Strasbourg's 11th-15th-century Cathedral of Notre-Dame, damaged in 1870 and again in World War II, has been carefully restored. 300 years actually, give or take a few decade! The initial property, inscribed in 1988 on the World Heritage List, was formed by the Grande-le, the historic centre of Strasbourg, structured around the cathedral. 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. He was followed by a Michael von Freiburg (also known as Michael von Gmnd, or Michael Parler, from the Parler family of architects), recorded as magister operis in 13831387,[24] who was then succeeded by Claus von Lohre (13881399). [19], 1277 plan for west front (Plan Riss B restitution), Construction of Strasbourg Cathedral, by Thophile Schuler, 1850, Strasbourg Cathedral in the Middle Ages, painting by August von Bayer (19th century), The next major project was the rebuilding of the west front, or facade, in the Gothic style. At the lower level are statues of the four Evangelists. One of the coolest facts about Strasbourg Cathedral is that you can get the best view of all on top of the cathedral itself! The reddish-brown sandstone from the Vosges mountains gives the cathedral its distinctive colour.[8]. It has an asymmetrical facade (mainly 13th century) with fine . The second wave of construction started in the 12th century, when the Gothic style of architecture had started to develop. The belltower is 142 m high. In height to the vaults it is 32.616 metres (107.01ft). The supporting buttresses on either side also have very expressive sculpture representing the Virgin Mary and the three Magi on one side, and a group of Saints on the other, both sheltered beneath lacelike flamboyant sculpture and pinnacles. Free shipping for many products! Strasbourg and Cologne Cathedral together represent some of the earliest uses of architectural drawing. Climbing up to the Cathedral's platform and guard house is a thrilling experience. [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. 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. The church was repaired after each fire, and reconstructions and modifications made, but it retained its essentially Romanesque form, with thick walls, small windows and massive columns. It took hundreds of years to complete. [56], Lintel decoration Mary ascends to Heaven, Ecclesia and Synagoga among other statues from the cathedral in the Muse de l'uvre Notre-Dame, The south portal, or Portal of the Virgin, dates to about the 1220s, the same time as the Pillar of the Angels and the Astronomic clock in the interior. The Director of public works of Strasbourg, Grold, quickly took down and protected the statues of the portal, but 215 statues of the voussures over the portals were smashed with hammers, as were the angels atop the gables on the facade, and the crowns and sceptres of the statues of the kings. While Strasbourg, today, is a symbol of unity in Europe, for centuries, it was at the center of conflict. They feature a Tree of Jesse (The Genealogy of Christ) and the judgement of Solomon (right window) and the Virgin Mary with John the Baptist and John the Evangelist) as well as King Solomon, the Queen of Sheba and King David on the left. Type of place: Religious site. Free shipping for many products! The roof was set afire and the cross at the top of the spire was bent by a German artillery shell. The sculpture of the portals was returned to its places or restored between 1811 and 1827. The cathedral in Strasbourg is widely known as one of the most beautiful gothic cathedrals in whole Europe. Homepage Strasbourg. It was constructed beginning in about 1330, following the rebuilding of the transept. The other vaults in the crossing were also intended to be painted, but funding was insufficient. It was built on the site of a chapel from the Merovingian dynasty - the ruling family of the Franks from the middle of the fifth to the eighth centuries. De bouw van het uit roze zandsteen opgetrokken gebouw begon in 1176 en werd na 263 jaar in 1439 afgerond strasbourg cathedral stock pictures, royalty . It was built over a period of 424 years, 3. Built entirely in the Middle Ages, Strasbourg Cathedral was the tallest building in the world for more than 200 years. A statue on the west side of the pillar represents a famed preacher contemporary with the cathedral; Johann Geiler von Kaysersberg (d. 1510); a small sculpture along the railing of the stairs depicts Geiler's dog, mourning his master on steps of the pulpit where he once preached. 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. [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 design called for a west front taller and wider than the nave behind it. The original Romanesque cathedral burned down in the year 1176 and the construction of the modern-day cathedral started shortly after this disaster. The exterior height of the central nave reaches an astounding 40 meters (130 feet) as well. The original construction of the church on its current location started in the year 1015. The tower is one of the first to rely substantially on craftsmanship, with the final appearance being one with a high degree of linearity captured in stone. Above this level is a celestial globe in a sky of painted stars which makes a complete revolution every 23 hours, fifty-six minutes and four seconds. Archaeological excavations below and around the cathedral have been conducted in 18961897,[11] 1907,[12] 19231924,[13] 19471948,[14] between 1966 and 1972,[15] and finally between 2012 and 2014. The first cathedral was built on top of this temple and was completed in the 7th century, but nothing of these structures remains today. You will surely enjoy exploring the vibrant . [17], The Romanesque chevet of the cathedral, seen in 1671, Romanesque pillars, vaults and squinches of the transept, In 1002, following the death of the Holy Roman Emperor Otto III, a battle broke out between his potential successors. Above this is a globe, with painted figures of the Church and the Antichrist confronting each other. Like the city of Strasbourg, the cathedral connects German and French cultural influences, while the eastern structures, e.g. 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. [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. The sculpture largely dates to the late 13th century and is similar in theme and style to that of the sculpture of Reims Cathedral made between 1250 and 1260, though the Strasbourg sculpture shows greater realism.