Pau (Aachen)

Paubach at the Kaiser -Friedrich -Allee

The Pau is one of the streams that flow through the historic city center of Aachen. It belongs to the stream system of the worm, which drains the Aachen basin.

Origin

The Pau arises as Paubach in the Aachen city forest on Ronheider mountain and flows from there in the direction Hangeweiher. At the Kaiser- Friedrich -Allee she feeds the Triton Fountain 1906-1907 created by Carl Burger.

History

In Roman times, the Pau was derived above the Hangeweihers from their natural course, to have cold water for the baths, which were at the hot springs in today's center of Aachen.

In the Middle Ages, this artificial Bach served primarily as drinking and industrial water supply for the city of Aachen and to drive mills. Only a small amount of water remaining in the original stream bed and formed the Bach Paunell (small Pau).

The channelized Pau ran it in stone troughs from Aachener Blaustein, which ran partly open, but were increasingly covered with stone slabs. Such sandstone slabs were 2005, inter alia, during excavation work at the racetrack discovered there are now visibly integrated into the paving of the sidewalk. A part of a bluestone gutter of Paukanals can be seen in the archaeological window on the corner of Jacob Street / Klappergasse.

At the siege of Aachen in 1248, as the outer city wall was not yet begun, William of Holland Johannisbach, Pau and Paunell let dam and flooded by a large part of the urban area in order to force Aachen to the task.

Historical development

The medieval artificial brook course of Pau led past above the Hangeweihers. There they drove the Lohmühle that stood approximately at the site of today's public observatory, and the Burnt Mill, near the present-day Hohenstaufenallee. From there, the course led along the mountain range that extends from the southwest to the market place. Along the Weberstraße flowed the Pau to the outer city wall, which they flowed close by the Rostor. On Rostor was a walled basin, which was filled by the Pau and leading off from the lead pipes to supply public fountains (running fountain, called in Aachen " Pief " ) and several mansions with water.

From Rostor of the course led to Rosmühle, which was driven by the Pau, and continue along the current street and the Paugasse to the inner city wall, through which they flowed between the Jakobsmitteltor and the east tower standing by him. From there, the Pau along the Jakobstraße flowed to Klappergasse. Along Klappergasse, Rennweg and Schmiedstraße we went to the Marschierstraße. In the Klappergasse where Pau had their largest fall, was the brother mill, which was driven by the Pauwasser, at the Elizabeth Street which was then called Heppionsgasse, another mill, which Heppionsmühle.

In the Marschierstraße the creek was divided. Some ran to Marschiermitteltor, a gate of the inner city wall, and was used there to fill the moat. This part of the Pauwassers flowed on Ursulinertor out of the moat from along the Adalbertstraße and united there with the Paunell. Flowed The other part of Pauwassers first channeled along a part of the Elizabeth street, then the city walls. The canal crossed in a stone trough between Marschiermitteltor and Harduinstor the moat and in the Wirichsbongardstraße the Paunell. Near the square is the Emperor Pau united with the Johannisbach, who had now also taken the water of Paunell. North of the square Emperor left the three united streams of the medieval town by the water tower and ended shortly thereafter in the worm.

Today's course

Today, Pau does not separate from the Paunell course more, but is led by Hangeweiher out together with their underground through the city. The canal follows the course of Goethe Street, Mozart Street, Carmelite Street, Francis Street, Kapuzinergraben, Friedrich- Wilhelm-Platz, Peter Street. Under the Peter Street Pau / Paunell unite with the Johannisbach to open shortly in the worm. The worm enters the Europe Square back to the surface.