The DDS on tour - Exploring beautiful Aachen
When our study course coordinator Carina organized a trip through the city for our students of the M.Sc. Data Analytics and Decision Science, Aachen had no choice but to show itself from its best side. In sunny spring weather our students explored Aachen and its border regions on foot and by bus.
Exploring Aachen
Travelling with the City-Tour bus
The approximately 2 hour drive with the “City-Tour” bus takes you around the city centre and to the three-country point, where you can change between Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands in just a few steps. The HopOn/HopOff concept allowed our students to get off at any stop and discover their favourite places for as long as they wanted: be it the Carolus Thermen Bad Aachen, the “Stadtgarten”, the “Lousberg”, the University Hospital or the Lindt chocolate factory. During the tour they learned many interesting facts about the history and sights of our imperial spa town.
Hot springs in Aachen
The tour started at Elisenbrunnen where you can still see and smell (yeah, smell!), the hot springs Aachen is famous for – and which were valued not only by emperor Charlemagne, but also the old Romans. Located in the heart of the city, the Elisenbrunnen fountain is the symbol of Aachen as a spa and bathing city. Fun fact: In contrast to other health resorts, Aachen voluntarily renounces the addition “Bad” – as this would mean the loss of the first place in all alphabetical city lists.
Beautiful nature at the three-country point
Definitely a highlight was the visit of the three-country point (“Dreiländereck”) where our students took the chance to be in three countries at the same time: Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands. It is also a great location to enjoy some rays of sunshine since it is located on the highest hill in the Netherlands (about 323m – the Netherlands are a generally flat country, just so you know), surrounded by varied nature.
Back in the city
Being back in the city our students learned how people from Aachen greet each other – with a stretched out little finger, the so called “Klenkes”. There even is a statue with this gesture to be seen in the city. The origins of this statue lie in the needle industry, when bad needles were “ussjeklenkt” (meaning “taken out” in the dialect of Aachen) with the little finger. So it was that the little finger became the “Klenkes”.
Always a great sight is the Aachen cathedral where 31 kings were crowned and which was one of the first 12 items to be listed on the UNESCO list of world heritage sites. However, Aachen has lots of other old and impressive buildings to visit when taking a stroll through the old town: for example, the Grashaus at the Fischmarkt, the city’s first 13th century town hall or the current Aachen Town Hall built in 1330. Did you know? Today, the International Charlemagne Prize is awarded annually in the town hall.
These are just some examples of what is there to be discovered in our beautiful city of Aachen. We cannot wait to show you!
