Premium footpaths - 10 paths into Aachen's greenery

When can you walk the first premium trail? You can already get a first impression of the desired quality of the routes at individual points in the city area. As part of the Social City of Aachen North program, Rehmplatz was rebuilt. It is located along the route of Premiumweg 2 into the Wurmtal valley. Construction work on Mariahilfstraße was completed at the end of 2019, completing an important section of Premium Trail 1 to the city park. The implementation of further smaller elements is planned for the coming years.

The step-by-step realization of building blocks is the core of the implementation strategy. Due to the course and length of the routes, there are many interrelationships to consider. This results in a great deal of planning work. In addition, renovation and repair work is always taking place in public spaces. In order to better coordinate the various projects, an overall plan is therefore first drawn up for a route, which includes all measures along the route. Individual measures are then selected for implementation from this package of measures. Although this means that it takes longer to implement all the components along a route, the process is more flexible and economical. For example, if it is known that pipes will have to be renewed under a road in the near future, it makes more sense to wait before implementing the premium path in this area. Once the work has been completed, new fixtures such as benches or tactile elements can be installed. They then do not run the risk of being removed after a short time due to pipeline work.

In 2015, the political basis for the premium footpaths was created with the City Center Concept 2022. An overall concept was developed, and since then the planning of individual paths has been gradually fleshed out and funding has been acquired for implementation. As part of the city center concept, up to 80% of the construction costs can be financed by subsidies. Funding has currently been approved for two paths and applications have been submitted for two more. More detailed information on the planning status of the individual paths can be found in the description of the respective path. Click on the corresponding links in the sidebar or at the end of the text.

The premium footpaths as part of the local mobility strategy and the green concept

The premium footpaths extend as a network across the city center. As a network of footpaths with a good standard of construction, they form the basis for an overall improved pedestrian infrastructure. The footpath system will be gradually improved by linking the paths via cross-connections of the same quality.

A good public transportation system is diverse and flexible. The footpath network should therefore also be linked to other modes of transport. Many premium footpaths run parallel to cycle priority routes. Both path systems promise their users wider, more comfortable and safer routes. In order to meet the resulting requirements, planning is carried out in close coordination.

The respective concepts are also incorporated into the Aachen 2030 transport development plan. It sets out targets for future traffic in Aachen.

Good connections are not only important in the city. That's why one of the urban and regional hiking trails usually starts at the end of the premium footpaths. This takes you directly to the Aachener Bachtäler or the Pferdelandpark, for example.

As a network of footpaths between many large and small green spaces, the premium footpaths are also a building block in the open space concept "Die Grüne Krone". The concept emphasizes the importance of urban green spaces for the population and develops a strategy to ensure or improve their quality. Green streets and squares such as the premium footpaths bring some nature into everyday life and connect the large parks and green spaces as ribbons.

Past the City Church and St. Peter's to the garden monument

The path to the city park - Premiumweg 1 - begins at Karlsbrunnen, in front of the historic town hall.
From the market, the path leads through Großkölnstraße. Halfway along the pedestrian zone, the
"umbrella ladies" by artist Heinz Tobolla greet pedestrians in front of the Citykirche St. Nikolaus.
The church is not only open to visitors as a place of worship and for sightseeing, but also offers regular events.
The trail continues past the Hotmanspief. A fountain has stood here since 1334. The current design with the four gilded figures dates back to 1830.
The west tower of St. Peter's Church, which is next on the path, is even older. It dates back to around 1167, when Frederick I Barbarossa had the city fortifications built.
The last part of the path leads along Mariahilfstraße, crosses Monheimsallee and finally ends in the city park. The combination of the former hospital garden, Farwickpark and former Protestant cemetery has been a registered garden monument since 1995. Today, the park offers space for many different activities: walks through the various parks, sports activities, dog runs or simply sunbathing on the spacious meadows.

