Myths & legends

The legend of Bahkauv

While you’re walking through the old centre of Aachen, you can’t fail to notice a dark monster cast in bronze on the Büchel street – the “Bahkauv”.

This used to be the site of a “Kolbert”, a spring which was used by young girls as a washing place. According to the legend, these springs were also home to the water-dripping creature Bahkauv, who looked like a large calf with mangy fur and sharp teeth and who waited hungrily for his next victim. At night in particular, when drunken men made their way homewards, their shouts awakened the sleeping monster. It jumped onto the shoulders of the terrified men, roaring and rattling its chains, scaring them almost to death and robbing them of the money they had left in their pockets. It took a great effort to rid themselves of the heavy burden and shake off the “Bachkalb”, or “water calf” just before they reached home.

And who knows, some people returning home late after a long night out might still have to fight off the heavy load of the “Bahkauv” today...

The "Öcher" and the devil

As is so often the case when it comes to special buildings, the construction of Aachen Cathedral is shrouded in legend. According to the legend, the party-loving Aacheners ran out of money to build the imposing church, today’s Aachen Cathedral, which had been commissioned by Charlemagne. They spent a long time wondering what they could do. At all costs, they wanted to have the church ready by the time the emperor returned from his campaigns.

The pact with the devil
Then an elegantly clothed gentleman appeared and promised them enough money to allow them to complete the church. In return, he asked for the soul of the first person who entered the building. The Aacheners took a good look at the man, who was intimidating in his dark clothes, with a hoof print and small horns on his forehead. “If that’s not the devil himself”, they thought. But the offer was simply too tempting, and they decided to enter into the pact. After just a few weeks, Charlemagne’s church was ready, and awaited the arrival of the emperor.

The devil’s thumbs
The devil hid behind the heavy bronze door, ready to catch the poor soul. Once again, the Aacheners spent a long time wondering what they could do. They came up with the cunning idea of going into the forest and capturing a wolf, whom they drove in front of them into the church. When the doors slowly opened, the devil quickly jumped up and tried to snatch the soul. However, when he realised that this was not a human soul, and that he had been tricked, he was livid with anger. He ran out of the church and slammed the doors shut behind him with all his might. He did this so violently that he jammed his own thumbs, and a large tear appeared in the door.