On the Road is a weekday feature spotlighting reader photo submissions.
From the exotic to the familiar, whether you’re traveling or in your own backyard, we would love to see the world through your eyes.
Hildebrand
In the forever ago time of planning our sabbatical, I jotted down two destinations that I had yet to visit, both of which have deep historic and symbolic importance to general history and to my own research into the relationship between church and state in the Middle Ages. For different, yet strangely (or not so strangely, actually) connected reasons, Aachen, Germany and Avignon France have played vital roles in that relationship.
This post explores Aachen, most especially the Aachener Dom.
Aachen, continuously settled since circa 3000 BCE (mainly due to the hot springs), was the home base for Charlemagne and the Carolingian empire in the 8th and 9th centuries, as well as the seat of every coronation of Holy Roman Emperors as King of Germany from the beginning of the Ottonian dynasty in the 10th century until the 16th century.
Aachen was also home to a crucial part of the educational reform movement of the period called, regularly called the Carolingian Renaissance. One of the leaders of the reform movement, Alcuin of York, not only started the palace school in Aachen, and introduced monastic schools across the empire, he also made some significant changes in writing, introducing spaces between words, capital and lower-case letters, clearer handwriting, and basic punctuation.
[removed the line that was breaking the blog, added as an image in a comment below]
doable, but not fun, and any poor bastard who had the job of copying such texts would inevitably make mistakes and start to change the meaning of the texts. (Yes, sports fans, this definitely happened to Christian scriptures – something that wouldn’t get cleaned up until the humanists of the late 15th and early 16th centuries decided to go back to the earliest sources to sort out what was actually written back in the 1st and 2nd centuries.)
Construction of the central octagonal structure, known as the Palatine Chapel, began in 794 and was completed in 810. The gothic choir was added in the 14th century. The choir was needed as the Chapel was a serious pilgrimage destination because they held four major relics – Mary’s cloak, Jesus’ swaddling clothes, Jesus’ loincloth from the crucifixion, and the cloth that was used to tote around John the Baptist’s head so it could be displayed to Herod, Salome, and friends – and they desperately needed more space. Are any of these relics even remotely legit? Of course not, but they brought in a very significant stream of pilgrims (and thus income) to Aachen. These relics were given a beautiful reliquary that is impressive all on its own (likely far more impressive than the actual ‘relics’).
They used to display them outside on the main balcony above the main doors every seven years until the mid-20th century when one of the relic cloths was blown away by the wind. It was recovered, but that was the end of any such outdoor displays.
The final component of the array of architectural styles is the neo-Gothic tower erected in the 19th century. It replaced the original Carolingian tower that burned in a late 17th century fire. It is rather incongruous to see the neo-gothic tower rising from a Carolingian base.
When you see the cathedral rising out of the midst of an almost completely rebuilt city of Aachen (80% of the city was destroyed in the Battle of Aachen in the fall of 1944), you see this architectural mishmash, and it is just stunning.
Inside is no less breathtaking, though it has a bit of a reverse tardis effect, in that it feels decidedly smaller on the inside. That said, the gothic choir, with its nearly floor to ceiling stained glass (23 meters tall – the tallest stained glass in all of Europe) is absolutely worth the trip. You also find the reliquary holding the four relics and the golden sarcophagus of Charlemagne in the choir.
The Palatine Chapel reveals Charlemagne’s reverence for Byzantine architecture with its rotunda surrounded by arches. In the second story of the chapel, you finally get to see the throne on which every German king was crowned from Otto I in 961 to Ferdinand I in 1531.
This all relates to the relationship between church and state in the Middle Ages in fascinating, and possibly contradictory, ways. You see, both the church and the Carolingian ‘state’ would argue that the Carolingian period reinforced their claims to supremacy. Charlemagne argued that he was the protector of the faith, and that he was the one who essentially saved the church’s bacon. This is true, Charlemagne stepped in when the papacy was threatened by the Lombards. Thus, when Charlemagne was crowned emperor by Pope Leo III on Christmas Day in 800, Charlemagne saw the pope as essentially a vassal. Leo III, and the popes that succeeded him, saw it differently – they reasoned that since they gave the gift (the crown) they could take it away, thus they had the ultimate authority.
This disagreement raged throughout the Middle Ages – which sets us up nicely for part II, when I take a wander through the Palais des Papes in Avignon, France.
War for Ukraine Day 1,166: Drone Swarms Over Eastern Ukraine
Hildebrand
I hope you enjoy the pictures, and if you waded through the long history lesson, bless you – lol.
If anyone has questions, I’ll be happy to answer to the best of my ability.
Baud
It also breaks blogs.
Trump will probably issue an executive order outlawing these reforms.
Beautiful photos.
oldster
Wow! Amazing that it was built once, amazing that it was rebuilt after the war.
Thanks for photos and narration.
eclare
These photos are stunning. Thank you.