Implementation

After the decision to implement the premium paths was made in 2015, funding of € 258,200 (funding share 80%) was acquired for the conversion of Mariahilfstraße in 2016. After STAWAG carried out pipeline work in the Mariahilfstraße area in 2018, implementation began in the autumn of the same year.
The measure includes the planting of three new trees and the enlargement of existing tree fields to ensure the vitality of the local tree population.
Even after the conversion, Mariahilfstraße will remain a "traffic-calmed area". The equal coexistence of all road users will be expressed by a levelled development.
Those who nevertheless prefer the safety of a demarcated area will continue to find safe spaces for pedestrians on the sides. Trees on one side and an "element strip" on the other separate them from the trafficable area, but they always remain permeable for people. The so-called
"element strip" offers various additional features, such as seating or bicycle racks, and a guideline made of tactile ribbed panels in the side area makes it easier for people with visual impairments to find their way around. The construction work was completed at the beginning of 2020.

Further planning

In recent years, a park maintenance plan has been drawn up for the city park. Bimberg Landschaftsarchitekten from Iserlohn was commissioned with the planning. In the fall of 2018, the results were presented to politicians and initial measures were adopted. This laid the foundation for the Stadtpark to remain a premium destination. Detailed information can be found in the council information system.

From window shopping to the Bachtal valley

The first section of Premium Trail 2 - Wurmtal takes you through Aachen's lively shopping streets, from Elisengarten via Ursulinerstrasse and Adalbertstrasse to Willy-Brandt-Platz. Observe the famous ball fountain, which opens and closes like a flower during the course of the day, or move on to Synagogenplatz. There, a memorial designed by Heinz Tobolla commemorates the synagogue that was destroyed in 1938. The new synagogue was inaugurated on the same site in 1995.
The Rehmviertel district begins on the other side of Heinrichsallee. On the central Rehmplatz square, you will find opportunities to take a breather and play facilities for different age groups. One highlight is the water play area, which is particularly popular with local children in the warmer months. What few people know is that the Paubach and Wurm rivers flow together below Rehmplatz, running through the Aachen underground in pipes.
The route continues past Blücherplatz, the City of Aachen's music school and the Technology Center. At the edge of Europaplatz, you will find the passage to the Kalkofen estate. This is where the Wurm comes to the surface. You can follow its course on foot or by bike via Haaren into the Wurmtal valley.

Implementation

Residents were able to get involved in the planning process in 2016 during district walks, which were carried out in collaboration with the district office. Their wishes included pedestrian crossings brought forward for better visibility on roads, more greenery and benches. The results of the participation were incorporated into the development of a list of measures. Based on the list, it was possible to apply for funding for implementation. The funds were approved in winter 2018. These are subsidies from the "Socially Integrative City Aachen-North" program. They can therefore only be used for the measures between Rehmplatz and Europaplatz.
The planning for measures in Sigmundstraße is currently being concretized. For example, six new trees are to be planted there. Implementation plans have already been drawn up for the triangular area between Dennewartstrasse and Europaplatz, directly in front of the Technology Center. This is a supplementary measure for which further funding was applied for in spring 2019. The plan is to widen the shared footpath and cycle path in the direction of the Technology Forum. A parallel path with tactile elements provides a safe alternative for people with limited mobility.

Further planning

Rehmplatz, which is located along the route, was already renovated in 2015 as part of the "Socially Integrative City Aachen-North" program. The redesign is also in line with the aims of the premium trails to offer attractive places to rest and linger along the routes.
In this sense, the planned redesign of the Sigmundstraße playground also represents a gain for the Premium Trail. In May 2018, a public consultation was held on site, in which children in particular had their say. In the fall of 2018, the relevant funding was applied for from the Cologne district government. The funds are expected to be approved in 2019.
Rehmplatz is also a pioneer in the further planning of water in public spaces.
As part of the feasibility study "Making Aachen's streams visible", possibilities were investigated to bring Aachen's streams back to the surface and into the public's consciousness. Based on the feasibility study, concrete concepts can be developed to draw attention to the Paubach under the Rehmviertel district, for example.
One of the priority cycle routes is also to run through the Rehmviertel district parallel to the premium trail. The planning is still at an early stage and is being carried out in close coordination with the premium routes in order to meet the respective requirements.

