Charlemagne, the first Holy Roman Emperor and King of the Franks, died in the year 814. A few years before his death, Charles ordered his friend, adviser and biographer Eyngardu build a magnificent palace with a chapel. Eyngard chose to implement the plan of the architect Odo of Metz, and in 805, the chapel was consecrated. It was there that was buried Charlemagne, and there is a reliquary with the relics of him to this day.

Simple in terms Chapel is a high octagonal hall with a lower shestnadtsatigrannikom. Arches lined with alternating bands of colored stone. The walls of the chapel are decorated with ancient mosaics and ended with a simple conical roof. In the XVII century it was replaced by a high dome with a lantern. From the ceiling hangs a chandelier forged a crown, a gift presentation to the cathedral Frederick Barbarossa. A museum at the cathedral treasury is kept medieval cast statue of the Virgin Mary extraordinary beauty.

Palace Chapel has received the status of the cathedral in the IX century. It went down in history as a place of coronation of German kings. The chapel is preserved a large throne, according to legend, belonged to Charlemagne. Emperor Henry II gave the XI century cathedral bronze chair, inlaid with ivory.

Aachen Cathedral is not the traditional Romanesque architecture or cruciform basilica plan. Capella is its core. In the XIV century to the east of the chapel choir it was built in the Gothic style altar. Thirteen huge 25-meter-long window of the choir, separated by slender buttresses, occupy most of the walls and cover the cathedral. They contrast with the small round windows of the chapel. Subsequently there were other chapels, a variety of styles and sizes. Clearly visible steep slopes of the roof of the choir, built in the XIV century, and the dome of the XVII century, crowned by the chapel. Pyramidal spire, significantly different in style, was built later.