Domschatzkammer

Top choice in Aachen


Aachen's cathedral treasury is a veritable mother lode of gold, silver and jewels. Of particular importance are the silver-and-gold bust of Charlemagne and a 10th-century bejewelled processional cross known as the Lotharkreuz; both featured in the coronation ceremonies held at the cathedral between 936 and 1531. Other highlights include a 1000-year-old relief-decorated ivory situla (a pail for holy water) and the marble sarcophagus that held Charlemagne’s bones until his canonisation; the relief shows the rape of Persephone.

Get tickets at Dom Information.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Aachen attractions

1. Dom Information

0.02 MILES

The Dom's visitor centre is your go-to stop for tour tickets, information and to peruse the displays and a short introduction to the cathedral.

2. Centre Charlemagne

0.05 MILES

A modern triangular building in the midst of where the great man walked, this museum looks at not only the life and times of Charlemagne but also Aachen's…

3. Katschhof

0.06 MILES

It's worth finding a comfy spot in which to sit and contemplate this deeply historic square. At the north end is the backside of the Rathaus; across from…

4. Aachener Dom

0.06 MILES

It’s impossible to overestimate the significance of Aachen’s magnificent cathedral. The burial place of Charlemagne, it’s where more than 30 German kings…

5. Puppenbrunnen

0.07 MILES

A modern fountain that's a crowd-pleasing work of mechanical art; look for the cock on top (a symbol of Napoleon's love for Aachen). Other details (all…

6. Rathaus

0.08 MILES

Fifty life-sized statues of German rulers, including 30 kings crowned in Aachen between AD 936 and 1531, adorn the facade of Aachen's splendid Gothic town…

7. Couven Museum

0.1 MILES

This small applied arts museum recreates the living spaces and lives of 17th- and 18th-century patricians.

8. Suermondt Ludwig Museum

0.57 MILES

The Suermondt Ludwig Museum is especially proud of its medieval sculpture but also has fine works by Cranach, Dürer, Macke, Dix and other masters. An…