I had the immense privilege of visiting this most wondrous achievement two weeks ago, after a business trip to Hamburg from Luxembourg. On my way back, I’ve decided that I must visit Charlemagne, being the history buff that I am. Thus, I took the train all the way from Hamburg, stopping briefly in Dortmund, to finally arrive at Aachen. I also took the liberty of reading as much as I can, during the trip. Freshening up my knowledge about Charlemagne, his times, his dynasty, and Cathedral, before I got there. Lo and behold, I get there, and I run into an elderly American gentleman, 97 years of age, who was a GI, 79 years ago, with the 1st American Army’s 9th Infantry Division, that took part in the Battle of Aachen, in October of 1944, forty-five years prior to my birth. You’d think I was fortunate enough already, to be there on my 34th birthday of all days. But no, fate had another treat in store for me. He and I, spent the next three hours devouring every bit of the cathedral, discussing history, politics, sociology, economy, religion, art, architecture, engineering, music, literature, and philosophy, in the process, throughout our tour of this magnificent monument. Two random strangers, 63 years apart, one from North America, the other from West Asia, bonding over all that is superbly human. How lucky can one guy be?! 😁😅
Thank you, for making this wonderful production, and making it accessible for us all. I’ve taken the liberty of emailing the link, to the American gentleman in-question, as well. If I may, how can one support the Cathedral? It seems they always welcome donations from the public, including from overseas, I hope!
@@khalidalali186 You're welcome. 😊 If you are interested in more detailed information on the Aachener Dom, especially about the architecture, drop me a Iine (it's in the chan,neI info). I have some interesting documents and photos from archives and books, that are hard to find, but I don't want to post them online. 😉
The immeasurable beauty of Europes landscapes, cathedrals and castle's, architecture and it's people truly amazes me. I've been binging out on European history for awhile now and everything about Europe deeply fascinates me. Sadly, I'm American that's never left the country. Fortunately I'm only 30 so there's plenty of time. I pray that i get to step foot on Europe and see as much of it as i can before i die. The same way Asians, Africans, Middle Easters etc. get that deep desire to see the lands from which their ancestors originate is the aame way i feel about Europe. God bless Europe and it's people ❤
Glad you liked the documentary! We appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts with our community and we hope that one day your dream will come true.
Aachen was the home of my ancestors, and I have visited it several times. Each time I found myself in awe of the historical sites that have lasted for a thousand years ... reconstructed, of course, but still retaining some of their original integrity. I have enjoyed walking along the cobblestone paths, and, of course, sampled the famous "Aachener Printen"! I keep hoping that I can make one more trip ... !
Even on my old reserve mono phone, the acoustics here shows to be.. well, divine. I used to play organ semi-professionally (organist in 4-5 churches, only one of which had an actual traditional windpipe organ). IMO it as a king of instruments, at least as the keyboards go, independent of one's beliefs. Also playing it for a parish is much harder than it looks, effort and skill required is on another level. Respect for that piece i wouldn't dare touching without months of practice. It's been so long since i left service, can't remember if i've heard it before (i'm not academically trained organist, did it since still in 7-class parralel music school for 5-6 years). And of course, choir and solist is pure perfection, as expected for churches with maximally long tradition. Music is only medium what can convey both emotion and a state of mind universially, particulary the spiritual classics. If you accept tuning yourself into it, without resistance, it has no borders. To few unsatisfied commentators here: you can criticise church (i'm not Catholic), relics, history, the powers etc., but this doc doesn't lie or ommit even the things you claim to be emmitted. Whatch it till the end before commenting about it. Anyway, you can't cram all history, architecture, symbolisms and meanings into one take of over 1200+ years of endurance. Would love to hear more about the symbols used in Aachen, especially the original ones now missing, if there's a record of them.
This is such a fabulous video. The combination of Frankish, German, Lombard elements on top of Roman remains. What European symbolism and Catholic tradition.
Thanks DW! I needed this Journey Through Time when it seems that all the world is on fire. Tricking the Devil is a dangerous business and not for the faint hearted, for the Devil collects receipts.
I enjoyed the video reminding me of my visit in 1992 by way of the "snail" train from Maaschricht. It was my only visit to Germany ever, but even though a few miles from the Netherlands it was a totally different world from the Dutch. I was always fascinated by Charlemagne, and this is his lasting architectural triumph. In 1992 there was a large number of older German visitors to see the cathedral, and I always thought that was because of the recent reunification of Germany and the fact that they finally were able to come to one of the most significant sites in the formation of German identity and culture. Truly worthy of UNESCO recognition and a wonder of survival of over a millennium!
Charlemagne would have highly loved to be the one, who continues the Roman empire, but he did not dare to call himself Roman emperor and his realm Roman empire because he knew fairly well, that the Roman empire is still existing. He knew that his sole opportunity to gain this title legitimately was to marry the Roman empress Eirene, who ruled the Roman empire in his time, but she refused. Thus the dream to get the title of a Roman emperor which begun his father Pippin was finally completed by Otto I and especially by Otto III roughly 200 years later. One of the main steps to legitimize the title of a Roman emperor, according to the imagination of Otto I, was the marriage of his son Otto II to the Roman princess Theophano.
Looks there was also quite an influence on the Octagon from the Hagia Sofia in Constantinople/Istanbul. Especially the black-white blocking in the arches is very striking.
Espectacular...!!! Sumamente interesante por esto DW es el número 1...una petición POR FAVOR podrían transmitirlo en Español para compartir con amigos que no hablan Inglés.. GRACIAS ❤😊
Thank you for watching. The documentary has not been translated by our colleagues from the Spanish team yet. But we will let them know that there is great interest. We kindly ask our viewers on this channel, though, to engage with topics in English so that both DW and the community have the chance to respond. For further information, please refer to DW's netiquette policy: p.dw.com/p/MF1G Thanks for watching!
@@DWHistoryandCulture regarding the Aachen Cathedral and comments in Spanish, TH-cam always offers translations on the spot, so there is no real problem, I feel.
that is a very common tale. Sometimes it is a dog, or another animal, in places as diverse as houses and bridges. It is quite weird, because Medieval people did not believe animals had souls. Yet they used them to outwit him? Also I was sitting here waiting for someone to say that it is clearly Muslim inspired! The geometric thing, the dome, those arches. Hagia Sofia? The Mosque in Cordoba? Why will this channel never acknowledge anything non Catholic? It ruins what could be a good documentary. I gave up when it went God Bothering
@hogwashmcturnip8930 Actually I don't know that your assertion that the Medieval mind did not have souls is correct. In the history of English law animals have been put on trial for murder, and subsequently found guilty and hanged.
