Lets take a closer look at some of the most interesting facts about Strasbourg Cathedral. Architect Jakob von Landshut and sculptor Hans von Aachen rebuilt the portal of the northern portal, now referred to as the Saint-Lawrence portal or Portail Saint-Laurent, starting in 1505, which was the height of the Renaissance period. How tall is Strasbourg Cathedral? 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 ornate and colourful decoration of pinnacle, spires, and sculpture Sculpture also hangs beneath the organ, including a moving figure of Samson opening the jaws of a lion. Because of this amazing trick, the spire was saved! The original Romanesque cathedral burned down in the year 1176 and the construction of the modern-day cathedral started shortly after this disaster. Other objects and works from the cathedral, including the mechanism of the original astronomical clock, are found in the Muse des arts dcoratifs de Strasbourg. Here are the best facts about Strasbourg Cathedral 1. Most of these windows date back to the 12th and 13th centuries! This part of the clock is surrounded by painted figures representing the ancient empires Greece, Assyria, Persia, and Rome. The Cathedral stands on the exact site of a roman temple built on a little hill above the muddy ground. [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. The genuinely Romanesque chevet can only be seen from the courtyard of the adjacent complex of 18th-century buildings. One of the most remarkable facts about Strasbourg Cathedral is that even though its considered to be the epitome of a church in the Gothic architectural style, the first phase consisted of Romanesque buildings. Work on the church was frequently interrupted by wars and political crises. Construction of the new cathedral began on the foundations of the preceding structures. [18]. [82] Other parts of the vaults are upheld by Atlantes, supports in the form of human figures. The more recent one is under the transept, from about 1150, and the older one, under the apse, was built in about 1110 to 1120. 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. 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. If you love heritage, culture and the art of living, there's no doubt that you'll fall in love with this city! Construction of the original, on the exact site of a Roman temple, was initiated in 1015 but later destroyed by a fire. [86], Original wimperg of the faade in the Muse de l'uvre Notre-Dame, Original statues of the Tempter, the foolish Virgins and the wise Virgins from the right faade portal, Bust (ca. Use them in commercial designs under lifetime, perpetual & worldwide rights. The construction of the Strasbourg Cathedral, we know today, thereafter started and it took quite a bit of time to finish. 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. During the Franco-Prussian War of 187071, city was under siege. [68] Its base is topped by a gallery with pointed arches, beneath a level with large arched bays, two on each side, side, divided by clusters of columns. Even though the cathedral was eventually surpassed in height by the St. Nikolai Church in Hamburg, Germany, it still holds the record of being the tallest church in the world that was completely constructed during the Middle Ages. The Neustadt draws the inspiration for its urban layout partially . In the portal of the Last Judgement, (right) Christ sits on his throne sorting the virtuous from the wicked. Under the balustrade is a large painting on wood illustrating the Nativity, in a sweeping landscape. [71], Two chapels, devoted to Saint Andrew and Saint John the Baptist, were attached to the two sides of the apse. The Muse de l'uvre Notre-Dame, or Museum of the Work of Notre-Dame, is located in a medieval and Renaissance building not far from the cathedral, and displays a collection of some of the most delicate original works of sculpture and art from Cathedral, moved there to protect them from environmental damage. Other scenes are painted onto the reverse of the bas-reliefs. The vaults are supported by a circular pillar with modest decorative stone rings. 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. 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. The meeting points between the columns and the vault ribs is decorated with vegetal sculpture. It weighs 7.5 tons and 2.2 meters in diameter, and was cast in 1447 by Hans Gremp. A door opens from the chapel to an adjoining cloister behind the cathedral. It is the least decorated side of the cathedral. Above this is a colourful clock with the signs of the zodiac. Construction was resumed in 1571 by Conrad Dasypodius and the Habrecht brothers, and this clock was given a more ambitious program of mechanical figures. two bells are from 1987 and 2006. [41][42], During World War II, the cathedral was seen as a symbol for both warring parties. [18], The new church was exceptionally large, just ten meters shorter than the present cathedral, and just ten meters narrower on its west front. It was the tallest building in the world for a period of 227 years, 6. During the French Revolution nine bells were taken out and melted down to make cannon, but the "Totonglock" and a second bell, the "Zehrnerglock" (1.58 meters, 2.225 tons), made in Mathieu Edel in 1786, were preserved to ring the hours and serve as alarm bells for the city. 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. Every day at solar noon, Christ and the Apostles go on a procession and the rooster is integrated into the clock crows thrice. It was decorated with paintings by the Swiss painter Tobias Stimmer. Strasbourg Cathedral Interesting Facts The construction of the cathedral took 424 years. In 1015, bishop Werner laid the first stone of a new cathedral on the foundations of the Carolingian church. By plane 15 minutes from Strasbourg Airport. This switch was made under the influence of architects who worked on the Cathedral of Chartres. The rounded arches of tympanum over the doorway contain sculpture of the Virgin Mary dying, surrounded by the Twelve Apostles and being crowned by Christ. Above that are three narrow windows and then a triangular gable with a small circular oculus window and blind arches. These windows date to about 1345. The reddish-brown sandstone from the Vosges mountains gives the cathedral its distinctive colour.