The most important gateway into and out of western Germany, Aachen (in french, Aix-1a-Chapelle) is located close to the point where the borders of The Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany meet. The ancient Romans, who treasured this city, built luxurious bathhouses around the local hot sulfur springs. Charlemagne, the first Holy Roman emperor, is generally believed to have been born in Aachen in about 742. He started building the city's famous cathedral in 796. He made Aachen the center of European culture and the capital of his dominions north of the Alps. Because of hi fondness for the city, he exempted its citizens from military service and taxation and even from imprisonment.