@@thomasgeddes4817 That has absolutely Nothing to do with whether they considered the animal had a soul or not. In fact they debated for centuries whether women did. The current Catholic church has come up with some unsatisfactory fence sitting where animals and plant Do have souls, but they are Different- ie - 'lesser souls' - so we can still treat them like shit and wreck the planet! Gotta Love Dem Catholics. And by the way, I think you will find it was France that Hanged animals The only case I know of in the UK was a probably fictitious one involving a monkey. And that was during the Napoleonic wars. There are NONE recorded at any point in UK history. .
Very informative documentary on the Cathedral of Aachen. I had visited the Cathedral a few years back and I wanted to see the Cathedral (805) built by the King of the Salient Franks (modern day France, Germany, Belgium, Netherland, Luxembourg, Switzerland, & Northern Italy) who briefly unified a significant portion of Western Europe after the fall of Rome. His achievement gave Western Europe a brief Renaissance in the middle of the Dark Ages. I am a little disappointed to hear that the Prussian Kings redecorated the interior of Aachen Cathedral (destroying the original mosaic) in the 19th century. The gold tiles and marble covering put in place during the 19th century. If you visit Germany you will see the Prussian Kings building many monuments throughout Germany aligning themselves with Medieval Germanic Kings and Knights. If you visit the Monument to the Battle of Nations at Leipzig you will see stone monuments to Medieval Armored Knights and not to the soldiers of the early 18th century who actually fought at the Battle of Nations. One cannot deny the Prussian Kings linking themselves with a glorious conquering past. Trying to convince the German people to be loyal to the King & his Junkers, and to follow them without question. Napoleon was a general driven by conquest. But let us not forget that 1789 the Parisians stormed the Bastille and started the French Revolution. In 1792 France was invaded by the armies of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Holy Roman Empire. The Habsburg are a family of Austrian Holy Roman Emperors who married into every single Royal Family in Europe. The Monarchs of Europe will never tolerate a French Republic. A State founded on representative government elected by the people. At the time Napoleon only commanded a single cannon artillery unit. Yes Napoleon conquered Europe. But the absolute Monarchs of Europe will never stop fighting until the ideas of the French Revolution were defeated. The next time you talk to American Veterans of WWII remember that Adolf Hitler's Nazi Germany was the remnant of an archaic absolute power that needed to end.
The ideals of the French Revolution, Liberte, equalite, and fraternite, are principles grounded in Freemasonry, which was and continues to be at loggerheads with the Catholic Church. It was, with good reason, that Catholic Monarchs, including the Papacy, could not comply with Freemasonry, since one of its surviving goals, is the destruction of the single biggest impediment standing in its way, which is the Catholic Church. This is a story that has not ended, but will be resolved.
I had the pleasure of visiting Aachen Dom earlier this year. This video helped refresh, clarify and add to that trip. If I recall correctly, the chandelier was donated by Frederick Barbarossa. Such history influencing Europe over the millenia!
Even if it takes secular organizations to preserve the beautiful churches in Germany, gut! Now, let’s get faithful clergy in Germany to preserve the faith itself.
Roman columns were brought from Italy to build this cathedral, raised not only as a symbol of Charlemagne's power and Christian devotion. Aachen Cathedral seems to have been conceived as an architectural negation of the Germanic world filled with the cult of Wôdan and the other gods that the Emperor suppressed with extreme violence. The stones of Aachen Cathedral were cemented with the blood of the worshipers of the ancient gods of the people who fought and defeated Varus' legions in the Battle of Theotoburg. In the world created by Charlemagne there was no space for celebrating the heroism of the Cherusci led by Arminius. Modern Germans try to worship the memory of both, which is a curious and funny paradox because there can be no peace between wolves from packs as different as those of Charlemagne and Arminius.
Modern Germans need not resort to psuedo pagan rites and "worshipping" pagan heroes. They need to get right back with God, and stop busying themselves with globalist ideology and empty secularism while they are incrementally and gradually being displaced, and usurped by the very forces that Charlemagne would never have allowed to set foot in his realm.
The Cherusci don't play a big role during Charlemange, if they still existed. It would be better to mention Windukind and the Saxons, the last tribe that followed the old religion.
Thank you for this very educational and visually stunning video. I'd very much like to visit but given how much of a carbon footprint it takes for me to get from Hawai'i to anywhere...I'll be relying on videos like this to "travel" the world and learn so much history. Mahalo.
Interesting. Aachen Cathedral is often shown as one or two photos in general history or art books, so the details of this presentation are appreciated. What happened to the original windows?
Thank you! We're glad you liked the documentary. Currently, we don't have a documentary about another cathedrals planned, but subscribe to our channel so you won't miss it if we do.
I seem to recall hearing a report of seismic activity in the vicinity of Aachen while at work about 23 years ago. One reason I remember is that we were hosting a customer from Belgium at the time and I got into a discussion with him about how the shaking was even felt around his home area.
I actually remember that. I grew up not 30km to the east of Aachen and was a young teen at the time. Which means, it must have been more like 30 years ago. Is that possible? It was the one and only time, I witnessed an earthquake. It was quite disconcerting. Although I moved away in 2000, so maybe there was another one afterwards.
@@tiffytattoo2450 I looked it up and apparently earthquakes are quite common in this area! Much more so, then one would think, living here. We get several a year, in fact. It's just that most are below the strength, that humans notice. There was a biggy in 1992 at night. That's probably the one, I remember. It was a 6 on the Richter scale and caused quite a bit of damage.
@@raraavis7782 thinking about it I might have confused it with a solar eclipse... that was vormittags ^^ I was very firm in being wrong xD I was born in 92, so I won't remember this earthquake. Although I somehow remember one...
As a person who loves to embroider. I would love to look at all of those donated fabric items, the old dresses and vestments etc, even though I have no religious affiliation.
Yes, after the city had to be evacuated, youth volunteers saved the cathedral several times by putting out fires with buckets and wet brooms while climbing through the wooden structure, even while air raids were taking place.
Hi Eddy, great vid, as per usual, Iove the new style, i'm also a twin, and a Gemini, but can't say me & my twin sister were particularly close, she always said i was the milkman's, she was born 5 to midnight, and i was 5 past, she would always say she was a day older, until we got old haha. I do recall being in agony for a few days with stomach pains, and then found out she'd had a painfree birth, which was about the same time my pain stopped. Anyway Eddy I love reading the comments, and it's funny because i notice the same people who like to dish the dirt always appear, most on here love your vids, but the nasty stuff becomes quite vicious. In fact it's starting to look a bit suspect to me, just my opinion mind, a bit like " shut up, let it go, move on " Very suspicious me thinks. I've always wondered why people who live local just accepted the outcome after the inquest. Something is not adding up, all them phone calls in a short space of time, because a dog was off it's lead. Cheers Eddy, hater's will hate, don't take the bait.
