strasbourg cathedral facts strasbourg cathedral facts

Outside, the facade is the greatest "book" of images the Middle Ages has to offer. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Cathedral Strasbourg France Church Vintage Antique Photo 1910's 1920's 1930's at the best online prices at eBay! This artifact was later kept in the historical collections of the city until they were all destroyed during the Siege of Strasbourg in a massive fire in August 1870. One of the architects was Erwin von Steinbach. A paleochristian church or cathedral is believed to have been founded by an edict of Clovis I, but its exact location and appearance is unknown. When the word was spread that Adolf Hitler wanted to turn the church into a national sanctuary of the German people during World War II, all the stained-glass windows were put into 74 boxes and stored in a salt mine near Heilbronn in Germany. Construction History of the Strasbourg Cathedral in Alsace. [67], The spire above the tower is composed of eight stages of elaborate octagonal structure, linked together by interlaced arches and pinnacles, which contain a stairway to the lantern at the top. 26 November the Church (majestic and crowned), King Solomon (above two other small statues of children evoking his famous judgement), and the Synagogue (eyes blindfolded, a sign of the refusal of true faith by the Jewish religion). [29][30] The building of the second tower was often discussed, and was seriously proposed when Alsace became part of Germany after the 1871 French-German War in 1871, but was coldly received by the population of Strasbourg, who considered it would be a symbol of German occupation.[31]. The upper windows at Strasbourg fill the entire space between the triforium and the vaults. In 1877, architect Gustave Klotz reconstituted the windows in their original arrangement. Johann Knauth, le sauveur de la cathdrale", "Les rcentes fouilles de Strasbourg (19471948), leurs rsultats pour la chronologie d'Argentorate", "Dcouverte majeure sous la cathdrale: un bassin antique serait la premire piscine baptismale de Strasbourg", "Des lgionnaires romains aux btisseurs de la cathdrale: la fouille de la place du Chteau Strasbourg", "1340 1371: Construction de la chapelle Sainte-Catherine et de la tour nord", "LA CATHDRALE DE STRASBOURG CATHDRALE FRANAISE? Bayeux Tapestry. Each holds a sceptre in his right hand and an orb in the left hand, symbols of their responsibility as both sovereigns and religious figures. The Chapel of John the Baptist preserves its thick Romanesque walls and two Romanesque windows. SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER AND GET THE FREE EBOOK [50], The restoration of the tower was completed in 2006, and in 2014 a new campaign of restoration was begun on the south transept. This is a real masterpiece of high Gothic. Strasbourg is, indeed, in France. [40], In 1903, the architect Johann Knauth discovered cracks on the first pillar of the northern side of the nave. The choir was given its multicolour painted decoration, by douard Steinl and Charles Auguste Steinheil, finished in 1879. Strasbourg Cathedral While Goethe's poems on nature, romance, science and his great novel Faust have long been available to the English-speaking audience, his writings on art and literature, as in Essays, are less familiar. [62][63][64][65][66], The eight-sided tower is three times higher than wide, more elongated than other Gothic towers of the 14th century. Construction of the original, on the exact site of a Roman temple, was initiated in 1015 but later destroyed by a fire. They are covered with Romanesque groin vaults, formed by the intersection of rounded barrel vaults, and supported by massive cruciform pillars and cylindrical columns with palm leaf decoration on their capitals. The reason is simply that the intention was to eventually build the south tower, but this never happened, resulting in the buildings distinctive form today. One of the coolest facts about Strasbourg Cathedral is that you can get the best view of all on top of the cathedral itself! It was the tallest building in the world for a period of 227 years, 6. What makes this monument extraordinarily impressive are the steeple with . The west front was also exceptional because it was flanked by two towers, the "harmonic" style which became common in Gothic cathedrals during the following century. While the spire is the most prominent feature, the western faade is the most impressive element of the cathedrals design. Cathdrale Notre Dame de Strasbourg or Strasbourg Cathedral is the 6th tallest church in the world, built entirely in the medieval period. The extension concerns the Neustadt, new town, designed and built under the German administration (1871-1918). The portal of the infancy of Christ (left) depicts angels, bishops and saints in the voussures, and figures representing the virtues, carrying spears, prod the figures representing the vices. Today, about 275,000 people live there (with around 780,000 in