Cultural quarter

Premiumweg 3 - Frankenberger Park leads from the historic old town to the Frankenberger Viertel, from the traces of historical culture to today's cult quarter.
The trail starts at the edge of the Palatinate district, with the cathedral behind you. Along Hartmannstrasse and Wirichsborngardstrasse, you will find a variety of small specialty stores and galleries, local specialties and offers from all over the world.
On Henger Herrjotts Fott square, you can view the crucifixion group by Bonifations Stirnberg. The name of the square and the sculpture goes back to a wooden mission cross that was erected here in 1792. Then as now, it marked the transition from the historic spa area to the residential areas. After a short climb on Schildstraße and a few meters on Harscampstraße, you reach Lothringerstraße.
Lothringerstraße crosses Alleenring and leads to Oppenhoffallee, the main axis of the Frankenberg quarter. Lothringerstraße itself is home to many small and large restaurants and pubs, as well as cultural institutions and small stores. The street exudes genuine
"Veedel" charm, which is continued in the rest of the Frankenberger Viertel. A detour into the side streets along the Premium Trail is therefore highly recommended.
The last section of the Premium Trail itself leads via Schloßstraße to Frankenberger Park at the foot of the old Frankenburg. The park is very popular with students and young families, especially in summer.

Implementation

As part of the "Municipal Climate Protection" program, funding was applied for in 2018 for measures on Lothringerstrasse. As the relevant section is outside the funding area of the 2022 city centre concept, funding from the city centre concept would not have been possible.
The heart of the measures applied for is the conversion of the square at the Lothringerstraße / Friedrichstraße junction. The square will offer people in the neighborhood and passers-by a better quality of stay. The existing trees will be integrated into the new design and additional trees will be added. Seating will provide an opportunity to rest, while children can use the new play area. Tactile elements will make it easier for people with visual impairments to find their way around.
Funding is expected to be approved in 2019. Implementation is expected to take place in 2020.

Further planning

Lothringerstraße is already heavily used by cyclists. As part of the first cycle priority route to be implemented, it will be converted into a cycle lane. The exact implementation was discussed by politicians in summer 2019. Information on the decision can be found in the council information system.

Into the valley of the hot springs

Since its completion in the middle of the 19th century, the Elisengarten has been a meeting place for the people of Aachen and their guests. Since the modernization of the grounds in 2009 at the latest, the Elisengarten has once again become particularly popular, especially when the sun is shining. Then the grassy steps fill up with people taking a break from their stroll through the old town.
If you prefer something a little quieter, the Burtscheider Kurgarten is just a few minutes' walk away. While it has long been in competition with the spa landscape in Aachen, today it complements the greenery in the old town.
The path there leads past the Elisenbrunnen fountain, the municipal theater and the old post office. However, the historic buildings quickly give way to modern architecture. The route continues over the imposing flight of steps of the Aachen-Münchener insurance company to St. Mary's Church and, thanks to the integrated ramp, also allows people with limited mobility to climb up. After a few meters, the path widens and offers a view of the station forecourt and the station building.
Between the station and the administration building with the well-known weather pillar on the roof, the path leads to Kurbrunnenstraße. Pass under the viaduct to reach Dammstraße and after a few meters the Kurpark.

Implementation

The network of 10 premium trails is a project that requires consideration of many details along the routes. Standard solutions exist for many problems, but these need to be adapted to local conditions. In order to implement the premium trails economically, funding from the federal and state governments must be acquired wherever possible and the construction work must be coordinated with other projects.
The realization of the premium trails is therefore a lengthy process. However, approved funding is only available for a limited time. Therefore, only a small number of premium trails will be completed at any one time. Unfortunately, Premium Trail 4 is not yet one of them.

