The two bronze figures greet you right at the entrance to Aachen Cathedral and connect the present with one of the city’s most famous legends. Once upon a time, the wolf and the pine cone adorned a fountain in front of the cathedral. Today, they serve as a reminder of how, according to legend, a wolf helped the people of Aachen outwit the devil during the cathedral’s construction. The wolf is said to have surrendered his soul to the devil and thus symbolizes the cunning with which the cathedral was completed. The pine cone complements the ensemble as another relic of this legend and references the long tradition of bronze decorative elements at the cathedral. If you linger here for a moment, you’ll sense the blend of myth, craftsmanship, and history that defines this place.