foot, with each stop explaining a
different aspect of Aachen’s past and present.
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Living the
European
ideal
Aachen
and Europe
Statue of Charlemagne on the fountain outside Aachen City Hall © Andreas Herrmann
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Where Europe’s
at home
In Aachen, Europe is more than a political issue
The city is rooted firmly in the region where Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands
all come together and with the EU administrative capital of Brussels just next door.
Living, working, studying, shopping and enjoying life in three countries – this is
everyday reality in Aachen!
Living side-by-side in this corner of Europe is reflected not just in our lifestyle, but
also in the collaborative institution of what is known as the Meuse & Rhineland
Euregio: in caring for climate and environment, in art and culture, education,
science and the economy. Three countries with three languages and five regional
cultures: Europe is at home in Aachen.
Amsterdam
229 km
London
455 km
Antwerp
141 km
Brussels
145 km
50° 46‘ 34
‘‘‚ N
006° 5‘ 3‘‘‚
E
Maastricht
39 km
Liège
54 km
Berlin
540 km
Düsseldorf
70 km
Cologne
65 km
Aachen
Luxembourg
150 km
Frankfurt
200 km
Paris
412 km
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Research
Aachen
Aachen
academic
IPT Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology © Andreas Herrmann
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Excellent R&D
and teaching
RWTH Aachen University, a centre of excellence in teaching and research,
Aachen University of Applied Sciences, the University Hospital, the Jülich
Research Centre and research institutes and R&D facilities run by major
international businesses are centres of excellence in scientific creativity,
technological innovation and social progress.
But it’s not just in science and engineering that Aachen trains the specialists of the
future: the NRW Catholic University and the College of Music and Dance are also
well known for their outstanding practical teaching.
10,000
350 million
fresh university graduates each year, trained
to top standards, are the cornerstone
driving innovation and economic activity
in the region.
euros are attracted by RWTH Aachen
University each year for R&D and teaching
purposes – the highest third-party funding
tally in Germany.
1 Aachener in 2
2 billion
works in a sunrise industry. One in 5 is
a student here.
euros of capital investment, 800,000 square
metres of space, 19 R&D clusters and
10,000 guaranteed jobs make the RWTH
Aachen Campus one of the largest and
most innovative university development
projects in Europe.
RWTH Aachen Campus is being created as an additional hot-spot, and inter
national marketplace for research, development and teaching. More than 120
companies are already involved in RWTH Aachen Campus. Innovative, close
to industry and interdisciplinary – in Aachen R&D is looking to the future.
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Aachen
business
Aachen
means business
The AachenMünchener office building © Tobias C. G. Hahn
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High-Tech Region
Aachen
As a university city, Aachen’s research and development credentials also
benefit the local economy: knowledge-based business acumen in action is
one of the trademarks of the high-tech region in and around Aachen.
This outstanding interdisciplinary R&D capability is put to excellent use in collaboration between universities and the local business economy through a whole range
of forums, networks and assistance for business start-ups, creating a climate in
Aachen and the entire “Euregio” area that spurs people on to world-class discoveries and inventions.
Leading-edge
Cross-border
High-tech knowledge is exploited in five
key competence areas: automotive technology, information and communications
equipment, life sciences, innovative
materials and production technology.
The Avantis Business Park unites the
superb features of the Netherlands and
Germany as places to do business: 250
acres with flexible plot sizes for industrial,
logistics, trade and service sector.
Start-ups
Innovative
Over 2,000 new businesses are registered
with Aachen City Council each year.
Over one in ten people in research and
development in North-Rhine Westphalia
work within the Aachen Chamber of Trade
& Industry area.
Leading-edge companies like Ford, Philips, Microsoft, Babor, FEV, Saint-Gobain
Sekurit and StreetScooter GmbH all have good reason to be based here. The sweeter
side of Aachen also parades its wares to the outside world with products from
Lambertz, Lindt and Zentis.
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Experience
Aachen
Aachen
culture
Hubbard Street 2 at the 2010 Pacemaker Festival © Stefan Schröder
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Aachen culture
crosses frontiers
The arts are: children’s voices on Katschhof square, puppeteers on
Münsterplatz, Lessing in Aachen Theatre.
Aachen lives and breathes the arts. Indoors and out, loudly, quietly, appreciatively, delightfully, internationally and even daringly. Chorales in churches, the
summer Kurpark Classix in the Stadtpark, the coordinated museum all-nighters,
alternative theatre in cellars, rock, jazz and big bands at the open-air September Special – there’s something for everyone!
The Ludwig Forum exhibits contemporary art – as well as cinema entertainment,
readings and workshops… The Suermondt Ludwig Museum transports you back
to a bygone age of images. The Schrittmacher Festival is a cult event where
avant-garde dancers strut their stuff and rap in a former factory building, and
our symphony orchestra is one of NRW’s top ensembles. across the borders:
artists, performers and musicians from all over the world make the entire city
centre their stage. Aachen’s buzzing with culture.
So let the show begin!
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1
1825
The city has UNESCO world heritage
status: in 1978 Aachen Cathedral was
the first German building to feature on
the UNESCO list. The cathedral treasury
(Schatzkammer) is world-class.
was the date the theatre opened on
Theaterplatz square. It’s been staging
opera, dance, drama and concert
events ever since.
