• A large part of the pipeline work in Theaterstrasse has already been completed. The installation of the extinguishing water tank in front of the theater will begin soon.
• Following extensive archaeological finds on the north side of Theaterplatz and the resulting construction challenges, the city and Regionetz have updated the schedule.

• The first parts of the redesign, first and foremost the Theaterboulevard along Theaterstraße, should be completed in the course of 2027. The city expects the construction project to be completed by the end of 2028.

For a year now, excavators, construction workers and the familiar red and white barrier beacons have dominated the scene around the theater. The transformation of the Theaterplatz and its surroundings into a stage for everyone is in full swing. In addition to the construction work, everyone is looking forward to Aachen's new premium square. In a joint press event on Thursday (January 29), the city and Regionetz provided information on the current construction progress, upcoming challenges and the adjusted schedule for the construction project. City Councillor Frauke Burgdorff paid tribute to all those involved: "This construction project has everything to offer that makes construction challenging. A strong team that works underground and - with the 29 new trees, among other things - also above ground, has proven that it can react quickly and pragmatically to practical challenges, especially with the archaeological finds and the necessary rescheduling."

Archaeological finds are exhibited
Since January 2025, Regionetz has been renewing the supply and disposal lines on Theaterstraße and Theaterplatz and expanding environmentally friendly district heating in this area. The work is being carried out in several construction phases. The section in Theaterstraße up to the Borngasse junction is almost complete, as Ralf Jansen, site manager responsible for the project at Regionetz, reports. During the excavation work on the northern side of Theaterplatz, archaeologists have been making sensational discoveries since last spring. Experts had already anticipated that discoveries would be made in this area of the historic city center. A Begarden monastery was initially built there in the 13th century, which was taken over by the Capuchins in the 17th century, as city archaeologist Andreas Schaub explains. Remains of it, including human skeletons from the monastery cemetery, have turned up there. The archaeologists are still working on site. At the same time, an exhibition is currently being prepared that will invite people to find out more about the archaeological finds on Theaterplatz in a few weeks' time.

New schedule
Due to the archaeological discoveries and the resulting technical challenges, the city and its partners have always flexibly adapted the construction schedule over the past year. This has resulted in a new schedule for the redesign of Theaterplatz, which City Planning Councillor Burgdorff and her team have now presented:

• The construction work on Theaterstrasse will be completed by the end of 2027. By then, this area will be completely open to the public with new surfaces and many new trees.
• The redesign of the northern side of Theaterplatz is expected to be completed in the course of 2028.
• The southern side of the square and the middle of Theaterplatz are expected to be completed by the end of 2028.

During the construction period, the city will continue to work with the construction company to find solutions for the operators of the outdoor restaurants.

Adjusted traffic routing from February 2
The construction site is now moving to the south side of Theaterplatz. This is where the underground pipe work will take place. The traffic routing will therefore be adjusted from Monday, February 2. In future, motorized road users will be able to use the northern side (Theaterstraße from the Borngasse junction) to access Theaterplatz and the doctors' surgeries located there, for example. Disabled parking spaces will be designated accordingly. The previous access via Kapuzinergraben will no longer be possible. Important message from the city: Everyone can still easily reach the theater and all surrounding stores and surgeries!

The detour routes that have also been signposted for the past year have become established and are well received by road users.

Extinguishing water tank for the theater
A special project in the major Theaterplatz redesign project has also been launched recently: the installation of an extinguishing water tank for the theater. This is necessary to ensure future-proof fire protection for Aachen's cultural center. The municipal building management department is responsible for this construction project. Head of department Robert Schmidt explains: "We have taken the opportunity to significantly improve the supply of extinguishing water to the theater. For this purpose, an extinguishing water storage tank with a volume of 100,000 liters of water and a redundant technical control center will be installed underground in the theater forecourt in order to supply the deluge extinguishing system, sprinkler system and wall hydrants with a safe and stable supply of extinguishing water in the event of an incident." The explosive ordnance investigations will begin in the coming days, after which the civil engineering work will be carried out with archaeological support.

Surface work to start this year
In July 2025, politicians approved the decision to turn the new Theaterplatz surface into a stage for everyone. Project manager Philip Spahr reports that the tendering and awarding of contracts for the implementation of the surfaces is currently being prepared. The aim is to award the contract by summer 2026 and to start the road construction work in Theaterstraße immediately afterwards, as Silke Roder, Head of the Civil Engineering Department in the Mobility and Transport Division, adds.

A new fountain and green theater gardens
At Theaterplatz and in its surroundings, the urban community is proving that it is taking on the challenges of the city of the future. Below ground, the district heating and sponge city facilities are technically sustainable and above ground, a large fountain, the theater gardens, the catering areas, the 29 additional trees and, of course, the theater itself with its surrounding stores, bars and restaurants provide a special metropolitan flair and a high quality of stay.

Theaterplatz is one of the central projects of the City Centre Concept 2022 (ISK 22), which was developed a good ten years ago. The last large sums of urban development funding were successfully acquired for the design of the square on the basis of ISK 22. The construction costs for the design of Theaterstrasse and Theaterplatz together amount to around ten million euros. Up to 80 percent of this will be funded by the federal and state governments. The conversion of the barrier-free bus stops in Theaterstraße can even be funded 100 percent via a GoRheinland program.

The Kapuzinergraben is to be realized as the third construction phase at a later date. Following an initial consultation and pre-selection of a cross-section in the Mobility Committee at the beginning of 2024, the plans are now being further developed in close coordination with the plans for inner city mobility and the Regiotram process.

Information about Theaterplatz on the Internet: www.theaterplatz-aachen.de