The “Frankenberger Viertel”
More diverse than any other district in Aachen
A brief historical overview – a must.
The district is located between the centre of Burtscheid and Forst. According to the first development plan from 1873, the Frankenberg castle was built around the centre. Nowadays, the Steffensviertel and the Viktoriaviertel are among the most beautiful and lively neighbourhoods in Aachen. From an urban history point of view, the main points of “Frankenberger", apart from the castle, are the Catholic Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ("Frankenberg Cathedral") and the Neumarkt, while the main axes are Oppenhoffallee and Viktoriallee.
Attention to detail
Let's just start walking. An eye for detail, the perfect ‘frame’ – when I think in terms of photography or social media – can wander endlessly here, searching and finding. Facades, balconies, windows and especially staircases have always fascinated me. What I can discover here within a few blocks is fantastic. Distinctive architectural styles from the Gründerzeit period, neoclassicism, neo-Renaissance, neo-baroque, neo-Gothic, mixed forms and fantasy architecture to Art Nouveau and a return to austere forms result in a multifaceted mix of beautiful façades. You can discover stucco ornaments, flourishes, turrets, straight structures, grilles, a wide variety of window shapes, extensions and loggias. I recommend looking up, along the façade, along the windows and also to the side, next to the houses; perhaps even into a house to see a special staircase.
In most cases, the building fabric is very well preserved and the houses are very well maintained. Here you can feel the special quality of life that begins with the style of living and carries over into the lifestyle.
Lifestyle: Liveable, cool, self-sufficient
As an outsider who does not live in Frankenberg, you sense a special vibe that must be even more special – as I hear time and again – when the neighbourhood is also your ‘base’. Liveable, cool, stylish, self-sufficient, with its own culture – that's how it must be. A small town within a large one. Everyday life can be fully organised here: groceries, drugstore items, bookshops, flowers, gifts, bakeries, post offices and much more are spread across several streets.
Gastronomy scene: From simple to colourful to magnificent
If you enjoy being around people and want to indulge in culinary delights, you often only need to take a few steps, as there is a wide variety of restaurants, cafés and bars offering different national cuisines, price ranges and standards. My favourites are Oecher Eistreff, the Aachen ice cream parlour, with unusual homemade ice cream flavours such as Streuselbrötcheneis (streusel bun ice cream), Dumont with the only beer garden in the neighbourhood, and Café Soleil with cake and coffee specialities as well as delicious savoury snacks such as soups and sandwiches. Incidentally, it's also a great place to concentrate on work. I really enjoy the pure, authentic Italian atmosphere at Trattoria Bar Centrale 46, where I can enjoy a glass of wine and homemade pasta.
"Stay a while, moment."
The Frankenberg district is special, interesting, colourful and varied in every season and in all weathers. For me, the weekly market, which takes place on Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Neumarkt, is a kind of ‘pars pro toto’ for life in Frankenberg. Colourful, intense, multifaceted, individual. Like the market stalls, the special coffee from Baristinho – definitely worth trying – the flowers, the people and the hustle and bustle.
‘Only when you're out and about can you experience that feeling of fairy-tale enchantment’ (Erich Kästner) ... Let yourself be enchanted by the district.
I love my Aachen!