[8]. A large arched bay occupies the central portion, just below a balustrade. Different characters, representing the ages of life (from a child to an old man) parade in front of Death. This project was completed in 1926, after the end of the war. 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. The very beautiful stained glass windows date from the fourteenth century and is mostly a work by John Kircheim. In 1877, architect Gustave Klotz reconstituted the windows in their original arrangement. 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 two lower lancet windows were put together in the 19th century out of glass from different centuries. [35] Fragments can be seen in the Muse de luvre Notre-Dame. Strasbourg and Cologne Cathedral together represent some of the earliest uses of architectural drawing. In 2010, the metropolitan area of Strasbourg is inhabited by 759,868 people. It is the tallest building in the city and has been a World Heritage Site since 1988. 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. In 1988, the Strasbourg Cathedral was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List along with the historic centre of the city (called the "Grande le") because of its outstanding Gothic architecture. The extension concerns the Neustadt, new town, designed and built under the German administration (1871-1918). It is easily recognizable by its pink sandstone faade and its unique tower. 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. They were commissioned by Cardinal Richelieu for the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris, and were made to accompany a painting there, "The Vow of Louis XIII". 9. Strasbourg France Facts 1: the population. The new plan was inspired in part by French cathedrals, particularly the Basilica of Saint-Urbain of Troyes. 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. At 142 metres (466 feet), Strasbourg Cathedral was the world's tallest building from 1647 to 1874 (227 years), when it was surpassed by St. Nikolai's Church, Hamburg. The design is composed of a series of unfolded arches which rest on a submerged "Latin Cross" floor plan. LMENTS POUR UNE RPONSE", Les grandes dates de lhistoire de la Cathdrale de Strasbourg, "1439 1527: Strasbourg, loge suprme du Saint-Empire romain germanique", "Strasbourg Cathedral and the French Revolution (17891802)", "1906-1926: Consolidation des fondations du pilier de la tou", "CLBRATION DANS LA CATHDRALE DE NOTRE-DAME STRASBOURG HOMLIE DU PAPE JEAN-PAUL II Samedi, 8 octobre 1988", "Sculpture - Muse de l'uvre Notre-Dame", "L'histoire de la sculpture de saint Arbogast", "1399 1419: Construction de la haute tour", "Jubil du demi-millnaire de la flche de la cathdrale de Strasbourg. All the parts of the clock together are 18m (59ft) high. After the war, it was returned to the cathedral by the Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives section of the United States military.[47]. Is Strasbourg in Germany or France? The central decoration is sculptural work dedicated to the Virgin Mary donated by the de Barby brothers in 1521. After the annexation of the city by Louis XIV of France, on 30 September 1681, and a mass celebrated in the cathedral on 23 October 1681 in presence of the king and prince-bishop Franz Egon of Frstenberg,[33] the cathedral was returned to the Catholics and its inside redesigned according to the Catholic liturgy of the Counter-Reformation. I love my Sony A6000, which is light, compact and . [57] Following their destruction during the French Revolution, several of the sculptures have been replaced in the 19th century by works by Philippe Grass,[58] Jean-tienne Malade,[59] and Jean Vallastre. The work was completed in 1439. It was electrified after 1807, and was restored and modified several times, most recently in 193435 and in 197581, giving it the current forty-seven jeux.[76]. Until today, the church remains the 6th-tallest church in the world and is the most prominent landmark in Strasbourg. This mechanism displays the phases of the moon. Marvel at the oldest Gothic cathedral of Europe with your local tour guide. The columns are lavishly decorated with sculpted foliage. Dreamstime is the world`s largest stock photography community. It is also a very early part of the cathedral, built shortly after 1150, with nine crossings and three naves of slightly different sizes, covered by Romanesque groin vaults. "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. With its elaborate astrological clock and red sandstone surface, a visit to the Cathedral is a must. Most of the stained-glass windows date back to the Middle Ages, 14. Several of the original Romanesque structures were torn down to make way for this revolutionary new architectural style. Cathdrale Notre Dame de Strasbourg Address Pl. The central vessel was higher than the two collaterals. 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. Strasbourg Cathedral is over one thousand years old. The wicked attempt, without success, to seduce the noble Virgins, but succeed with the foolish virgins. 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. It took hundreds of years to complete. The belltower is 142 m high. 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. [20] Erwin von Steinbach's son Johannes von Steinbach served as magister operis, or Werkmeister (chief architect) from (at least) 1332 until his death in 1341.
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