Aachen Cathedral’s core was built by Charlemagne but later additions enlarged the palatine chapel that became the coronation church of German kings. Aachen Cathedral (Aachener Dom) in western Germany is one of the oldest continuously in use buildings in Germany. The octagonal core of the church was built by Charlemagne as a Mary chapel attached … Read more
The choir of the Aachener Dom contains the shrine of Charlemagne, further relics, and magnificent Ottonian and Romanesque art. The magnificent choir area of the Aachen Cathedral in western Germany has the remains of Charlemagne (Karl der Grosse / Charles the Great) in a large gilded early 13th-century shrine (Karlsschrein). The Mary shrine (Marienschrein) from … Read more
The Aachener Domschatz is one of the most important treasuries in Europe with art related to Charlemagne, German royal coronations, liturgy, and relics. The Aachen Cathedral Treasury (Aachener Domschattz) is one of the largest and most important treasuries of medieval Christian artworks in Europe. The treasury has over a hundred works that are exhibited in … Read more
Visitors may see modern art for free in the Kunsthalle Würth Schwäbisch Hall and top medieval masterpieces in the nearby Johanniterkirche. Schwäbisch Hall, a beautiful southern German town with many half-timbered houses, a picturesque market square with a large Gothic church, and a fine town museum, surprises many visitors with the large free modern art … Read more
By Train or Car to Great Hotels and Restaurants in the Lahn Cathedral Town Fast trains and autobahns make Limburg an der Lahn with its Romanesque cathedral, magnificent medieval old town, and cheap hotels an interesting day trip or overnight stop from Cologne or Frankfurt Airport. Fast transportation links (autobahns and ICE trains) make Limburg … Read more
Notre Dame de Bayeux is an interesting Gothic cathedral with an 11th-century Norman-Romanesque core dating from the times of William the Conqueror. The Romanesque-Gothic cathedral of Bayeux is not the oldest, largest, or most impressive cathedral in France but it has a beautiful interior and a history that makes it well worth seeing. Most of … Read more
The Bayeux Tapestry is one of the greatest medieval artworks. It depicts the story of Harold, William the Conqueror, and the Norman conquest of England in 1066. One of the greatest artworks of the Middle Ages is the Bayeux Tapestry. This 70-m long embroidered cloth is a political statement par excellence. It tells the story … Read more
Schloss Thun, an authentic medieval castle, towers over the old town high above the Aare River and the Thuner See. Visiting Schloss Thun is fun. Visiting the castle requires more of a physical than mental workout with many stairs, prime views, and only a few exhibitions. The white, square castle dates from the late twelfth … Read more
The magnificent Gothic Rouen Cathedral has the tallest church spire in France and a wealth of art, history, and architectural details. Rouen Cathedral (La cathédrale primatiale Notre-Dame de l’Assomption de Rouen) is one of the most impressive Gothic churches ever built. Construction dragged on for three centuries allowing all forms of the Gothic spectrum from … Read more
The marble throne and shrine of Charlemagne in the Aachener Dom can only be seen when on a guided tour of the historic Aachen Cathedral. The marble throne of Charlemagne (Karl der Grosse / Charles the Great), where 30 German kings were crowned, can be seen only on a guided tour of the Aachener Dom … Read more