Author: Stefan

The Suermondt-Ludwig-Museum (or short SLM) is the museum I liked most at Aachen and that is quite a surprise as large parts of the museum are filled with Christian art. It was founded in 1883 and is named after the entrepreneurs Barthold Suermondt and Irene & Peter Ludwig. First located in the Comphausbadstraße it can be found since 1901 at the Villa Cassalette at the street surrounding the city center and rather close to the main railway station. Within this wonderful building you can find paintings and sculptures from the 12th to the 18th century staged in a great way. A masterpiece are the many illuminated glass paintings.

Due to the special role of Aachen in history the cathedral treasury is filled with many important items, gold and jewels. It is said to be the most important religious treasury north of the Alps and contains busts of Charlemagne, the golden reliquary that was used to store is hand after canonization, his coffin (the proserpina sarcophagus) and the ferula of Saint Peter. Even if you’re not a religious person it is worth to have a look into this well-secured treasure box.

Johann Joseph Couven was an architect who created many churches, castles and villas in the area of Aachen. He was mainly working in Rococo and Baroque style and Couven was for example responsible for the redesign of the town hall building of Aachen including the market place in front and the Karlsbrunnen fountain. The Couven-Museum is located in building designed by his brother Jakob Couven: the Haus Monheim at the Hühnermarkt in the city center.

Since 1882 the Schirmfabrik Brauer was manufacturing umbrellas at Aachen. Between 1928 and 1984 the factory was located in the Jülicher Straße close to the city center. The factory building was created in New Objectivity style connected to Bauhaus, an amazing architecture including a saw-tooth roof typical for these times. And it is therefore no surprise that since 1987 the building is a protected heritage – but what to do with an historic factory that costs money to be preserved over time?

The history of Aachen is rich: from hot springs to the Romans, from the most important personality Charlemagne to the Karlspreis recipients, from the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1748 to equestrian sports. For sure a city like this has its own city museum and in this case it is named Centre Charlemagne. It was opened in 2014 at the Katschhof between the cathedral and the town hall building.