the metropolitan area ). The chevet, or east end, probably also had a tower, and was flanked by two chapels. [83], The apse, with the Virgin of Alsace window (1956), Crowning of Mary, by Eduard Steinle in the vault of the apse, The apse of the cathedral, the hemispherical vault behind the altar on the northeast end, features Romanesque and Gothic architecture overlaid with 19th-century Neo-Romanesque decoration, The paintings on the half-dome and walls were made by douard Steinl in 187779, in the style of a Byzantine mosaic. It houses one of the biggest astronomical clocks in the world, 15. Bengel, Sabine; Nohlen, Marie-Jos; Potier, Stphane: This page was last edited on 21 February 2023, at 19:21. [38], Seven church bells were removed and melted down to made into cannon, and gold and other precious objects in the interior confiscated and taken away, and in November 1793 the cathedral was formally proclaimed a "Temple of Reason. The choir and the north transept of the cathedral were completed in a Romanesque style starting in 1176, and it wasnt until the year 1225 that the switch was made to the Gothic style. Its considered to be the epitome of French Gothic architecture, 5. The crossing dome is placed over the meeting point of the transept and the choir, and, like the bell tower, has eight sides. At noon, a group of three mechanical kings would prostrate themselves before the infant Jesus, while the chimes of the clock sounded the hour. This included rebuilding the crypt and the addition of new stained-glass windows. Strasbourg Cathedral or the Cathedral of Our Lady of Strasbourg , also known as Strasbourg Minster, is a Catholic cathedral in Strasbourg, Alsace, France. It is really beautiful and imposing! Type of place: Religious site. Other articles where Cathedral of Notre-Dame is discussed: Strasbourg: The contemporary city: Strasbourg's 11th-15th-century Cathedral of Notre-Dame, damaged in 1870 and again in World War II, has been carefully restored. Most of the sculptures decorating this portal are copies and the originals are on display in a museum in Strasbourg called the Muse de luvre Notre-Dame.. Download Strasbourg Cathedral stock photos. [60], As with all the other portals, several of the statues have been replaced by copies in situ and are today displayed in the Muse de l'uvre Notre-Dame. Just think of the Tour Saint Jacques, a sight in Paris that had its entire church demolished. Bishop Heinrich von Hasenburg was the leading figure behind the start of the construction of the church and he had one goal, to make it more amazing than the newly finished cathedral of Basel. Choir pipe organ, north side of the choir, Height of observation deck: 66m (217ft), Exterior height of central nave: 40m (130ft), Inside height of central nave: 32m (105ft), Inside width of central nave: 16m (52ft), Inside height of lateral naves: 19m (62ft), Exterior width of west faade: 51.5m (169ft), Diameter of west faade rose window: 13.6m (45ft). It looks over the former cloister of the canons of the cathedral. Thanks to 3D reconstructions of. The history of Strasbourg's cathedral is well documented thanks to the archives of the Notre-Dame Foundation, the city of Strasbourg, and of the diocese. Between 1200 and 1228, the Romanesque vaults of the north transept were replaced by the pointed Gothic rib vault, which were stronger and shifted the thrust of the weight outwards, reducing the need for massive pillars in the interior. The octagon tower was begun in 1399 by Ulrich von Ensingen (chief architect until 1419), and crowned with a spire by his successor Johannes Hltz. On the east wall, the windows depict Christ in Majesty, Saint Lawrence, a Virgin and Child, and John the Baptist. Dreamstime is the world`s largest stock photography community. There are three stairways down to the crypt, the oldest, from the apse, dates to about 1150. With its elaborate astrological clock and red sandstone surface, a visit to the Cathedral is a must. 1439-1939", "Straburger Mnster, Cathdrale Notre-Dame de Strasbourg", "Straburger Mnster Mnster Unserer Lieben Frau", Notre Dame Cathedral (original plans and contemporary photographs), Historical Sketch of the Cathedral of Strasbourg, Diocese of GrenobleVienne-les-Allobroges, Armenian Catholic Eparchy of Sainte-Croix-de-Paris, Maronite Catholic Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of Paris, Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saint Vladimir the Great of Paris, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Strasbourg_Cathedral&oldid=1140780300, 15th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in France, Roman Catholic churches completed in 1439, Articles with French-language sources (fr), Articles with German-language sources (de), Articles needing cleanup from October 2021, Cleanup tagged articles with a reason field from October 2021, Wikipedia pages needing cleanup from October 2021, Pages using embedded infobox templates with the title parameter, Articles with MusicBrainz place identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, First Emperor Window: HENRICUS REX (presumably, Fourth Emperor Window: KAROLUS D[ic]C[tu]S MARTEL PATER BIPPINI (, Fifth Emperor Window: LOTHARIUS ROMANORUM IMPERATOR (. The larger crypt has three naves, of equal size, divided by slender columns. [84], Canon Conrad de Bussnang praying to Virgin and Child. 