From market to market

Premium Trail 5 - Ferberpark begins at the edge of Münsterplatz. Münsterplatz is one of a number of different large and small squares in the Palatinate district. The best known is the market in front of the town hall. However, it was not the only place used on market days. Throughout the Palatinate district, you can still find evidence of the former market hustle and bustle. The sculptures "Hühnerdieb" (chicken thief) and "Fischpüddelchen" (little fish puddle) are reminders of the former use of the squares. Even today, the markets, whether Christmas or weekly markets, are spread throughout the entire Palatinate district.
As with the use of the kitchens, Burtscheid, which used to be an independent town, did not want to be inferior to its neighbor and has a beautiful market area. Premium Trail 5 leads there and a little further.
You can reach the Marschiertor gate via Kleinmarschierstraße and Franzsstraße. It was built in the 13th century as part of the second city ring and marked the transition to Burtscheid, which is why it was also known as the "Burtscheider Tor". A bronze figure next to the archway commemorates the former guards.
After a medium ascent along Burtscheider Straße with a view over the tracks of Aachen's main railway station, you reach the outskirts of Burtscheid. The descent follows immediately. The main road leads down into the Burtscheid valley and to the market. If you wish, you can turn off here into the Kurgarten. If you continue your stroll through the Burtscheid market, you will be rewarded with a wide range of cafés and restaurants.
At the end of the walk, the Ferberpark invites you to linger in the greenery and take a short stroll.

Implementation

The network of 10 premium trails is a project that requires consideration of many details along the routes. Standard solutions exist for many problems, but these need to be adapted to local conditions.
In order to implement the premium trails economically, funding from the federal and state governments must be acquired wherever possible and the construction work must be coordinated with other projects.
The realization of the premium trails is therefore a lengthy process. However, approved funding is only available for a limited time. Therefore, only a small number of premium trails will be completed at any one time. Unfortunately, Premium Trail 5 is not yet one of them.

Hidden treasures

Route 6 towards Hangeweiher begins with a stroll through Annastrasse. This street with the flair of historic alleyways is home to a variety of small specialty stores.
After crossing the Alexianergraben, the atmosphere of the path changes. The buildings become more modern and the first signs of a creative quarter appear around the Mörgenstheater. Südstraße forms its center. Small cafés and bars not only offer a place to relax and enjoy, but also attract guests from all over the city on party nights.
Along Mozartstraße and under the railroad bridge, you reach the last section of the route, past the buildings of the University of Applied Sciences and the outgoing residential development. On the edge of Goethestrasse is the park of the old hospital, known as Nelson Mandela Park since 2017. If you don't want to walk along paths, you can access the park via Anton-Kurze-Allee.
A few more meters along Goethestraße and you will reach your destination: Kaiser-Friedrich-Park am Hangeweiher. Built in 1910, the park is not only home to the municipal outdoor pool, but also offers the opportunity to take various rental boats out on the lake.

Implementation

The network of 10 premium trails is a project that requires consideration of many details along the routes. Standard solutions exist for many problems, but these need to be adapted to local conditions.
In order to implement the premium trails economically, funding from the federal and state governments must be acquired wherever possible and the construction work must be coordinated with other projects.
The realization of the premium trails is therefore a lengthy process. However, approved funding is only available for a limited time. Therefore, only a small number of premium trails will be completed at any one time. Unfortunately, Premium Trail 6 is not yet one of them.