I find it curious that we humans are fascinated by empire builders from long ago, with no negative connotations,, but despise those modern empire builders (or cravers) such as h.tler or putler, or the other ones that come to mind.
there was no Charlemagne. His name was Karl (latinized Karolus). And thats what all historic artifacts, texts and btw, also all other languages still today are refering to. Charles' is a later localized name by the French - English copy-pasted that. Thats ok for superficial usage but not for a historic context. Here its just wrong. And only people who are aware about that even can start to ask why for instance Karls name was Karl and his brothers name was 'Karlmann'. People who use the wrong naming even dont notice this tradition which already was used before with former brothers from that dynasty.
I seem to remember a certain miniature German (“Schrumpfgermane”) asking the crowds “Do you want Total War??” and the answer was a resounding “Jaaaa!”. That probably has something to do with the bombing.
I disagree. It is LIVING history-proof that it has been in constant USE by PPL (and not a museum piece-hidden away, behind glass)…. ANY occupied structure will be modified by succeeding generations, to suit changing tastes….(The only structures that are unaltered & “frozen in time” are those not in use : palaces & pyramids )
The building story of this cathedral lacks complete logic. In a time of limited resources, limited engineers, limited transportation , and during a time of wars and famine… your telling me they constructed this building 🤣🤣🤣 see how ridiculous you sound? Then one must remember that all kinds of castles were being erected around these years all across Europe. Give me a break!! Most structures are simply repurposed from another era of time.
@@DWHistoryandCulture Sure. Since animals don['t have souls, sending a wolf - or any animal, for that matter - thru the doors of the church is meaningless. The devil is still entitled to the soul of the first person entering, since only humans have souls Just out of curiosity, how much did the good people of Aachen sell a soul to the devil for?? I wonder how much I can get for mine. I don't expect it would be much.
Well. It was 1200 years ago. Are you sure, that particular dogma had already been established back then? The Church kinda made up its rules along the way, after all. And there were enough fundamental disagreements, that Christianity split into different opposing factions not once, but twice, in the process. You would have to be very well versed in medieval theology to make any such claim with absolute certainty 😉 But seriously though...this wasn't exactly in the heart of Christendom. You gotta make some concessions to them heathens.
ANY DOCUMENTS THAT SHOWS HOW PEOPLE BUILD THAT HUGE BUILDING IN 8-9 AD CENTURY .🤔AS I REMEMBER LERNING IN SCHOOL THAT PERIOD IN EU HISTORY IS KNOWN AS DARK AGE WITH NO ADVENCE TEHNOLOGY .TO BUILD SOMTETHING GRANDIOSE LIKE THAT KATIDRAL YOU DEFINITELY NEED ADVENCE TEHNOLOGY . SO IN MY OPINION THAT KATIDRAL IS MUCH MUCH MUCH OLDER OR MEDIEVAL PERIOD WAS NOT HOW WE BEEN TOLD BY OURE HISTORY TEACHERS .⁉️ SOMETHING DOESN’T MATCH ‼️
You are absolutely correct. The narrative of Europe falling into some kind of absolute darkness is blown out of proportion. The "dark ages" are an outdated concept. The professor of history Beatrice de Bo from the university of Milan wrote a book about it. The concept of the dark ages was invented during the Renaissance by early historians that wanted to distance themselves from the past. The truth is more nuanced. The fall of the Roman empire did have a negative impact on culture, science and art. A lot more people were unable to read for example, but the "dark ages" weren't as dark as people believed in the past. People made new discoveries (you can see advances in metallurgy in the material record), but at a slower pace than during the Roman times. Hygiene wasn't as available. There was no large political entity that could build new magnificent Roman roads. People had to use a lot of energy to hold on to the existing knowledge and construction that might have been lost by the Roman Empire falling. Aachen Cathedral is a good example of people holding on to the knowledge of the Romans. That's why it tries to connect to the (Western) Roman Empire by using material from Rome and Ravena and also alludes to the Byzantines (also known as the Eastern Roman Empire) in style. It's notable because it manages to bring some of the glory of Rome north, across the Alps.
Thanks for commenting. The Carolingians is the dynastic name derived from Charles Martel for the ruling family of the West Germanic Franks, who held the kingship in the Frankish Empire starting from 751. Its most famous representative was Charlemagne, from whom the later Carolingian rulers descended. So, the Carolingians are Franks and rulers of the Franks.
@@DWHistoryandCulture demographic changes based on statistical trajectories of the last ten years along with the clearly stated goals of that demographic. It’s not rocket science but I might be off by 5 or so years with the date
@@Inge-99 I do. That’s why I’m being honest. People are offended by the truth these days. It’s about time the European people show some pride and self esteem as you call it and stop the slow invasion of peoples who are destroying Europe
Thanks for pointing that out. In fact, many artists do not adhere to historical facts when depicting kings and emperors. This might fall under artistic freedom.
Thanks for commenting. It's true that Charlemagne, who lived in the 9th century, certainly did not bear a coat of arms with the Fleur-de-lis, as it became a symbol of the French monarchy in the Middle Ages. Charlemagne ruled over the region that is now France, which is why artists like Albrecht Dürer depicted him with the Fleur-de-lis, even though - strictly speaking - that's not historically accurate. But that might fall under artistic license. Just a small note: you are welcome to freely express your opinions here, and we value different perspectives that lead to interesting discussions. However, we kindly ask to maintain a respectful attitude in your critique.
didn't Jesus preach about poverty, what's up with all that gold and jewels. I guess that's why they need to pass that collection basket around. hypocrites
Jesus didn't criticize the temples (1st and 2nd) in Jerusalem which was built for the glory of God! In fact, God commanded Solomon to build the first temple.
The money that was wasted in order to serve an imaginary entity (god) is amazing. It only goes to show how gullible human kind is. Though buildings like that are a sign of humankinds talent ingenuity and craftsmanship it should have been used elsewhere more useful
It's an unforgettable building, ever since I first saw it, it became my favourite German church. It's a combination of several architectural styles, that's what makes it so interesting.
Exactly! And those 3 architectural styles enhance each other rather than detract from them! I think that is where the external beauty of the edifice rests, from a visual point of view. As for the interior, each of the 3 distinctive styles offers its own glimpse into history!