5 out of 5 stars (7,356) $ 17.50. The Cathedral stands on the exact site of a roman temple built on a little hill above the muddy ground. The urban community is the residence for 467,375 people, while the city proper was occupied by 272,975 people based on the report in 2006. The exterior height of the central nave reaches an astounding 40 meters (130 feet) as well. [8], Animated mechanical figure of Samson and a lion. The rose windows of the west transept facade were made between 1230 and 1235, Above the rose are smaller round oculi from the same period, depicting Biblical symbols; the Alpha and Omega, the Candelabra of the Ancient Alliance, and others which combine floral and geometric designs. [79]. As with the other portals of the cathedral, most of the statues now to be seen in situ are copies, the originals having been moved to the Muse de luvre Notre-Dame.[32]. Above this is a flamboyant Gothic balustrade with an original sundial from about 1493, and above that are two small rose windows from the same period. [26][27][28], The octagonal north tower was the combined work of architects Ulrich Ensingen (shaft) and Johannes Hltz of Cologne (top). A balustrade crosses the face of the transept, and above is a wall of two bays filled with stained glass. How tall is Strasbourg Cathedral? STRASBOURG CATHEDRAL .925 Sterling Silver Charm Pendant Alsace France Europe Landmark Travel Souvenir New tf35 ad vertisement by HayleesSilver. These include some of the original statues from the portals and faade dating from the 13th century, including the statues of "The Church" and "The Synagogue" from the portal of the south transept. The portal outside the northern transept is equally fascinating, 10. They were eventually returned and installed, along with numerous other works of art, by the specially created Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives section of the United States military. Theres a statue of the main architect next to the cathedral, 8. [9] The Muse de l'uvre Notre-Dame, a municipal museum located in the Foundation's buildings, displays original works of art from the cathedral, such as sculptures and stained-glass, but also the surviving original medieval buildings plans. The belltower is 142 m high. One of the oldest gothic cathedrals in France and the world, along with the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. The first overhead vault before the cupola features a 19th-century painting of the Last Judgement by Charles Auguste Steinheil, a collaborator of Eugne Viollet-le-Duc and other notable cathedral-restorers. In the south transept, the lancet and oculus windows in the two large bays on the east, built in 12201227, are modelled after those in the lower choir of Chartres Cathedral. The construction, and later maintenance, of the cathedral is supervised by the Fondation de l'uvre Notre-Dame ("Foundation of Our Lady") since at least 1224. The cathedral is illuminated by one of the most remarkable collections of stained-glassed windows in the world. The arched tympanum over the doors of the central portal is crowded with sculpture, as are the voussures, the stone arches around the door. Remains of the choir screen are displayed in the Muse de luvre Notre-Dame and in The Cloisters. The altar was recreated in 1809 by the architect Pierre-Valentin Boudhors, who discovered the old central medallion of the original altar and combined it with white and black marble panels. A professor of the University of Iowa even wrote a paper concluding that the faade indeed had a well-planned design as it was designed using a series of rotated octagons. The pulpit itself, in the form of a very ornate corbeille or basket, is entirely covered with colonettes, gables, pinnacles, and niches filled with sculpture, including images of Christ on the cross, a crowned Virgin Mary, Apostles, the Crucifixion, and well as Kings and doctors of the Church. The architects of the rebuilding began to include Gothic elements, following the style that had appeared in northern France in the 12th century, while still preserving the existing Romanesque features. Above this is a globe, with painted figures of the Church and the Antichrist confronting each other. The Palais Rohan (Rohan Palace) in Strasbourg is the former residence of the prince-bishops and cardinals of the House of Rohan, an ancient French Noble family originally from Brittany.. In addition to the grand organ in nave, the cathedral has two smaller organs: The baptismal font by Jost Dotzinger (1453), Judgement of Solomon window in north transept (late 12th c.), Saint John the Baptist and Saint John the Evangelist (3rd quarter of 12th