H.E.Wolf
Thank you for the gorgeous photos and the detailed historical and architectural explanations. The stained glass windows are breathtaking.
I have a dim memory from French class that the city of Aachen was also known as Aix-en-Provence… and an even dimmer memory that “Dom” might be a Provençal (Occitan) word?
AM in NC
Posts like this are one of the reasons I treasure this place. LOVED the history lesson and the photos – thank you!
Ramalama
I enjoyed the history and the photos. Thank you!
Trivia Man
I appreciate the context and back story to go with the pictures. Excellent entry for On The Road.
Auntie Anne
Thank you. The stained glass is incredible, and Sainte Chappelle immediately came to mind, due to the Gothic architecture.
I am also fascinated by the Carolingian architecture. I’ve never seen any, and would love to read more about it. Ditto the Charlemagne period of history. Any recommendations for books?
TKH
@H.E.Wolf: Aachen is Aix-la-Chapelle, by which it is still known and called in the francophone world.
stinger
Wonderful photos and history! Thank you!
The throne, and the steps leading up to it, are to my mind surprisingly plain. Love the shot from behind the throne — you’d *feel* like a king if you were crowned while facing out at that view, especially on a sunny day.
Though I am imagining people chasing Jesus’s loincloth as it blows away down the street!
H.E.Wolf
@TKH:
Yes, that’s what I wrote… with some polite qualifiers so that I wouldn’t come across as a know-it-all. :)
I was hoping that Hildebrand could cast some light on the etymological origins of the word “Dom”, in the context of the languages of the region of Provence. My college courses in Medieval French Literature and Romance Language Linguistics (I was a Medieval/Renaissance History major with a side interest in classical and modern Romance languages) are pretty far in the past, so I didn’t want to assert anything too positively.
H.E.Wolf
That’s a delightful mental image, and some folks probably got their 15 minutes of local fame when they caught those undercrackers!
Sheldon vogt
I had a Medieval history course in undergrad. We veered off on a gothic tangent for a few weeks, including half a day on Aachen.
i toured there two years later. The juxtaposition of the modern stained glass set in the heavy Romanesquue building is breathtaking.
(the thick walls are the polar opposite of Ste. Chapelle, whose stonework seems like lace.)
many thanks for this post!
Betty
That was a delightful tour, both photos and history lesson. I know very little about that period. I hope they a put a cushion or two on that stone throne for the occupant. Otherwise, it could get pretty uncomfortable.
Hildebrand
@H.E.Wolf: Dom is from the Latin domus – house. A church is a domus Dei, house of God. Dom is the shortened version.
Librettist
Back when the Holy Roman Church had a monopoly on T&E spend in western Europe.
Someday Donnie’s diaper will blow in the breeze outside the Precious Moments Chapel, and the pilgrims shall rejoice, and exit through the gift shop.
Albatrossity
Wonderful stuff! And gorgeous pictures. I can’t wait for the next installment!
p.a.
Great post!
H.E.Wolf
Thank you! I’ll stay tuned for the next installment of your “On the Road” postings, in hopes of finding out whether Avignon’s “Rocher des Doms” has multiple churches. (Your posts have better photos than Wikipedia!)
Kristine
Adding my appreciation to all the rest. Many thanks for the beautiful photos and history lesson. Looking forward to Part 2.
Are the reliquaries solid gold/ metal or plated? Were they always encased for protection?
Geminid
@Auntie Anne: There’s James Bryce’s The Holy Roman Empire (1871). Bryce describes the events that led to Charles’ elevation to Emperor in Chapter IV, “The Restoration of the Empire in the West;” and he describes Charles’ reign in Chapter V, “The Empire and Policy of Charles.” Then Bryce describes the Empire going downhill from there for another 900+ years, all the way to Chapter XX and 1806.
Snarki, child of Loki
Not sure how you could be in Aachen and not comment or sample the “printen”. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aachener_Printen
More famous in Germany than outside, but still.
WaterGirl
@Baud:
Text that was breaking the blog for phones is now in an image here.
Hildebrand
@Auntie Anne: Here are a few:
Rosamund McKitterick – Charlemagne: The Formation of a European Identity
Janet Nelson – King and Emperor: A New Life of Charlemagne
Costambe, Innes, MacLean – The Carolingian World (this is the text book I assigned for undergrad survey courses in the early Middle Ages).
Gabriele, Perry – Oathbreakers: The War of Brothers that Shattered an Empire and Made Medieval Europe
Hildebrand
@Snarki, child of Loki: I did indeed sample the local treat, as well as later that day drinking an exceptional dunkel.
twbrandt
The photos are gorgeous, and the history fascinating. This is a great OTR. Thanks!
Melissa M
Hey! I’ve been there! It is stunning, and this post is wonderful.
We wanted to see the crown of the Holy Roman Empire but it was on loan. Instead, they opened up the golden Charlemagne head that wears the crown and we saw Chuck’s skull!
