Aachen Cathedral

Aachen Cathedral
Aachener Dom
The cathedral in 2014
Religion
AffiliationCatholic
ProvinceDiocese of Aachen
Ecclesiastical or organizational statusactive
Year consecrated805
StatusCathedral
Location
LocationAachen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Geographic coordinates50°46′29.1″N 6°5′2.12″E / 50.774750°N 6.0839222°E / 50.774750; 6.0839222 (Aachener Dom)
Architecture
StyleOttonian
Carolingian-Romanesque
Gothic
Groundbreaking796
Specifications
Length73 m (239 ft 6 in)
Width56 m (183 ft 9 in)
Spire(s)1
Spire height72 m (236 ft 3 in)
CriteriaCultural: i, ii, iv, vi
Reference3
Inscription1978 (2nd Session)
Area0.2 ha (0.49 acres)
Buffer zone67 ha (170 acres)

Aachen Cathedral (German: Aachener Dom) is a Catholic church in Aachen, Germany and the seat of the Diocese of Aachen.

One of the oldest cathedrals in Europe, it was constructed by order of Emperor Charlemagne, who was buried there in 814. From 936 to 1531, the Palatine Chapel saw the coronation of thirty-one German kings and twelve queens. The church has been the mother church of the Diocese of Aachen since 1930.[1] In 1978, Aachen Cathedral was one of the first 12 items to be listed on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites, because of its exceptional artistry, architecture, and central importance in the history of the Holy Roman Empire.[2]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference DofA2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "Aachen Cathedral". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. Retrieved 7 May 2022.