Aachen Throne

Until 1531, it served as the coronation throne of the King of the Romans, being used at a total of thirty-one coronations. Charlemagne himself was not crowned on this throne, but instead in the Old St. Peter's Basilica in Rome by Pope Leo III in 800 AD.

The throne is very plain and simple and entirely free of ornamentation. Six steps lead up to the seat, which is on a podium. The seat itself consists of four marble plates held together with bronze clamps. According to one modern theory, the marble and the steps were taken from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem around 800. Another (unverified) interpretation claims they are the steps of Pilate's palace, which Jesus climbed after he was scourged. There are fine, incised lines on one of the two side-plates, which served as the board for an ancient game of nine men's morris. The back plate shows an early depiction of the crucifixion. Based on the surface treatment and the presence of etchings from several eras of pagan and Christian themes, it can be concluded that when the plates were installed here, they had belonged to at least two contexts already. The wooden interior structure, which is now in the Rheinisches Landesmuseum Bonn, supported a now-lost marble seating plate. Under that is a shelf, on which part of the Imperial Regalia were kept, particularly St. Stephen's Purse, according to modern research. Radiocarbon dating shows that this oakwood panel dates to c.800. The throne rests on four stone pillars. This made it possible for visitors in later times to crawl under the throne, simultaneously a demonstration of humility to the newly anointed ruler and an act of veneration for Jesus Christ, who was related to the throne by the depiction on the rear marble plaque (see under Symbolism). The polished appearance of the inner surfaces of the four pillars indicates that countless visitors must have observed this ritual over the centuries. The area is now roped off. The Throne has survived all renovations and demolitions in the chapel through the centuries. However, in the course of measures taken by the Cathedral chapter for the protection of the precious artefacts of the cathedral and its treasury against the bombing and fire-fighting water in the Second World War, it was covered with tar paper and buried in sand. Today there are dirty yellow stains on the throne from the tar paper, which have not been removed for fear of damaging the ancient graffiti on the throne. In the passage underneath the throne and in the immediate vicinity, the original Carolingian flooring is preserved. The types of stone incorporated into this are from ancient ruins and were laid in the Italian representational style. Specifically, the original flooring is of white marble, spinach-green porphyry and red porphyry from Egypt. The material might derive from the Palace of Theoderic in Ravenna, where many similar floor tiles have been found.