Art Stories – L'âme des monuments

Cathedrals of Power (1x4)

: 27, 2018

In the Middle Ages, kings set out to conquer new lands in the name of their Christian faith. Religion was then a pillar of their power. Aachen was the capital of Charlemagne and the heart of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation. Around 30 kings have been crowned here over the centuries. 2,000 kilometers further south, in Palermo, Roger II was proclaimed the first Norman king of Sicily in 1130. He raised great funds to present himself as king for all in a territory already shared by diverse cultures. Aachen Cathedral and the Cappella Palatina in Sicily also reflect the power visions of the two rulers in their architecture. Charlemagne and Roger II chose the finest materials and the most complex building techniques for the imposing churches, designed to surpass all others. Every detail of the two buildings shows how the two rulers portrayed themselves as statesmen and representatives of God on earth.