Aachen Cathedral

Aachen Cathedral (German: Aachener Dom) is a Roman Catholic church in Aachen, Germany. It is one of the oldest cathedrals in Europe. Emperor Charlemagne ordered for it to be built in 796.[1] He was buried there when he died. The church was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978. It was one of the first World Heritage Sites listed.[2]

Aachen Cathedral
Aachener Dom
The Cathedral in 2014
Religion
Affiliation	Roman Catholic
Province	Diocese of Aachen
Year consecrated	805
Location
Location	Aachen, Germany
Geographic coordinates	50°46′29.1″N 6°5′2.12″E
Architecture
Architectural type	Cathedral
Architectural style	Carolingian, Ottonian, Gothic
Groundbreaking	796
Specifications
Length	73 m (239 ft 6 in)
Width	56 m (183 ft 9 in)
Spire(s)	1
Spire height	72 m (236 ft 3 in)
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Criteria	Cultural: i, ii, iv, vi
Reference	3
Inscription	1978 (2nd Session)
Area	0.2 ha
Buffer zone	67 ha

The building uses several types of architecture. The choir is built in a Gothic style. The core of the building is a chapel built in a Carolingian-Romanesque style. There are small parts that also use an Ottonian style, including an area around the throne.[3][4]