Augmented reality (AR) refers to digital content that is overlaid on the real environment in real-time via a smartphone – as if virtual artwork is stood directly in the urban space.
During the World Equestrian Championships, Aachen will thus become the backdrop for a completely new, interactive urban experience. The art route is the result of an extraordinary artistic process that evolved over the course of four years under the direction of Tim Berresheim, who has been working at the intersection of analogue and digital art for 25 years. Students from various Aachen educational institutions actively participated in developing the foundations for the final AR scenes. Among other things, they painted a digital horse, created virtual graffiti walls and produced numerous drawings, masks and digital fragments. All these elements served as creative starting material that was subsequently further processed by the artist – an approach that fascinatingly combines established art with the creative talent of young people.

The realisation of the project is being made possible by the commitment of the NEUMAN & ESSER Foundation of the Peters family and the GNT Group. “At the Allianz Park it is all about emotions, goosebump moments and passion – as is the case with art. Tim Berresheim’s augmented reality art route creates a connection that brings both together in a unique way. The World Equestrian Games and this extraordinary art project demonstrate how diverse and inspiring Aachen can be,” said Stefanie Peters – CEO of NEUMAN & ESSER and President of the Aachen-Laurensberger Reitverein – expressing her enthusiasm for the artist’s work.

A route through modern Aachen – freely accessible and interactive

The AR art route leads through places off the beaten tourist track: Courtyards, green spaces, art-oriented rooms and special viewpoints. Small sculptures of foals with QR codes are featured at six selected locations.
When scanned, the corresponding digital scene opens via App‑Clips – without having to download an additional app.

The visitors can look forward to impressive content, such as:

• the “Aspetattori – Guardians of Change”, the surfaces of which are the result of tree scans and stone rubbings carried out by students,
• a digitally staged Daphne, symbolising change and metamorphosis
• interactive masks and figures,
• digitalised equestrian artifacts from the CHIO Museum, such as medals and trophies, artistically reedited with children’s drawings.

The technology integrates the digital works into the real cityscape in a photorealistic manner – so that the real and virtual worlds seemingly merge. The users can move freely between the scenes and take photos or videos directly from within the application.

See Aachen in a different light – and become part of the art

The circular route connects locations like the area behind the Suermondt-Ludwig-Museum, the Elisengarten, the Büchel, a park near the New Aachen Art Association (NAK), and, of course, the Allianz Park in the Soers district. It is accessible free of charge and invites visitors to explore the city in surprising ways.

For the participating students, a special kind of “empowerment” emerges: They experience that their creativity has a visible impact in a technology-driven world – and that they are part of a cultural highlight in the scope of an international sporting event.

A cultural highlight in the year of the FEI World Championships Aachen 2026

Created as part of the FEI World Championships Aachen 2026, this art route enhances the city with an innovative art project that extends far beyond sports. It demonstrates how art, young creativity and top-level sport converge – and how Aachen can be experienced as a modern, open cultural city.