[53]. Find Strasbourg Strasbourg Cathedral stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. This project was completed in 1926, after the end of the war. With its elaborate astrological clock and red sandstone surface, a visit to the Cathedral is a must. [83], Animated characters launch into movement at different hours of the day. The two lower lancet windows were put together in the 19th century out of glass from different centuries. It is reached by a stairway with a curling sculpted design called "butterfly wings". (New York, NY) April 21, 2011 - Axis Mundi was invited to submit a proposal for a new cathedral for the city of Strasbourg, France. [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. "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. CATHDRALE ALLEMANDE? 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. As the spire of the cathedral is dominating the Strasbourg skyline, one starts to wonder why the building has an asymmetrical form, giving the structure the appearance that something is missing. One of the most incredible facts about Strasbourg Cathedral is that its spire was saved because the citizens of Strasbourg dressed the spire of the church with a huge tin Phrygian cap, the exact type of cap worn by the Enrags at the time. 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. A sculpture of a head, wearing the hat of an architect or magistrate, gazes from the balustrade at the pillar of angels. The South Transept contains the Pillar of Angels, a massive supporting pillar for the ceiling. [8], Animated mechanical figure of Samson and a lion. The nave and choir were composed of three vessels, each with two traverses. The first stone was placed on May 25, 1277, by Bishop Conrad of Lichtenberg. Under the balustrade is a large painting on wood illustrating the Nativity, in a sweeping landscape. During the French Revolution in the late 18th century, churches in France were in great danger. The cathedral was built in Gothic style. Parcours "The Cathedral of Strasbourg" Streetcar line: Ligne A, D-Arrt : Langstross Grand'Rue. 5 out of 5 stars (7,356) $ 17.50. This mechanism displays the phases of the moon. [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. This was changed and the French Gothic style or Rayonnant Gothic was used for most parts of the cathedral starting in the 13th century. Recent Boards {{ board.name }} {{ board.total_asset_count }} View all Boards View all Sets CREATE BOARD. He reconstructed the dome over the transept in a grander, Romanesque Revival style. [61], Lower portion of octagonal tower and spire, The octagonal tower and spire (remote view), The cathedral was originally intended to have two towers on the west front, but only the north one was built. In the portal of the Last Judgement, (right) Christ sits on his throne sorting the virtuous from the wicked. One of the architects was Erwin von Steinbach. The cathedral is open from October to March from 10 a.m.. 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. The windows are devoted to nine Emperors of the Holy Roman Empire. This switch was made under the influence of architects who worked on the Cathedral of Chartres. It takes its reddish-brown color from the sandstone of the Vosges mountains. The Silbermann organ had three keyboards, thirty-nine jeux, or effects and two thousand, two hundred forty-two pipes. Construction was resumed in 1571 by Conrad Dasypodius and the Habrecht brothers, and this clock was given a more ambitious program of mechanical figures. It was the tallest building of world for over 227 years. 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. The Cathedral stands on the exact site of a roman temple built on a little hill above the muddy ground. Pl. They were constructed around its nave in the 12th century to lend support to the thin walls, after the need. [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. [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 elevation has the traditional High Gothic or Rayonnant Gothic three levels; large arcades below, with windows on the collateral aisles; a narrow triforium, or gallery, also with windows, for passing along the walls; and above that, of equal height with the arcades the upper windows which reach up into the vaults. [67], The Klotz designed crossing dome over the transept, The crossing dome being built, 1878 or 1879, Romanesque vaults beneath the Klotz crossing dome. A little history about Notre-Dame de Strasbourg Strasbourg's cathedral is an emblematic monument of the city, built on a site that was occupied by an important Roman camp when the city was called Argentoratum, and which has hosted many places of worship over the centuries. Is Strasbourg in Germany or France? The church marked a historic moment in architecture, 11. The most amazing feature of the cathedral is its west faade, 9. In October 1988, when the city celebrated its 2,000th anniversary (as the first official mention of Argentoratum dates from 12 BC), pope John Paul II visited and celebrated mass in the cathedral. In 1877, architect Gustave Klotz reconstituted the windows in their original arrangement. The Strasbourg astronomical clock is located in the Cathdrale Notre-Dame of Strasbourg, Alsace, France. The Strasbourg Christmas markets are located in old Strasbourg, which is located on an island in the middle of the city. While previous faades were certainly drawn prior to construction, Strasbourg has one of the earliest faades whose construction is inconceivable without prior drawing. The construction of the cathedral, which had started in the year 1015 and had been relaunched in 1190, was finished in 1439.[6]. Christianity was first imposed in 313 by the Edict of Constantine. 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. How tall is Strasbourg Cathedral? Emperior Charles V visits the cathedral in 1552. 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]. A large arched bay occupies the central portion, just below a balustrade. The faade is supported and divided vertically by four narrow buttresses, each decorated with sculpture. Remains of the choir screen are displayed in the Muse de luvre Notre-Dame and in The Cloisters. The central figures depict the entry of Christ into Jerusalem, and the Crucifixion and Passion of Christ, all with exceptional expression and detail. [39][37] Following the war, Klotz took German nationality so he could continue his work. Today, about 275,000 people live there (with around 780,000 in the metropolitan area ). It dates to the end of the 15th century. pictures from Axis Mundi Design. 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). The primary decorative element is the rose window, added between 1320 and 1340, and substantially restored since.