Centre Charlemagne

The Centre Charlemagne is Aachen's new local history museum, which opened its doors in June 2014. Its French name honors Charlemagne, the city's most important historical figure, and reflects the European orientation of the Euregio Meuse-Rhine region. The museum is housed in a former administration building on the Katschhof, which was built in the early 1960s and is now a protected landmark. After the old city museum in Burg Frankenberg closed, the exhibits sat in storage for years until they could be presented here in a modern setting.

The architecture of the exhibition spaces deliberately follows the typical triangular shape that appears in Aachen's cityscape as a result of the Carolingian palace complex shifting the Roman street grid. The permanent exhibition covers 800 square meters and tells the story of Aachen in six chapters. Visitors travel from the Celtic and Roman settlements at the hot springs through the Carolingian palace and the era of coronations to the Baroque spa town. The remaining sections explore the transformation into an industrial city in the 19th century and the development into a European metropolis in the 20th and 21st centuries, including Aachen's role in the world wars and the creation of the Charlemagne Prize.

In addition to the permanent exhibition, the museum has room for rotating special exhibitions that focus on current themes in Aachen's history. As the central hub of the Route Charlemagne, the Centre Charlemagne also serves as a starting point for discovering art, culture, and architecture. With modern technology, a museum café, and educational programs, a visit becomes a well-rounded experience that brings the city's multilayered identity to life.