FONTAINES D'ELISE

Alongside the famous cathedral, the Elisenbrunnen is one of Aachen's most popular tourist attractions. It was named after Crown Princess Elisabeth Ludovika von Bayern. Built in the classical style, it served primarily as a showcase for the city's well-developed spa and bathing culture. Indeed, with its numerous thermal springs, Aachen was already recognized as a spa town in Roman times. For centuries, it was an important and popular destination for curists. Emperor Charlemagne is said to have settled permanently in Aachen, mainly because of the beneficial effects of the thermal baths, heated naturally by the Eifel volcanoes. The Elisabeth Fountain was completed in 1827 and still stands on Friedrich-Wilhelm Platz. However, today's pump room is a reconstruction, as the original was almost completely destroyed by bombs during the Second World War. The fountain consists of an opening hall with a columned portico and two adjacent pavilions to the left and right. The mineral water gushes out of two fountains at a temperature of 52°C. The water is highly sulfurous, creating the well-known smell of rotten eggs in the pump room. The water is said to have special healing properties, and bathing in or drinking from it can apparently help cure a wide range of different illnesses. It cannot be drunk.