Aachen Town Hall

Construction began in 1330 on top of the foundation walls of the Aula Regia, part of the derelict Palace of Aachen, built during the Carolingian dynasty.

[1] Since 1380, the entrance of "Emperor's stairs" (Kaisertreppe), which connected the subterranean levels to the Coronation Hall, was adorned by the limestone relief of the Three Kings and a depiction of the Adoration of the Magi.

[4] From 1727 to 1732 the Chief Architect of Aachen, Johann Joseph Couven, led a fundamental baroque remodeling of the structure, especially of the front façade and entry steps.

Under the guidance and patronage of the 19th century Chief Architect Friedrich Joseph Ark, the building was rebuilt in a neogothic style preserving its original Gothic elements.

Starting from a fire in the Johann Peter Joseph Monheim Drug and Material Warehouse at 26 Antonius Street (Antoniusstraße), flames first spread when cinder from the roof landed on the Granus Tower and set it ablaze.

[5] Within four hours the roof and both towers of the City Hall were aflame, as were a large number of surrounding houses on the south side of the Market.

In 1895, the sculptures depicting the Knight Gerhard Chorus and Johann von Punt (Aachen's mayor from 1372 to 1385) were reinstalled in the bay windows on the back side of City Hall while the eight shields depicting the coat of arms of medieval nobility (Margarten, Berensberg, Roide, Hasselholz, Surse, Wilde, Joh Chorus, and Zevel) were remade in the spandrels.

The restoration took 18 years to complete (finished in 1902) after the unveiling of the Rathaus took place with the presence of Kaiser Wilhelm II, Emperor of Germany, on 19 June 1902.

[6] During the World War II, Aachen City Hall was heavily damaged by bombing raids, especially those occurring on 14 July 1943 and 11 April 1944.

With the help of Professor Josef Pirlet, the dilapidated north façade was reinforced with steel and tension bars, and in 1946, the building’s roof was repaired by using makeshift sheets of zinc.

The arches on the ground floor were again closed for repairs in 1950, and the reconstruction of the Emperor Hall was largely completed by 1953, with the configuration of the room following in the next few years.

At the city hall, a museum exhibition explains the history and art of the building and gives a sense of the historical coronation banquets that took place in the past.

The second museum is dedicated to Charlemagne and his era – offering visitors a deep dive into life during this significant period in European history.