Granus Tower, Aachen
The Granusturm is a monument in Aachen and was originally built as part of Charlemagne 's imperial palace. The roughly 20 meter high tower, made of quarry stone, was completed in AD 788. The sides of the square building measure 8.85 meters. Today, the Granusturm is one of Aachen 's two town hall towers, along with the Marktturm. According to the current state of research, it was named after the Celtic god of healing Grannus (cf. also Aquae Granni ).
There is a vaulted room on each of three floors. Stairs between the interior walls and the exterior masonry connect the floors. A water-flushed latrine was installed in a vaulted room on the ground floor.
The function of the tower is so far unclear and is currently the subject of research. Previous assumptions that the building temporarily served as a residential tower for Charlemagne's family seem to have no substance. The building could not be heated, there were no sanitary facilities on the upper floors and the lighting conditions are insufficient, since the only small windows were covered with thinly scraped and greased animal skins in iron window frames to protect against rain or snow during the cold season.
The tower is currently assigned the function of a stairwell. This made it possible to climb to the upper floor of the porch of the King's Hall and thus the transition to an adjacent (late antique) fortification wall that ran in a circle around the market hill, and thus to possible other buildings attached to this ring wall. Corridors lead into the basement of the tower, some of which are now buried and walled up.
There is a vaulted room on each of three floors. Stairs between the interior walls and the exterior masonry connect the floors. A water-flushed latrine was installed in a vaulted room on the ground floor.
The function of the tower is so far unclear and is currently the subject of research. Previous assumptions that the building temporarily served as a residential tower for Charlemagne's family seem to have no substance. The building could not be heated, there were no sanitary facilities on the upper floors and the lighting conditions are insufficient, since the only small windows were covered with thinly scraped and greased animal skins in iron window frames to protect against rain or snow during the cold season.
The tower is currently assigned the function of a stairwell. This made it possible to climb to the upper floor of the porch of the King's Hall and thus the transition to an adjacent (late antique) fortification wall that ran in a circle around the market hill, and thus to possible other buildings attached to this ring wall. Corridors lead into the basement of the tower, some of which are now buried and walled up.
Sight description based on Wikipedia.
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Granus Tower on Map
Sight Name: Granus Tower
Sight Location: Aachen, Germany (See walking tours in Aachen)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Aachen, Germany (See walking tours in Aachen)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Aachen, Germany
Create Your Own Walk in Aachen
Creating your own self-guided walk in Aachen is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Aachen Introduction Walking Tour
The area that is now home to Aachen has been occupied since at least Neolithic times. The mineral springs have drawn people here for eons, and historians have found evidence of settlements from the Bronze and Iron Ages. In those days, the area was settled by the Celtic peoples. They probably came here to worship Grannus, god of light and healing.
The Romans built the town as a spa resort... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.4 Km or 0.9 Miles
The Romans built the town as a spa resort... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.4 Km or 0.9 Miles
Aachen's Historical Buildings Tour
Evolved from an ancient Roman settlement, Aachen is one of the oldest and most historic cities in Germany. At one time it served as the capital of Holy Roman Empire. Today's Aachen is just a small city yet with a very rich history and stunning architecture. Despite being heavily damaged during World War II, some of its historical buildings have survived to our days courtesy of the strenuous... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.7 Km or 1.1 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.7 Km or 1.1 Miles