This is one of the most beautiful and impressive buildings in the world. The style of the Carolingian is everywhere apparent. Anything surviving form this period is extremely rare. The decent from the Italian Byzantine is remarkable. Good historical piece and documentation. .
…It is ….simply breathtaking. An almost superhuman achievement.…The Cathedral DESERVES the very rare privilege of being designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
@@reggiecordial Yes, that is true. We do have a shortage of medical staff. 😷😟 - Well, actually we have a shortage of skilled workers in many areas. 🙄 I have friends from Sorsogon City living in Aachen. So depending on what you have learnt, there are lots of opportunities to work here 😉 ✌️😄
I visited this site in 1999. Superb ! People say --Aachen was the first capital of the Medieval "European Union ".Greetings from Lietuva/Litauen., Kaunas.
What a wonderful video, with so much history and beautiful photography. The drone footage adds so much to my memory of the place. I was fortunate to visit the Cathedral in early June of 2007, during one of the pilgrimages. We saw the dress of the Virgin, and the other relics on display at the time. In the line to enter, I saw several Eastern Orthodox priests in their traditional dress, and met a lovely woman from Madrid (I don't speak German, but coming from Southern California, it was treat to speak Spanish with someone.) The careful tradition of changing the vestments of the statue of the Virgin and Child made me smile. I love historic fabrics, and am so pleased to see this extensive collection preserved. The ultimate form of 'repurposing'. I will definitely be watching more of your videos.
if nothing else, the hoar-frosted trees and the dusting of snow, were perfect for the filming of this. as for the building lasting into eternity? one day it *will be* filled, at least figuratively, with sand. despite our best efforts
My great uncle served in WW2. (My father took extensive notes while speaking to him at the very end of his life, dying of pancreatic cancer after a lifetime of PTSD.) He had two tanks blown out from under him during the battle of Aachen. The first time, all the crew survived and he left the field hospital (without permission) and returned to his unit a few days later. In the second tank he was the only one of the crew to survive. He was taken to the hospital in Liege just before it was buzz-bombed. He survived that as well and was taken to Birmingham England and medically discharged. If I am ever able to afford to visit Europe (unlikely) I will visit Aachen for that reason.
@DWHistoryandCulture This music footage from Aachen is apparently from a liturgical ceremony celebrated throughout the world at midnight on Holy Saturday -the Easter Vigil. Regarding Transcript (excerpted): 9:28 [Music] 9:57 Charlemagne is said to have attended Services here several times a day. 10:03 [Music] 10:08 [Music] I’m hoping that your transcript can be amended to designate the composer? (& soloist name?from the choir) of the sacred music portrayed in your wonderful documentary.
Although it should be said that until relatively recently no girl would have sung liturgically as it the music would have been sung by men and boys and it does seem curious that so much of the music was French rather than any of the composers of the Imperial chapel.
C'est vraiment très beau. Je conseille de visiter Aix-la-Chapelle également au moment du marché de Noël et de s'acheter des Printen, les délicieux biscuits.
The most beautiful thing is the community of love for the cathedral that has formed around it. Generation after generation, volunteering, giving and caring. So so BEAUTIFUL ❤❤❤ Thank-you
![What Makes Strasbourg Cathedral An Architectural Masterpiece? [4K] | Extreme Constructions | Spark](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/be-HPwzL-wc/mqdefault.jpg)
I had the immense privilege of visiting this most wondrous achievement two weeks ago, after a business trip to Hamburg from Luxembourg. On my way back, I’ve decided that I must visit Charlemagne, being the history buff that I am. Thus, I took the train all the way from Hamburg, stopping briefly in Dortmund, to finally arrive at Aachen. I also took the liberty of reading as much as I can, during the trip. Freshening up my knowledge about Charlemagne, his times, his dynasty, and Cathedral, before I got there.
Lo and behold, I get there, and I run into an elderly American gentleman, 97 years of age, who was a GI, 79 years ago, with the 1st American Army’s 9th Infantry Division, that took part in the Battle of Aachen, in October of 1944, forty-five years prior to my birth.
You’d think I was fortunate enough already, to be there on my 34th birthday of all days. But no, fate had another treat in store for me. He and I, spent the next three hours devouring every bit of the cathedral, discussing history, politics, sociology, economy, religion, art, architecture, engineering, music, literature, and philosophy, in the process, throughout our tour of this magnificent monument. Two random strangers, 63 years apart, one from North America, the other from West Asia, bonding over all that is superbly human.
How lucky can one guy be?! 😁😅
Thanks for sharing! We appreciate you taking the time to share your experiences with our community.
Thank you, for making this wonderful production, and making it accessible for us all. I’ve taken the liberty of emailing the link, to the American gentleman in-question, as well.
If I may, how can one support the Cathedral?
It seems they always welcome donations from the public, including from overseas, I hope!
@@khalidalali186The Aachen Cathedral Association is called "Karlsverein", literally Charles' Association.
What a legend! Thanks dude!
@@khalidalali186 You're welcome. 😊 If you are interested in more detailed information on the Aachener Dom, especially about the architecture, drop me a Iine (it's in the chan,neI info). I have some interesting documents and photos from archives and books, that are hard to find, but I don't want to post them online. 😉
The immeasurable beauty of Europes landscapes, cathedrals and castle's, architecture and it's people truly amazes me. I've been binging out on European history for awhile now and everything about Europe deeply fascinates me. Sadly, I'm American that's never left the country. Fortunately I'm only 30 so there's plenty of time. I pray that i get to step foot on Europe and see as much of it as i can before i die.
The same way Asians, Africans, Middle Easters etc. get that deep desire to see the lands from which their ancestors originate is the aame way i feel about Europe. God bless Europe and it's people ❤
Glad you liked the documentary! We appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts with our community and we hope that one day your dream will come true.
I knew Aachen cathedral and the brief history of Charlemagne because of Age of Empires II game. DW really showcases its beauty in this documentary
Made a pilgrimage myself in 1996, this video does not even begin to show the beauty of the Dom!
Excellent. Love watching documentaries like this.
Thanks for your comment! We're glad you liked it :)
Aachen was the home of my ancestors, and I have visited it several times. Each time I found myself in awe of the historical sites that have lasted for a thousand years ... reconstructed, of course, but still retaining some of their original integrity. I have enjoyed walking along the cobblestone paths, and, of course, sampled the famous "Aachener Printen"! I keep hoping that I can make one more trip ... !
Thanks for sharing these personal memories with us and our community!
You will. Have faith.