century), left window of north transept, The transept and the apse were built atop the Romanesque crypt, making them a little higher than the nave; they are reached by a short stairway, giving the impression that the choir and apse are the stage of a theater. Another two old bells by Mathieu Edel (1787) ring on the quarter hours. The walls of the tower have tall lancet openings, which show the bells and bring light into the interior, and are decorated on the exterior with interlocking pointed gables. When the nave was rebuilt in Gothic style in the 13th century, the old windows were reinstalled in random locations. Notre Dame de Strasbourg Cathedral. The current cathedral was completed in 1439 and has been on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 1988. Strasbourg Cathedral in France is famous for its western facade. This massive faade was decorated with thousands of figures giving it a unique and magnificent impression! Let's find out the people who live in Strasbourg. It is the seat of a Bishop. If you love heritage, culture and the art of living, there's no doubt that you'll fall in love with this city! Behind him is the portal of Saint Laurent. The crossing of the transept and the choir is topped by the central cupola or dome, which is supported by four gigantic pillars, each wrapped in eight columns, which reach up to support the vaults under the cupola. 1. The sacristy occupies the upper level over the chapel. [18], The new church was exceptionally large, just ten meters shorter than the present cathedral, and just ten meters narrower on its west front. de la Cathdrale, 67000 Strasbourg, France Phone +33 3 88 21 43 34 Web Visit website A masterpiece of Gothic architecture, Notre-Dame Cathedral rivals its more famous counterpart in Paris. One of the most amazing facts about Strasbourg Cathedral is that an addition was made in the early 16th century in the post-Gothic, early-Renaissance style, as well. [70], The chevet, at the northeast end of the cathedral, close to the transept, has vestiges that go back to the Romanesque cathedral, particularly at the lower levels. [72], The three levels of the nave; arcades and collateral aisles (bottom); triforium, and upper windows, The nave is the section of the cathedral between the narthex and the choir where ordinary parishioners are seated and worship. The Strasbourg Cathedral was built over a period of 424 years The original construction of the church in its current location started in the year 1015. The Steinbachs's plans for the completion of the cathedral were not followed through by the chief architects who took over after them, and instead of the originally envisioned two spires, a single, octagonal tower with an elongated, octagonal crowning was built on the northern side of the west facade by master Ulrich von Ensingen and his successor, Johannes Hltz. [46] and stored in a salt mine near Heilbronn, Germany. It was rebuilt 1298, in 13241327, in 1384, 1430, and 1489 and finally in 1716 by Andr Silbermann. Each pillar bundles sixteen smaller columns, of which five reach upward to support the vaults overhead. In 1505, architect Jakob von Landshut and sculptor Hans von Aachen finished rebuilding the Saint-Lawrence portal (Portail Saint-Laurent) outside the northern transept in a markedly post-Gothic, early-Renaissance style. Inside Strasbourg Cathedral. The portals are set forward from the front of the church by the network of slender columns, spires and arches which form an outer decorative wall. Built entirely in the Middle Ages, Strasbourg Cathedral was the tallest building in the world for more than 200 years. In addition to being one of the finest examples of high Gothic architecture remaining today, Strasbourg Cathedral has a fascinating history spanning hundreds of years. The first traverses were made in what was known as the Lorraine style, with two levels of quadripartite windows, traversed by a narrow passageway. By car Served by the A4 and the A35. They were purchased by the Chapter of Strasbourg Cathedral in 1739, and were an example of the importation of the French style of that period into Alsace. The cathedral has a rich history, dating back to the . In the late Middle Ages, the city of Strasbourg had managed to liberate itself from the domination of the bishop and to rise to the status of Free Imperial City. The central vessel was higher than the two collaterals. Strasbourg France Facts 1: the population. The planned south tower was never built and as a result, with its characteristic asymmetrical form, the cathedral is now the premier landmark of Alsace. It is a major architectural, historical, and cultural landmark in the city. [75], The dog of the preacher Johann Geiler von Kaysersberg, on the steps, mourning his master, The pulpit, attached to the fourth pillar of the north side of the nave, was sculpted in 1485 following a design by Hans Hammer. After the French defeat, Alsace was ceded to the new German Empire until 1918. It is reached by a stairway with a curling