In the ancient city of Aachen, which is located at the junction of Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany, the oldest cathedral in Europe of the Middle Ages is located. Aachen Cathedral (Aachener Dom) over its long history has witnessed the coronation of 35 German kings and 14 queens. The construction of the cathedral began in 786 by order of Charlemagne.
The core of the cathedral is the Byzantine-style imperial chapel. The chapel was inspired by the Italian Basilica of San Vitale, which can be seen in octagonal shapes, golden mosaics and striped arches. The floor of the cathedral is made of marble.
The Aachen Cathedral contains the most important relics of Christianity, called "Great Relics". Among them: the underwear of the Virgin Mary, the diapers of the Infant Christ, the belt that Christ wore during the crucifixion, and the veil on which John the Baptist was beheaded. Great Relics is exhibited only once every seven years, so those who can visit Aachen Cathedral in June 2014 will be lucky.
In terms of architecture, Aachen Cathedral is a large stone building with sixteen sides. The inner hall is octagonal; it is surrounded by a circular gallery with a bronze fence. The height of the dome of the chapel is 31 meters, and the vaults of the cathedral are supported by marble columns dating back to the Carolingian era. During the divine services, the emperor and his entourage climbed the spiral staircases, laid in the thickness of the walls, to the gallery of the second tier. The western entrance is decorated with bronze doors of the 8th century, their weight is 4 tons.
The emperors of Germany were crowned on the throne in the upper gallery. Within its walls, you can see 13 stained glass windows made of colored glass. Their height is 30 meters.
The cathedral was built and completed over almost a millennium. There is a legend that in due time money for construction had to be asked from the devil in exchange for the soul of the first person who will enter the completed cathedral. But the townspeople turned out to be more cunning and let the wolf into the cathedral, and the devil in his haste did not notice the substitution.
