At the Karlsbrunnen fountain, Charlemagne the Great watches over Aachen.
The oldest fountain in the city, known as the Karlsbrunnen or Marktbrunnen, has already witnessed many events. In 1792, the statue of Charlemagne was seized by the French as war booty, although it was won back in 1804. A copy of Charlemagne the Great now stands in the six-tonne bronze basin. The bronze fountain basin is also affectionately known as the “Eäzekomp” (the local dialect for “pea bowl”) because of its appearance.