sculpted design called "butterfly wings". Both the interior and exterior of the Strasbourg Cathedral are extraordinary, once called by Victor Hugo "a prodigy of the gigantic and the delicate." Built on the foundations of a Roman. The nave and choir were composed of three vessels, each with two traverses. The tower was saved, however, when in May of the same year citizens of Strasbourg crowned it with a giant tin Phrygian cap of the kind the Enrags themselves wore. Today, the city is one of the most important cities in Europe as its home to several European institutions, including the European Parliament. The church is located in the Alsace Region in eastern France, 2. By plane 15 minutes from Strasbourg Airport. The central figures depict the entry of Christ into Jerusalem, and the Crucifixion and Passion of Christ, all with exceptional expression and detail. . The sculpture of the portals was returned to its places or restored between 1811 and 1827. The transept of the cathedral was 55 meters long, the same length as the nave and choir. The design called for a west front taller and wider than the nave behind it. The original construction phase utilized the Romanesque architectural style. The small circular windows above the Emperors depict scenes from the life of Christ.[73]. Only those Christian denominations that have bishops have cathedrals. The cupola itself rests upon four squinches, a base made of rounded arches, which make the connection between the Gothic and Romanesque elements. An additional element of decoration is given by the small sculpted, painted, and gilded heads on the keystones of the vaults, where the ribs meet. It is decorated with four vertical groups of statue-columns, depicting scenes from Christ and the Last Judgement, as well as four angels carrying the instruments of the Passion, and above that, four more angels sounding trumpets. They were constructed around its nave in the 12th century to lend support to the thin walls, after the need. Strasbourg Cathedral (official French: Notre-Dame de Strasbourg ,German: Liebfrauenmnster zu Straburg, Our Lady of Strasbourg) is the Cathedral in Strasbourg. In 2015, the city has celebrated the millennial anniversary of its cathedral. [25] The three men completed the bell tower over the central part of the faade, in a design that moved away from Gerlach von Steinbach's initial idea of a central tower and whose precise authorship is unknown. two bells are from 1987 and 2006. This project was completed in 1926, after the end of the war. It was completed in 1399 and highlight of the cathedral was its 142-metre spire. Back in the day that Strasbourg was referred to as Argentoratum by the Ancient Romans, the site was already occupied by a Roman sanctuary. Completed in 1439, it looms majestically over the Place de la Cathdrale, a major city square. [54][55] It presents a virtual theater of late Gothic flamboyant architecture and decoration, including three interlocking arches over the doors, containing a statue of the Saint during his martyrdom. Protestant and Revolutionary iconoclasm, the war periods of 1681, 1870 and 19401944, as well as changes in taste and liturgy, have taken a toll on some of Strasbourg Cathedral's most outstanding features such as the choir screen of 1252 and the successive high altars (ca. [53], Unlike the sculpture of earlier cathedrals, the Strasbourg statues clearly show emotions; the prophets look severe, the Virgins appear serene, the Virtues look noble, and the frivolous Virgins appear foolish. The known dimensions of the building are as follows:[87]. "We will rebuild Notre-Dame together because that is what our history deserves." The goal is to have the repairs completed in time for the 2024 Summer Olympics. This magnificent cathedral is located in the city of Strasbourg in the eastern part of the country. It became a major trading center for wine, grain, and later for textiles and luxury products. (15th c.), The chapel as it appeared in the 14th century (19th-century engraving), Tomb of Bishop Conrad de Lichtenberg (131020), The Chapel of Saint John the Baptist is located just to the left of the apse, at the northeast end of the cathedral. The chapel is devoted to memorials to six canons who were entombed there between 1478 and 1681. Its also the capital of the Bas-Rhin department. Fortunately for Strasbourg, the Romanesque church burnt down in 1176, and reconstruction dragged on sufficiently for the bishop to mostly use the newly . This is also true for Ecclesia and Synagoga, arguably the most famous statues of the cathedral, if not of Strasbourg. The Strasbourg Christmas markets are located in old Strasbourg, which is located on an island in the middle of the city. The very beautiful stained glass windows date from the fourteenth century and is mostly a work by John Kircheim. It took hundreds of years to complete. Ensingen worked on the cathedral from 1399 to 1419, taking over from Claus von Lohre, and Hltz from 1419 to 1439, completing the building at last.