Aachen is so very beautiful and cool!
Hildebrand
@Kristine: The reliquary is a combination of gold, silver, and gemstones. The protective cases were installed in the 20th century. It was restored not long ago.
Hildebrand
Many thanks for the gracious comments and good questions. I hope everyone enjoys the next installment.
kindness
It’s a blessing that the cathedral wasn’t blown to bits in WW II. Whom ever convinced the Nazis not to make it a communications hub/ammo bunker deserves high praise.
Hildebrand
@WaterGirl: My thanks for that!
Of course, there is something delightfully meta about the fact that such writing broke the blog just as it used to break brains. Translating Roman Latin always drove me batty.
RevRick
@Hildebrand: I recently watched the 24-part series on The Cathedral on Great Courses + streaming service. The professor explained what makes a cathedral a cathedral: it’s the place of the bishop’s seat, cathedra. Following the collapse of the western Roman Empire, it took on secular power, largely because it was the only organized power. He also explained the difference between Romanesque and Gothic. Romanesque: flat roof, rounded arches, small windows, interior decorated with mosaics and paintings, which told the Biblical stories. Gothic: pointed, vaulted roof, pointed arches, ever-growing stained glass clerestory windows, which told the Biblical stories.
I also learned new vocabulary: jamb statues, tympanum, and archibalds, which were carvings adjacent to and above the entrances. Where there were three entrances, the center told of the last judgment, the left Old Testament stories, and the right New Testament, and in the case of all those named Norte Dame, our Lady, of Mary and Jesus.
Anyway, thank you for the lovely tour of the Aachener Dom.
Hildebrand
@kindness: Indeed. The only significant damage were the stained glass windows on the long wall of the choir – they were all blown out.
There is a smaller church just across the street that was almost completely destroyed. When they rebuilt, they incorporated the only two remaining support pillars from the original.
Hildebrand
@RevRick: We spent the last two months in York, England – and every day we would leave our flat and be struck by the view of the imposing and magnificent York Minster.
Even now these edifices feel as if they create their own gravity well, everything is pulled toward them. I can only imagine what it must’ve felt like as they were being built and once construction was done.
williamrd
thanks for the nice photos and better history lesson that filled gaps in my knowledge. Speaking as a person who has visited Germany twice in my youth yet somehow drew a blank on Aachen. Your post also answered a burning question for me….why is Aachen the capital of Germany in the game Civilization 6 instead of Berlin and other cities I have heard of.
MCat
Thank you. This is fascinating. Marvelous pictures.
Elizabelle
This was really interesting. Thank you. Now I want to see Aachen. And Trier.
Cheryl from Maryland
I hope you also went to the Treasury – when I was there a decade ago, one of the greatest Carolingian books was on display open to the full page illustration of St. Mark.
Hildebrand
@Cheryl from Maryland: I didn’t get to the treasury, but they did have one of Alcuin’s instruction books on display, which was a delight to see. His clear script is such a treat to read after reading so many other medievals with their atrocious handwriting.
KRK
Love the photos and the history. Thank you so much!
stinger
@Hildebrand:
@Hildebrand:
“Dom” in Russian means house, as well. Possibly from the Latin via the spread of Christianity?
H.E.Wolf
Oh, you just propelled me back to a long-ago job in manufacturing, where I had a co-worker who was a Russian emigré. He would have loved to conduct all business in Russian. Failing that, as much business as possible.
I therefore have some very earnest phonetic vocabulary lists, including workplace-relevant words like capacitor, stockroom, machine, problem, T.G.I.F., hard work, and my favorite (and most relevant):
“Sōmō seyshi dôm” = this is a crazy house.
Ah! Good times. :)
stinger
@H.E.Wolf:
Love it!
Mike in Pasadena
Hildebrand: I read every word of your history lesson. College, where I read this history the first time, was fifty plus years ago. I needed the review. Thanks for the photos, too. I have travelled over much of Germany and France, but have not seen Aachen. Next up for me, Aachen and Avignon, though I am reluctant to take a flight with Musk’s damage to the FAA and the risk of a rest-of-my-life visit to a prison in El Salvador upon reentry to the US. Thanks for the post. Looking forward to part two. At least i think there will be a part two.
BigJimSlade
Huh, I didn’t even know I wanted to go to Aachen!
Hildebrand
@Mike in Pasadena: Yes, indeed, part two should be out soon.
Tehanu
Back in 1969 I was a member of the UCLA A Cappella Choir and we did a month-long European tour. One day our bus was driving down the road from Köln to our next stop, Luxembourg, which passed through Aachen. I was sitting with a fellow choir member who wasn’t a student — he was a law librarian — and as we drove down the lovely, green valley west of the town, I said how pretty it was, and he said, “It looked a lot different the last time I was here.” “What do you mean?” I said. He answered, “Well, it was all on fire during the Battle of the Bulge.”