Even on my old reserve mono phone, the acoustics here shows to be.. well, divine. I used to play organ semi-professionally (organist in 4-5 churches, only one of which had an actual traditional windpipe organ). IMO it as a king of instruments, at least as the keyboards go, independent of one's beliefs. Also playing it for a parish is much harder than it looks, effort and skill required is on another level. Respect for that piece i wouldn't dare touching without months of practice. It's been so long since i left service, can't remember if i've heard it before (i'm not academically trained organist, did it since still in 7-class parralel music school for 5-6 years). And of course, choir and solist is pure perfection, as expected for churches with maximally long tradition.
Music is only medium what can convey both emotion and a state of mind universially, particulary the spiritual classics. If you accept tuning yourself into it, without resistance, it has no borders.
To few unsatisfied commentators here: you can criticise church (i'm not Catholic), relics, history, the powers etc., but this doc doesn't lie or ommit even the things you claim to be emmitted. Whatch it till the end before commenting about it. Anyway, you can't cram all history, architecture, symbolisms and meanings into one take of over 1200+ years of endurance. Would love to hear more about the symbols used in Aachen, especially the original ones now missing, if there's a record of them.
Thanks for sharing your perspective and your experiences as organ player with us and our community!
This is such a fabulous video. The combination of Frankish, German, Lombard elements on top of Roman remains. What European symbolism and Catholic tradition.
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Thanks DW! I needed this Journey Through Time when it seems that all the world is on fire. Tricking the Devil is a dangerous business and not for the faint hearted, for the Devil collects receipts.
I enjoyed the video reminding me of my visit in 1992 by way of the "snail" train from Maaschricht. It was my only visit to Germany ever, but even though a few miles from the Netherlands it was a totally different world from the Dutch. I was always fascinated by Charlemagne, and this is his lasting architectural triumph. In 1992 there was a large number of older German visitors to see the cathedral, and I always thought that was because of the recent reunification of Germany and the fact that they finally were able to come to one of the most significant sites in the formation of German identity and culture. Truly worthy of UNESCO recognition and a wonder of survival of over a millennium!
Thank you for sharing! We appreciate you taking the time to share your experiences with our community.
FYI for non Catholic:The opening scene where the cathedral is dark and there is a fire is the Easter Virgil.🎉
Visited September 2023. Went o a guided tour but so much were left out. Love the documentary.
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Lovely documentary. It blurs the line between culture, technology and art. It retain its timeless beauty
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Charlemagne would have highly loved to be the one, who continues the Roman empire, but he did not dare to call himself Roman emperor and his realm Roman empire because he knew fairly well, that the Roman empire is still existing. He knew that his sole opportunity to gain this title legitimately was to marry the Roman empress Eirene, who ruled the Roman empire in his time, but she refused. Thus the dream to get the title of a Roman emperor which begun his father Pippin was finally completed by Otto I and especially by Otto III roughly 200 years later. One of the main steps to legitimize the title of a Roman emperor, according to the imagination of Otto I, was the marriage of his son Otto II to the Roman princess Theophano.
Loved It guys!, A big thanks to the Team of DW History & Culture!😍
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I had never heard of Aachen Cathedral before. Thank you, DW History and Culture!
Loved building 11 ... the baptism .... which has a plack erected 300 years ago with a pyramid and the "all seeing eye"!
Looks there was also quite an influence on the Octagon from the Hagia Sofia in Constantinople/Istanbul. Especially the black-white blocking in the arches is very striking.
Thank you for sharing your observations!
San Vitale in Ravenna was the blueprint for Charlemagne`s Chapel.
Espectacular...!!! Sumamente interesante por esto DW es el número 1...una petición POR FAVOR podrían transmitirlo en Español para compartir con amigos que no hablan Inglés.. GRACIAS ❤😊
Thank you for watching. The documentary has not been translated by our colleagues from the Spanish team yet. But we will let them know that there is great interest. We kindly ask our viewers on this channel, though, to engage with topics in English so that both DW and the community have the chance to respond. For further information, please refer to DW's netiquette policy: p.dw.com/p/MF1G Thanks for watching!
@@DWHistoryandCulture regarding the Aachen Cathedral and comments in Spanish, TH-cam always offers translations on the spot, so there is no real problem, I feel.
Outstanding!
Wow, what an amazing piece of history 👏 😍
I love these documentaries -Thank you from emerald isle!☘
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That poor Wolf!
that is a very common tale. Sometimes it is a dog, or another animal, in places as diverse as houses and bridges. It is quite weird, because Medieval people did not believe animals had souls. Yet they used them to outwit him? Also I was sitting here waiting for someone to say that it is clearly Muslim inspired! The geometric thing, the dome, those arches. Hagia Sofia? The Mosque in Cordoba? Why will this channel never acknowledge anything non Catholic? It ruins what could be a good documentary. I gave up when it went God Bothering
@hogwashmcturnip8930
Actually I don't know that your assertion that the Medieval mind did not have souls is correct. In the history of English law animals have been put on trial for murder, and subsequently found guilty and hanged.
@@thomasgeddes4817 That has absolutely Nothing to do with whether they considered the animal had a soul or not. In fact they debated for centuries whether women did. The current Catholic church has come up with some unsatisfactory fence sitting where animals and plant Do have souls, but they are Different- ie - 'lesser souls' - so we can still treat them like shit and wreck the planet! Gotta Love Dem Catholics. And by the way, I think you will find it was France that Hanged animals The only case I know of in the UK was a probably fictitious one involving a monkey. And that was during the Napoleonic wars. There are NONE recorded at any point in UK history. .
This IS the wolf that ate the duck and harassed Peter's bird friend, we're talking about, right?!
Very informative documentary on the Cathedral of Aachen. I had visited the Cathedral a few years back and I wanted to see the Cathedral (805) built by the King of the Salient Franks (modern day France, Germany, Belgium, Netherland, Luxembourg, Switzerland, & Northern Italy) who briefly unified a significant portion of Western Europe after the fall of Rome. His achievement gave Western Europe a brief Renaissance in the middle of the Dark Ages. I am a little disappointed to hear that the Prussian Kings redecorated the interior of Aachen Cathedral (destroying the original mosaic) in the 19th century. The gold tiles and marble covering put in place during the 19th century. If you visit Germany you will see the Prussian Kings building many monuments throughout Germany aligning themselves with Medieval Germanic Kings and Knights. If you visit the Monument to the Battle of Nations at Leipzig you will see stone monuments to Medieval Armored Knights and not to the soldiers of the early 18th century who actually fought at the Battle of Nations. One cannot deny the Prussian Kings linking themselves with a glorious conquering past. Trying to convince the German people to be loyal to the King & his Junkers, and to follow them without question. Napoleon was a general driven by conquest. But let us not forget that 1789 the Parisians stormed the Bastille and started the French Revolution. In 1792 France was invaded by the armies of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Holy Roman Empire. The Habsburg are a family of Austrian Holy Roman Emperors who married into every single Royal Family in Europe. The Monarchs of Europe will never tolerate a French Republic. A State founded on representative government elected by the people. At the time Napoleon only commanded a single cannon artillery unit. Yes Napoleon conquered Europe. But the absolute Monarchs of Europe will never stop fighting until the ideas of the French Revolution were defeated. The next time you talk to American Veterans of WWII remember that Adolf Hitler's Nazi Germany was the remnant of an archaic absolute power that needed to end.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experiences.
