Aachen is a small town in Germany just an hour away from Maastricht so it has been on my list of days trips. Since it was on the border, it felt more like medieval Maastricht than Germany.
In the center of Aachen stands the Aachen cathedral. Of course, it was a massive gothic piece of architecture. It is one of the oldest cathedrals and built in 805 if you can comprehend how old that makes it! This cathedral was different from previous cathedrals I had visited in that on the interior walls, it was all mosaic. Beautiful gold and blue tiles covered the walls in floral patterns and scenes depicting angels. Behind the altar, huge panels of stained glass stretched to the ceiling. It was very impressive!
Behind the cathedral was the town hall building that looked like a castle. Similar to how European towns are set up, it was built as the centerpiece of a large square that hosts markets every weekend.
I enjoyed leisurely wandering the little town admiring the many fountains and monuments. There were several boutiques I perused that lined the streets. I ate lunch outside of the cathedral as a man played his accordion creating a scene straight out of a French movie.
I went on a short walk to view the Ponttor and Langer Turm, both of which were medieval landmarks and looked as if they were once a part of a castle. The Langer Turm stood high on a hill and had views looking down on the cathedral.
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