Aachen Cathedral

Germany

One of the oldest cathedrals in Europe, this impressive Byzantine church is Charlemagne’s final resting place. More than30 German kings were crowned here, and it’s been a pilgrimage site since the 12th century. Top sites of the cathedral include Charlemagne’s sarcophagus and throne. It also contains many relics including Christ’s loincloth, Mary’s cloak, the cloth wrappings for John the Baptist’s head, and Jesus’s swaddling clothes (which are displayed every seven). There are guided tours in English available.

The building draws influences from Eastern churches of the Holy Roman Empire and was further extended in the Middle Ages in the then-fashionable Gothic style. The 74 meter high tower was added to the church as recently as 1884, resulting in a combination of different styles and an architectural construction of unifying elegance. Aachen’s beloved Charlemagne was buried here in 814 and his bones still rest in the Shrine of Charles near to the still-intact imperial throne.