The ideals of the French Revolution, Liberte, equalite, and fraternite, are principles grounded in Freemasonry, which was and continues to be at loggerheads with the Catholic Church. It was, with good reason, that Catholic Monarchs, including the Papacy, could not comply with Freemasonry, since one of its surviving goals, is the destruction of the single biggest impediment standing in its way, which is the Catholic Church. This is a story that has not ended, but will be resolved.
Wonderfully stirring opening music - English pastoralism at its most robust!
Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment.
I had the pleasure of visiting Aachen Dom earlier this year. This video helped refresh, clarify and add to that trip. If I recall correctly, the chandelier was donated by Frederick Barbarossa. Such history influencing Europe over the millenia!
Even if it takes secular organizations to preserve the beautiful churches in Germany, gut! Now, let’s get faithful clergy in Germany to preserve the faith itself.
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@@DWHistoryandCulture Thank you for your video!!
I was there during the time of the reinturnment achen cathedral dominated the whole area it was one of the nicest of my German visit
Thanks for sharing!
The cathedral was constructed across a span of hundreds of years ... The early construction is very different from the more recent construction
sehr interessant
Roman columns were brought from Italy to build this cathedral, raised not only as a symbol of Charlemagne's power and Christian devotion. Aachen Cathedral seems to have been conceived as an architectural negation of the Germanic world filled with the cult of Wôdan and the other gods that the Emperor suppressed with extreme violence. The stones of Aachen Cathedral were cemented with the blood of the worshipers of the ancient gods of the people who fought and defeated Varus' legions in the Battle of Theotoburg. In the world created by Charlemagne there was no space for celebrating the heroism of the Cherusci led by Arminius. Modern Germans try to worship the memory of both, which is a curious and funny paradox because there can be no peace between wolves from packs as different as those of Charlemagne and Arminius.
Lol. Modern Germans don't worship at all. Especially not some dusty old ghosts from the past.
Omg. That’s a bit of gruesome trivia?
@@cmataira Are you able to explain your question in an erudite and non-trivial way?
Modern Germans need not resort to psuedo pagan rites and "worshipping" pagan heroes. They need to get right back with God, and stop busying themselves with globalist ideology and empty secularism while they are incrementally and gradually being displaced, and usurped by the very forces that Charlemagne would never have allowed to set foot in his realm.
The Cherusci don't play a big role during Charlemange, if they still existed. It would be better to mention Windukind and the Saxons, the last tribe that followed the old religion.
Correction:
I had said the organ piece was Messiaen.
No, my bad. It is by Tournemire.
I have been able to trace my family all the way back to Charlemagnes court!
Thanks for sharing some of your family history with us and our community!
DANKE❤
Beautiful ❤️
Thank you for this very educational and visually stunning video. I'd very much like to visit but given how much of a carbon footprint it takes for me to get from Hawai'i to anywhere...I'll be relying on videos like this to "travel" the world and learn so much history. Mahalo.
Interesting. Aachen Cathedral is often shown as one or two photos in general history or art books, so the details of this presentation are appreciated. What happened to the original windows?
maybe the windows were taken by british soldiers as they did with the cathedral of Cologne.
A great movie! Will there be more films about other cathedrals?
Thank you! We're glad you liked the documentary. Currently, we don't have a documentary about another cathedrals planned, but subscribe to our channel so you won't miss it if we do.
I seem to recall hearing a report of seismic activity in the vicinity of Aachen while at work about 23 years ago. One reason I remember is that we were hosting a customer from Belgium at the time and I got into a discussion with him about how the shaking was even felt around his home area.
Thank you very much for sharing your personal experience with us. Sending you all the best
I actually remember that.
I grew up not 30km to the east of Aachen and was a young teen at the time. Which means, it must have been more like 30 years ago. Is that possible? It was the one and only time, I witnessed an earthquake. It was quite disconcerting.
Although I moved away in 2000, so maybe there was another one afterwards.
I remember this, I was in elementary school, so it must have been 1998-2002, I think more 90s, and it was "vormittags", around 8-12am...
@@tiffytattoo2450 I looked it up and apparently earthquakes are quite common in this area! Much more so, then one would think, living here. We get several a year, in fact. It's just that most are below the strength, that humans notice.
There was a biggy in 1992 at night. That's probably the one, I remember. It was a 6 on the Richter scale and caused quite a bit of damage.
@@raraavis7782 thinking about it I might have confused it with a solar eclipse... that was vormittags ^^ I was very firm in being wrong xD
I was born in 92, so I won't remember this earthquake. Although I somehow remember one...
As a person who loves to embroider. I would love to look at all of those donated fabric items, the old dresses and vestments etc, even though I have no religious affiliation.
Beautiful!
Such a beautiful voice that young German girl has!
This survived the war?
Yes, after the city had to be evacuated, youth volunteers saved the cathedral several times by putting out fires with buckets and wet brooms while climbing through the wooden structure, even while air raids were taking place.
@pookyac42 wow, thank you. I learned something new and wonderful.
Hi Eddy, great vid, as per usual, Iove the new style, i'm also a twin, and a Gemini, but can't say me & my twin sister were particularly close, she always said i was the milkman's, she was born 5 to midnight, and i was 5 past, she would always say she was a day older, until we got old haha. I do recall being in agony for a few days with stomach pains, and then found out she'd had a painfree birth, which was about the same time my pain stopped. Anyway Eddy I love reading the comments, and it's funny because i notice the same people who like to dish the dirt always appear, most on here love your vids, but the nasty stuff becomes quite vicious. In fact it's starting to look a bit suspect to me, just my opinion mind, a bit like " shut up, let it go, move on " Very suspicious me thinks. I've always wondered why people who live local just accepted the outcome after the inquest. Something is not adding up, all them phone calls in a short space of time, because a dog was off it's lead. Cheers Eddy, hater's will hate, don't take the bait.
Hi, it seems like you might have posted under the wrong video.
I always build this to get to tier 2
Magestic
Aachen had to be rebuilt in the 50s. Wish they discussed that
What for?