A short section of the Way of St. James

Coming from Aachen Cathedral, St. James has been the first station church on the Way of St. James since the 12th century. Premium Trail 7 - Johannistbachtal follows this route for a while and goes even further. In addition to a few specialist stores, the first section between Markt and Karlsgraben is particularly impressive with its impressive buildings and facades. The (deconsecrated) church of St. Paul is located on Trichtergasse. It was an institution of the Dominican Order, as was the monastery building on the opposite side of the street. Today, St. Paul's houses the diocesan archives of the diocese of Aachen and the convent is used by the order of the Sisters of the Poor Child Jesus.
A little further on, at the level of Paulusstraße, you will discover the portal of Wylre'sches Haus, or Haus Heusch. The house was originally built by Johann Betram von Wylre in 1669. The building has been owned by the Heusch family since 1861. Hermann Heusch was Aachen's Lord Mayor from 1952 to 1973.
Once you reach Karlsgraben, you can already make out the church tower of St. James. Halfway along the route, trees provide shade as you make your way uphill. At the top of the hill is Jakobsplatz, around which St. Jakobus, the Jakobshaus and the St. Jakobus book island are grouped. The parish offers a wide range of social and spiritual activities in these facilities.
The path continues towards Schanz and leaves the Way of St. James on the street Im Johannistal. From the outside, it is not obvious that the Johannisbach stream, which gives the road its name, still runs under the road. However, if you follow the avenue to the Johannisbachtal valley, you can see the stream coming to the surface again.

Implementation

Route 7 is one of the first routes for which funding has been acquired. In the section between the market and Grabenring, eleven new trees are to be planted and four crossings converted to make them more pedestrian-friendly. A permanent light installation will be installed in the fall of 2019 to defuse the anxiety zone at the Schanz railroad bridge and create a highlight along the path.
Particular attention will be paid to the Schanzdreieck. The former accident blackspot in the side arm was alleviated with minor measures in 2017. However, the traffic situation still needs to be sustainably improved for all road users in the long term. Work is currently underway to determine whether major reconstruction work is suitable for this. In order to keep the impact of roadworks to a minimum, measures for the premium paths should be implemented together with the possible reconstruction.
The last section of the path, between Schanz and the entrance to Johannisbachtal, is outside the funding area of the Aachen 2022 city centre concept. There is therefore no funding basis yet for further planning and implementation.
Initial in-depth ideas were presented to the City of Aachen by a group of committed residents at the citizens' forum. In addition to their own proposals, the contribution also included work by students of urban planning at RWTH Aachen University, who looked at the surrounding area at the suggestion of the citizens' group.
The far-reaching considerations go beyond what can be implemented in the Premiumwege project, but will be taken into account as far as possible in further planning.

Let's go for a barbecue!

Spending time outdoors with friends is what Premiumweg 8 - Westpark is particularly suitable for. After a short stretch on Kockerelllstraße, you reach Augustinerplatz. The small square in the second row forms the link between the city center campus and the old town. A number of bars here offer attractive places to spend time, especially in the evening. If you just want to soak up the atmosphere, you can take a seat by the fountain.
From Augustinerplatz, turn into Annuntiatenbach street. Here, the Johannisbach, which runs underground, is brought to the surface in a channel. As the system works without pumps, the stream only comes to the surface when it is particularly full of water.
After a few meters, you come to Lindenplatz, which takes its name from the trees that provide shade in summer and, together with the water of the Johannisbach, ensure a pleasant climate. The quaint restaurants on the edge and the small playground give the place the charm of a neighborhood meeting point. The route continues along Lochnerstraße towards Westpark. A characteristic feature of the route is the passage under the railroad viaduct, which marks the transition from the historic city center to the adjacent areas. From there, it is only a few meters to the park entrance.
Every summer, Westpark is particularly popular with students, who flock to the barbecue areas, but the park is also worth a visit throughout the rest of the year with its sports and play facilities.

Implementation

Funding was acquired for the implementation of route 8. With Lindenplatz, an important component of the route is now in the in-depth planning stage. The first public participation event was held in May 2019. As part of a campaign by students from RWTH Aachen University, who dealt with the premium routes as part of their studies, the city administration was also represented and took on board the wishes and suggestions of local residents for "their square".
The aim of the planning is to create a high-quality coexistence between pedestrians and cyclists crossing the square and those who use it to spend time.
Another important element is Lochnerstrasse. There are plans to plant a number of trees. In the long term, a priority cycle route will also run through Lochnerstrasse. The implementation planning for the trees will therefore be postponed until the planning of the cycle priority route has progressed to such an extent that the two projects can be precisely coordinated.
However, the installation of two new benches at the junction of Lochnerstraße and Karlsgraben, which is planned for the last quarter of 2019, is already making a small start.

