When the FEI World Championships Aachen 2026 bring together more than 500,000 visitors between 11 and 23 August, the city will not only be the stage for the world's best equestrian sport. From June, Aachen will also be transformed into a digital art space thanks to an innovative augmented reality (AR) trail created by the German artist Tim Berresheim, a leading figure at the intersection of analogue and digital art.
The proposal turns the city into an interactive tour where the public will be able to discover digital works superimposed on the real environment via their mobile phone. Augmented reality makes it possible to view virtual content integrated into the urban space, as if the works were physically present in streets, courtyards or green areas.
The trail is the result of an artistic process developed over four years under the direction of Berresheim, who has spent more than two decades exploring new forms of digital creation. Students from various educational centres in Aachen took part in this project, contributing drawings, masks, digital fragments, virtual graffiti and even the painting of a digital horse, materials which the artist integrated and transformed to construct the final AR scenes. The result combines contemporary art with youthful creativity, generating an unprecedented cultural experience in the city.
The project has been made possible thanks to the support of the NEUMAN & ESSER Foundation of the Peters family and the GNT Group. “At the Allianz Park everything revolves around emotions and passion, just like in art. Tim Berresheim's augmented reality trail creates a unique connection between both worlds. The World Championships and this artistic project show the diversity and inspiring potential of Aachen,” noted Stefanie Peters, CEO of NEUMAN & ESSER and president of the Aachen-Laurensberger Reitverein.
An accessible, interactive and off-the-beaten-track route
The route passes through areas rarely visited by traditional tourism: interior courtyards, green spaces, rooms linked to art and special viewpoints. At six selected points, small foal sculptures with QR codes will be installed. By scanning them, visitors will access digital scenes via App Clips, without needing to download any additional application.
With this initiative, Aachen reinforces its role as a host city for major equestrian events and, at the same time, as a cultural laboratory where art and technology are integrated into the visitor experience.