@@a.r.stellmacher8709 Destroyed in 1944-1945
Cuándo estará disponible este documental en español??
Soon, hopefully :)
Is this docu available in spanish❔
Thank you for watching. The documentary has not been translated by our colleagues from the Spanish team yet.
You can get the captions in Spanish. Turn on captions, then turn on auto translate, then select Spanish
@@DWHistoryandCulture Thanks❗
Was für eine Schönheit
Aachen was the first city of note in Germany to be widely destroyed by the allies in late WWII during its conquest.
I find it curious that we humans are fascinated by empire builders from long ago, with no negative connotations,, but despise those modern empire builders (or cravers) such as h.tler or putler, or the other ones that come to mind.
We tend to give the Ancients far more latitude than the Moderns
Not including the US in your comment, is a glaring mistake. The US may not fancy itself, an, " empire builder," yet behaves as one.
good
A beautiful building created by true craftsmen; a place of prayer and faith. As for the relics of the Virgin and the baby Jesus - don't be ridiculous.
I love Köln Cathedral first.... And this is the 2nd
Thanks for sharing!
there was no Charlemagne. His name was Karl (latinized Karolus). And thats what all historic artifacts, texts and btw, also all other languages still today are refering to. Charles' is a later localized name by the French - English copy-pasted that. Thats ok for superficial usage but not for a historic context. Here its just wrong. And only people who are aware about that even can start to ask why for instance Karls name was Karl and his brothers name was 'Karlmann'. People who use the wrong naming even dont notice this tradition which already was used before with former brothers from that dynasty.
Hi @publicminx, thank you for that input 😊
The Americans and Brits bombed all our medieval cities to the ground
I seem to remember a certain miniature German (“Schrumpfgermane”) asking the crowds “Do you want Total War??” and the answer was a resounding “Jaaaa!”. That probably has something to do with the bombing.
Very little of Aachen is from the original Charlemagne days.
It’s basically a visit to Disneyland in modern times…
I disagree. It is LIVING history-proof that it has been in constant USE by PPL (and not a museum piece-hidden away, behind glass)….
ANY occupied structure will be modified by succeeding generations, to suit changing tastes….(The only structures that are unaltered & “frozen in time” are those not in use : palaces & pyramids )
Thanks to both of you for sharing and discussing your opinions on this platform.
I think, there ist no city on earth still looking like in the jear 800!!!!
👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
If they played Bach in the cathedral for me, would it be my Aachen-Bach? (My puns are atrocious)
Not "hewn" from stone! It is built up in stone!
Of course, legends and myths. Or official history, its the same construction , but the truth. , do not ask for it, you will get charge as heretic
Sorry, we may not be following along yet. Could you please elaborate on your point?
The building story of this cathedral lacks complete logic. In a time of limited resources, limited engineers, limited transportation , and during a time of wars and famine… your telling me they constructed this building 🤣🤣🤣 see how ridiculous you sound? Then one must remember that all kinds of castles were being erected around these years all across Europe. Give me a break!! Most structures are simply repurposed from another era of time.
It is said that, to a high degree of probability, every living European is descended from Charlemagne.
it is well-established canonical dogma that animals dont' have souls, so the deal is off.
Sorry, we may not be following along yet. Could you please elaborate on your point?
@@DWHistoryandCulture Sure. Since animals don['t have souls, sending a wolf - or any animal, for that matter - thru the doors of the church is meaningless.
The devil is still entitled to the soul of the first person entering, since only humans have souls
Just out of curiosity, how much did the good people of Aachen sell a soul to the devil for?? I wonder how much I can get for mine. I don't expect it would be much.
Well. It was 1200 years ago. Are you sure, that particular dogma had already been established back then? The Church kinda made up its rules along the way, after all. And there were enough fundamental disagreements, that Christianity split into different opposing factions not once, but twice, in the process.
You would have to be very well versed in medieval theology to make any such claim with absolute certainty 😉
But seriously though...this wasn't exactly in the heart of Christendom. You gotta make some concessions to them heathens.
ANY DOCUMENTS THAT SHOWS HOW PEOPLE BUILD THAT HUGE BUILDING IN 8-9 AD CENTURY .🤔AS I REMEMBER LERNING IN SCHOOL THAT PERIOD IN EU HISTORY IS KNOWN AS DARK AGE WITH NO ADVENCE TEHNOLOGY .TO BUILD SOMTETHING GRANDIOSE LIKE THAT KATIDRAL YOU DEFINITELY NEED ADVENCE TEHNOLOGY .
SO IN MY OPINION THAT KATIDRAL IS MUCH MUCH MUCH OLDER OR MEDIEVAL PERIOD WAS NOT HOW WE BEEN TOLD BY OURE HISTORY TEACHERS .⁉️
SOMETHING DOESN’T MATCH ‼️
You are absolutely correct. The narrative of Europe falling into some kind of absolute darkness is blown out of proportion. The "dark ages" are an outdated concept. The professor of history Beatrice de Bo from the university of Milan wrote a book about it. The concept of the dark ages was invented during the Renaissance by early historians that wanted to distance themselves from the past.
The truth is more nuanced. The fall of the Roman empire did have a negative impact on culture, science and art. A lot more people were unable to read for example, but the "dark ages" weren't as dark as people believed in the past. People made new discoveries (you can see advances in metallurgy in the material record), but at a slower pace than during the Roman times. Hygiene wasn't as available. There was no large political entity that could build new magnificent Roman roads. People had to use a lot of energy to hold on to the existing knowledge and construction that might have been lost by the Roman Empire falling.
Aachen Cathedral is a good example of people holding on to the knowledge of the Romans. That's why it tries to connect to the (Western) Roman Empire by using material from Rome and Ravena and also alludes to the Byzantines (also known as the Eastern Roman Empire) in style.
It's notable because it manages to bring some of the glory of Rome north, across the Alps.
+10 commercials...
Yes, it remains very little because you did not dig much and you are not interested, otherwise ypu will see who took over the carolingian symbols
The carolingians took over the franks. So there are no franks,but rulers of the franks, which is different
Thanks for commenting. The Carolingians is the dynastic name derived from Charles Martel for the ruling family of the West Germanic Franks, who held the kingship in the Frankish Empire starting from 751. Its most famous representative was Charlemagne, from whom the later Carolingian rulers descended. So, the Carolingians are Franks and rulers of the Franks.
🫶.!!!
🔴🀄
So wolves have souls and the devil has a satanic wolf pet! Pretty cool and scary! Why not send in a turtle? 😂
I predict that this will be converted into a mosque by 2040
That's an interesting perspective, even though we can't entirely follow how you arrive at that conclusion.