Explore new things

For the first few meters across Kockerellstraße and Augustinerplatz, Premiumweg 9 - Campus West begins like a normal stroll through the city centre. However, as soon as you cross Annuntiatenbach Street, things get academic! The trail accompanies the inner city campus and provides insights into the development phases of this urban area.
The trail leads through the inner courtyard of the imposing Kármán Auditorium. The building, which stands out for its consistent use of brick and concrete, was built in the mid-1970s and is now a listed building. On leaving the Kármánhof via the wide staircase or ramp, the view opens up onto the main building of the RWTH. Completed in 1870, the Italian-style building stands out, among other things, due to the different colors of the floors. The effect is achieved by using different types of stone, all of Rhenish origin.
Passing the main building on the left, the path follows Schinkelstrasse up the slope. The most architecturally interesting buildings on this section include the Faculty of Architecture, which was built in 1908 as a museum and extended between 1960 and 1963, and the arched Rogowski Institute for High Voltage Technology. If you want to find out more about the research behind the facades, you will find FLApp pillars here. With the help of the "Future Lab App", QR codes can be scanned there, which display information about the research and interesting 3D models on your cell phone.
On the last section on the way to Republikplatz, you pass the C.A.R.L. lecture hall center. Lectures for up to 3,500 students have been held here since the 2017 summer semester. This makes it one of the largest lecture hall buildings in Europe. Republikplatz is the end of the road. In future, you can make a decision there: Turn left and explore Campus Melaten via Seffenter Weg, or follow Süsterfeldstraße to the right and explore the new Campus West.

Implementation

The network of 10 premium trails is a project that requires consideration of many details along the routes. Standard solutions exist for many problems, but these need to be adapted to local conditions.
In order to implement the premium trails economically, funding from the federal and state governments must be acquired wherever possible and the construction work must be coordinated with other projects.
The realization of the premium trails is therefore a lengthy process. However, approved funding is only available for a limited time. Therefore, only a small number of premium trails will be completed at any one time. Unfortunately, Premium Trail 9 is not yet one of them.

Further planning

Schinkelstraße and Geschwister-Scholl-Straße will be converted as part of the first cycle priority route. Exactly how the measure will be implemented is currently being planned.

Things are looking up

Premium Trail 10 - Lousberg goes round and round! Two routes lead up the Lousberg, which can be combined into a circular route.
The first route leads up the Lousberg via Pontstraße and Veltmanplatz. Pontstrasse offers a wide range of gastronomic options and plenty of opportunities for refreshments before climbing the Lousberg. Along the way, Pontstrasse becomes increasingly student-oriented. However, as soon as you turn off towards Veltmanplatz at the Heilig-Kreuz-Kirche church, the area becomes quieter.
The park around Veltmanplatz is a great place to relax or sunbathe. Those interested in history can marvel at the Marienturm tower here. It was built in 1512 as part of the city's defenses and was specially adapted to the requirements of the new warfare with cannons at the time.
The last section leads along the avenue in Kupfstraße to the Lousberg.
The second route runs parallel to Premium Trail 1 through Großkölnstraße, past Hotmannspief and then through Sandkaulstraße to the Lousberg.

Implementation

The network of 10 premium trails is a project that requires consideration of many details along the routes. Standard solutions exist for many problems, but these need to be adapted to local conditions.
In order to implement the premium trails economically, federal and state funding must be acquired where possible and the construction work must be coordinated with other projects.
The realization of the premium trails is therefore a lengthy process. However, approved funding is only available for a limited time. Therefore, only a limited number of premium trails will be processed at any one time. Unfortunately, Premium Trail 4 is not yet one of them.