6
3
There are 6 museums in Aachen. Featuring Andy Warhol, Rembrandt, an old
pharmacy, a Carolingian child’s coffin and
contraband goods.
celebrity conductors: Herbert von Karajan
and Wolfgang Sawallisch did their stints
here. Now we have Kazem Abdullah, and
audiences love him. A classical class act!
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Enjoy
Aachen
Aachen
lifestyle
Courtyard with reconstructed Roman arcades © Gilbert Kuhnert
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Where people really
know how to live
The allure of Aachen: its international flair and warm welcome are unique!
The historical city centre built around the Cathedral and City Hall exudes a Mediterranean charm: this is somewhere life is lived out of doors. The picturesque old
town is just asking to be explored on foot, with its fountains and rows of narrow
buildings housing the shops – some small and select, others loud and proud –
that make up Aachen’s city centre.
Enjoy some cultural diversity in a sushi bar or a Spanish, Indian, Chinese or
Turkish eatery – Aachen doesn’t just have a legendary pub scene, it also offers
ideal food for every occasion and taste.
Aachen is green: a paradise for joggers, walkers, cyclists and roller-skaters. This
is a place you can relax in – just like in the Carolus Spa Baths which carry on the
great tradition of taking the waters in Aachen.
Aachen’s somewhere people really know how to live. See for yourself!
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Sociable
Bike-friendly
Big-screen live transmission events,
stag parties or a beer with a few friends
– Aachen has countless pubs, cafés,
restaurants and discos. Enjoy your
evening!
Aachen has over 330 km of cycle paths,
cycle lanes and pathways where cycling
is permitted.
Family-friendly
Idyllic
Aachen is investing 20 million euros in
21 brand new day-care centres for children. We want the under-threes to love
being here too!
Measuring over 550 acres, Aachen Forest
is one of the city’s major recreational
spaces. It lies approximately 3.7 km
south of the city centre and offers
100 km of pathways.
29
Know
Aachen
Aachen
typical
Jumping scene at the CHIO riding tournament © Holger Schupp
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Printen, parties,
“Au Banan”
Au Banan
The Klenkes
Oche Alaaf
Hot springs
is an exclamation in local dialect made
famous by the Aachen satirist Wendelin
Haverkamp as an expression of astonishment.
has for generations been the way
Aacheners greet each other at home
and abroad by raising the little finger
on the right hand. This has its roots in
Aachen former pin manufacturing industry
where the little finger was used to flick
away rejects.
is the traditional cry of carnival-goers in
Aachen (known as “Oche” in local dialect). Aacheners show great dedication
and style when it comes to celebrating
carnival!
74°C is the temperature of the thermal
springs – four times that of the average
Aachen summer. Over 30 hot springs
gave “Aachen Spa” its name as well as
its tradition of health cures and “taking
the waters”.
Aachen Printen
CHIO
Öcher Bend
Alemannia Aachen
are the “national cookies” of Aachen – a
mouth-watering gingerbread mixed with
honey and spices – often associated with
Christmas but enjoyed by Aacheners and
their guests throughout the year.
The “Concours Hippique International
Officiel” is the world-famous international
horse-riding and horse-drawn carriage
tournament held in Aachen each year.
It goes back to 1924 and draws over
350,000 visitors to the city.
is the name of Aachen’s big funfair
held each spring and summer.
is Aachen’s biggest soccer club going back
100+ years and which, truth be told, has
had its fair share of ups and downs. All
the more reason for a loyal fan base: so
get yourself a black-and-yellow scarf and
join us at the Tivoli stadium!
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See
Aachen
Aachen
perspectives
Aachen panorama by night © davis – Fotolia.com
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Did you
know?
66,000
85.7 km
800
160
Aacheners are involved in tertiary education, i.e. they teach, study or work at one
of the city’s four universities and colleges.
One in five Aacheners is a student, and
our 56,000 students keep the city young
and vibrant.
is the length of Aachen’s city border.
Over half of it borders Belgium and the
Netherlands. That means: to go around
Aachen once takes longer to Liège and
back. Or to Maastricht three times over.
This is Euregio!
was the year when work finished on the
central cupola of Aachen Cathedral. The
cathedral itself was the first German site
to be added to the UNESCO world heritage
list and is today the key landmark of our
imperial city and its European history. It
also forms the very heart of the old town.
nationalities make up the population of
Aachen. Indeed, one in six Aacheners
carries a foreign passport. International
collaborations, businesses, training units,
awards and, not least, wonderful international cuisine all ensure that Aacheners
live and love diversity. Vive la différence!
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Feel
Aachen
Aachen
emotion
Mosaics in Aachen Cathedral’s Carolingian octagon © Andreas Herrmann
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A declaration of love
for Aachen
Which mechanical engineer lives in the zoo? How did Charlemagne get into
outer space? What’s the “international dish” of Aacheners? And how do they
greet each other?
aachen-emotion.de
Discover the city’s heartbeat.
Find the answers to these and many other questions about Aachen and its
inhabitants online at www.aachen-emotion.de, the site that shows you what
makes Aachen tick! Discover the legends and the legendary, hear how the City
Hall glockenspiel sounds, dive into a carnival mêlée or read why international
academics fell in love with the city.
We’ll open the door on Aachen city life – one click and you’ll be right in there!
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