SDARL Class XI International Seminar Day 12 Looks at Church, Aachen, Germany, Urban Farm, & Lignite Mine
To start the day on Sunday, February 12, a few members of SDARL Class XI attended Catholic Mass at one of the oldest cathedrals in Europe in Aachen, Germany. This cathedral was Emperor Charlemagne’s own Palatine Chapel and was constructed between 793 and 813. After the service, they joined the rest of the class for a walking tour of the city of Aachen led by a local tour guide.
The city’s name, Aachen, means water in all languages even though there’s no river or sea in the city. Natural hot springs provide water and baths for local people to this day. It was known for needle factories previously but now is home to all things sweet, with a Lindt chocolate plant, and a local favorite, Printen cookies, being produced there. The history of Aachen runs deep, as Emperor Charlemagne wanted to rebuild a Roman city in Aachen and it still is considered the most French city in Germany.
After our walking tour of Aachen, we jumped on the bus for a trip to have lunch at an urban farm getaway at Millianshof of Family Modder. We dined on traditional German food (spaetzle) and a few in our group even fed the chickens. Then it was time for a bus tour through the Rhenish Lignite Mining Region led by David, a local farmer/tour guide. This area of Germany is known for its great soils and boasts top yields in the country. It is also home to coal power stations, so we stopped at the coal mine to see that. Although coal is big business in the area, Germany (like many other countries) is working toward renewable energy, so this area may change in the next few years as they work toward reaching
their sustainability goals.
After the mining bus tour, we headed to Mainz, Germany for the night, where we will spend the remainder of our trip.
If you’re interested in experiencing your own International Seminar, apply for SDARL Class XII before applications close on March 20.
