Aachen Cathedral

Aachener Dom (Aachen Cathedral) is one of the best-preserved buildings from the Carolingian era. The Church of St. Mary of Charlemagne is considered an architectural masterpiece that combines Western and Eastern Roman architectural traditions. The central rotunda (octagon) is believed to have been built in about 10 years, starting in 798 (+/- 5 years). This building, the final resting place of Charlemagne, serves as a coronation church for Roman-German kings, a European pilgrimage church, and the cathedral of the Diocese of Aachen, and continues to serve both ecclesiastical functions and historical traditions to this day. It is the first cultural site in Germany to be listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1978.