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 2022 city center concept. 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.