Charlemagne (748-814) started building his favourite palace in Aachen from 789 on, and after his coronation in Rome in 800 it became not only his permanent seat of residence but also the centre of his power. The palace complex ran from St. Mary’s Church at the south end to the King’s Hall at the north end.
Large parts of this Carolingian palace complex still survive today. The central element of St. Mary’s Church, an octagonal domed structure surrounded by a sixteen-sided walkway, is certainly one of the most impressive church buildings north of the Alps. It was flanked by no longer existing annexes and an atrium. And it was red – as archaeologists have discovered.
When, in 1840, the great romantic Friedrich Wilhelm IV ascended the throne of Prussia, it was decided to restore the “Emperor’s Hall” in all its historic splendour and original dimensions. Following the plans of the city architect Friedrich Ark, a staircase was built on the south side as a prestigious entrance to the upper floor. Ark also restored the Gothic window structure on the side facing the Market Place. Another fire in 1883 destroyed the Baroque towers, and these were also replaced in neo-Gothic style. With the addition of figures and statues to the façade in 1901, the neo-Gothic restoration of the Town Hall was finally completed.
http://rathaus-aachen.de/en/town-hall/
