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Under Charlemagne and his son Louis the Pious, the principal palace in the Carolingian Empire was the one at Aachen. Yet, despite some early research projects, many questions remain open regarding its development, planning and functions. The writers - who are joint chairs of the Palace Research Committee- present the latest research findings. The on-going excavations have yielded significant information about the continuity of the settlement from Roman times into the Middle Ages. Throughout the early Middle Ages, numerous Roman structures were at least partially usable. But there have also been new findings regarding the stages in which the complex was planned: the form taken by the collection of buildings that made up the palace in the Carolingian period was the outcome of various different planning and construction phases phases, from 794-813, when St Mary's Church was built, until the construction of the two-storey central building in the second half of the 9th century. The whole complex displays a clearly structured additive design concept. Written sources also indicate that the overall settlement was relatively large, with the more prestigious buildings being accommodated within it. However, exactly whereabouts the ruler himself resided remains to be ascertained by means of future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]