@@DWHistoryandCulture demographic changes based on statistical trajectories of the last ten years along with the clearly stated goals of that demographic. It’s not rocket science but I might be off by 5 or so years with the date
@@Inge-99 I do. That’s why I’m being honest. People are offended by the truth these days. It’s about time the European people show some pride and self esteem as you call it and stop the slow invasion of peoples who are destroying Europe
So few wide shots. Could barely tell what the place looked like. One tower was only filmed side, in the dark, with close ups. Disorienting.
The Reichskrone is younger than Charlamagne himself, so the art student depicting him wearing it is not accurate.
Thanks for pointing that out. In fact, many artists do not adhere to historical facts when depicting kings and emperors. This might fall under artistic freedom.
“War during summer”…..kill pillage, destroy so gold could be hidden in his vaults. In the name of religion….nothing has changed.
That s why cathalans have as a flag the carolingian flag, and no one else in the iberian peninsula, please avoid spanish language
Tis wonderful.
6:04 since when charlemagne had the capetian colors of the fleur de lis 😂😂😂 really, what a shame of documentsry
Thanks for commenting. It's true that Charlemagne, who lived in the 9th century, certainly did not bear a coat of arms with the Fleur-de-lis, as it became a symbol of the French monarchy in the Middle Ages. Charlemagne ruled over the region that is now France, which is why artists like Albrecht Dürer depicted him with the Fleur-de-lis, even though - strictly speaking - that's not historically accurate. But that might fall under artistic license.
Just a small note: you are welcome to freely express your opinions here, and we value different perspectives that lead to interesting discussions. However, we kindly ask to maintain a respectful attitude in your critique.
didn't Jesus preach about poverty, what's up with all that gold and jewels. I guess that's why they need to pass that collection basket around. hypocrites
Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us and our community.
Jesus didn't criticize the temples (1st and 2nd) in Jerusalem which was built for the glory of God! In fact, God commanded Solomon to build the first temple.
Hate the 💩 stories and lack of focus on architecture 👎
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the man was a brutal tyrant, if there is a Heaven he's probably not there.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us and our community.
well! it aint the Parthenon.....
Carlos Magnus was a man of Color or "Black" as you call us nowadays!!! Do some research!!!!.
that organ was horrible.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us and our community.
The money that was wasted in order to serve an imaginary entity (god) is amazing. It only goes to show how gullible human kind is. Though buildings like that are a sign of humankinds talent ingenuity and craftsmanship it should have been used elsewhere more useful
That was a very illogical introduction.
These facemasks make me cringe every time.
It's an unforgettable building, ever since I first saw it, it became my favourite German church. It's a combination of several architectural styles, that's what makes it so interesting.
Exactly! And those 3 architectural styles enhance each other rather than detract from them! I think that is where the external beauty of the edifice rests, from a visual point of view. As for the interior, each of the 3 distinctive styles offers its own glimpse into history!
This is one of the most beautiful and impressive buildings in the world. The style of the Carolingian is everywhere apparent. Anything surviving form this period is extremely rare. The decent from the Italian Byzantine is remarkable. Good historical piece and documentation. .
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…It is ….simply breathtaking. An almost superhuman achievement.…The Cathedral DESERVES the very rare privilege of being designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Thank you always for quality documentaries. Watching from The Philippines🇵🇭
Greetings from Aachen 😊✌️😉
There are a lot of Filipino nurses in Aachen University Hospital.
@@reggiecordial Yes, that is true. We do have a shortage of medical staff. 😷😟 - Well, actually we have a shortage of skilled workers in many areas. 🙄
I have friends from Sorsogon City living in Aachen.
So depending on what you have learnt, there are lots of opportunities to work here 😉 ✌️😄
I visited this site in 1999. Superb ! People say --Aachen was the first capital of the Medieval "European Union ".Greetings from Lietuva/Litauen., Kaunas.
Charlemagne was the first real European!
What a wonderful video, with so much history and beautiful photography. The drone footage adds so much to my memory of the place. I was fortunate to visit the Cathedral in early June of 2007, during one of the pilgrimages. We saw the dress of the Virgin, and the other relics on display at the time. In the line to enter, I saw several Eastern Orthodox priests in their traditional dress, and met a lovely woman from Madrid (I don't speak German, but coming from Southern California, it was treat to speak Spanish with someone.) The careful tradition of changing the vestments of the statue of the Virgin and Child made me smile. I love historic fabrics, and am so pleased to see this extensive collection preserved. The ultimate form of 'repurposing'. I will definitely be watching more of your videos.
Thanks for sharing your memories with us!
if nothing else, the hoar-frosted trees and the dusting of snow,
were perfect for the filming of this.
as for the building lasting into eternity?
one day it *will be* filled, at least figuratively, with sand.
despite our best efforts
My great uncle served in WW2. (My father took extensive notes while speaking to him at the very end of his life, dying of pancreatic cancer after a lifetime of PTSD.) He had two tanks blown out from under him during the battle of Aachen. The first time, all the crew survived and he left the field hospital (without permission) and returned to his unit a few days later. In the second tank he was the only one of the crew to survive. He was taken to the hospital in Liege just before it was buzz-bombed. He survived that as well and was taken to Birmingham England and medically discharged. If I am ever able to afford to visit Europe (unlikely) I will visit Aachen for that reason.
Thank you for sharing your great-uncles' story with us and our community. We hope you make it to Aachen soon!
Save your money 💰!
@DWHistoryandCulture
This music footage from Aachen is apparently from a liturgical ceremony celebrated throughout the world at midnight on Holy Saturday -the Easter Vigil. Regarding Transcript (excerpted):
9:28 [Music]
9:57 Charlemagne is said to have attended Services here several times a day.
10:03 [Music]
10:08 [Music]
I’m hoping that your transcript can be amended to designate the composer? (& soloist name?from the choir) of the sacred music portrayed in your wonderful documentary.
Faure___???
The music sung,(Pie Jesu), in the end is from Gabriel Faure's, splendid and sublime work: REQUIEM.
Although it should be said that until relatively recently no girl would have sung liturgically as it the music would have been sung by men and boys and it does seem curious that so much of the music was French rather than any of the composers of the Imperial chapel.
C'est vraiment très beau. Je conseille de visiter Aix-la-Chapelle également au moment du marché de Noël et de s'acheter des Printen, les délicieux biscuits.
C'est tres tres belle!
The most beautiful thing is the community of love for the cathedral that has formed around it. Generation after generation, volunteering, giving and caring. So so BEAUTIFUL ❤❤❤ Thank-you
What a beautiful voice and such a holy place