“Inside this golden statue is his skull.” When travel writer Megan DeMatteo heard these casual words outside Aachen Cathedral, her medieval Germany tour took an unexpectedly macabre turn. Her week-long exploration of four Historic Highlights cities revealed that beneath Germany’s fairy-tale facades lurk centuries of witch hunts, devilish legends, and emperor bones sealed in gold. From touching the devil’s thumb to watching a clock mock passersby with its tongue, these heritage cities offer spine-tingling experiences year-round. Eery fact: Trier’s witch hunts were even more brutal than Salem’s, with churches taking turns ringing bells to ward off witches flying through the night sky.
Megan’s Spooky Historic Highlights Discoveries:
Aachen:
- Charlemagne’s 1,200-year-old bones in a golden shrine
- Devil’s thumb stuck in cathedral door knocker
- Seven-foot emperor with a surprisingly high-pitched voice
Bonn:
- Decapitated saints’ crypt beneath Bonn Minster
- Roman soldiers beheaded for refusing emperor worship
- Ancient stone walls with palpable spiritual presence
Koblenz:
- Eye Roller Clock mocking citizens every 15 minutes
- “Little Rascal” fountain randomly spitting water
- Stolzenfels Castle’s haunting Knight’s Hall
Trier:
- Medieval witch hunt sites worse than Salem
- Churches that rang bells against flying witches
- Germany’s oldest city hiding dark superstitions
DeMatteo’s Aachen guide, Regina Poth, delivered the skull revelation while flipping through portraits of Charlemagne – none of which are accurate since no one knows his actual appearance. The emperor who unified Europe through the baptism (or slaughter) of pagans now rests in ornate splendor, his remains verified and displayed for modern pilgrims and curious tourists alike.
At Aachen Cathedral’s entrance, the wolf door knockers hide another surprise. Legend claims the devil helped build the cathedral, tricked into accepting the first soul to enter, which turned out to be a wolf, not a human. His furious door-slam left his thumb stuck forever. “Today, tourists come from far and wide to see if they can feel the eerie remnant,” DeMatteo reports.
Bonn Minster’s crypt proved equally unsettling. Saints Cassius and Florentius, Roman soldiers beheaded for converting to Christianity, rest beneath massive stone heads. DeMatteo descended into the dimly lit space, mindful of pilgrims’ reverence while her imagination spun through centuries of power struggles and martyrdom.
Koblenz delivered both chills and chuckles. The Augenroller clock, based on a condemned robber’s legend, rolls its eyes and sticks out its tongue every quarter-hour – making visitors wonder how many executions occurred in today’s charming squares. Meanwhile, the Schängelbrunnen fountain embodies playful spirits, its bronze boy unpredictably dousing unsuspecting victims, honoring the city’s French-German “little rascals.”
Stolzenfels Castle’s Knight’s Hall triggered DeMatteo’s overactive imagination. “Maybe I’ve watched too many Halloween cartoons, but seeing full-body armor just makes my imagination believe someone (like the ghost of a knight!) is hiding inside.” She kept checking for eyeballs through helmet slits while sensing ancient defenders’ presence. Yet romance lingers too – King Frederick William IV embedded Bavarian flag colors throughout, honoring his beloved Elisabeth.
Trier’s witch trial legacy offered the darkest chapter. During famines and epidemics, thousands accused of “improper lifestyles” faced death for alleged devil consorting. Churches coordinated bell-ringing to repel witch spirits, creating a symphony of superstitious terror that exceeded Salem’s infamous trials.
DeMatteo’s conclusion reflects on encountering such tangible history: “The American mind cannot comprehend European antiquity, but being in the presence of so many dead emperor bones really ‘sealed’ this understanding for me.” Her spine-tingling journey proves Germany’s past isn’t confined to textbooks – it lives in stones, stories, and golden shrines holding ancient skulls.
Read Megan DeMatteo’s complete spooky Historic Germany with more eerie legends and practical visiting tips, here