The cathedral has a length of 112 meters (367 feet) and a width of 16 meters (52 feet). Church of St Peter the Young. The windows are devoted to nine Emperors of the Holy Roman Empire. Together with the Cologne Cathedral, the faade of the Strasbourg Cathedral is considered to be one of the first buildings in history which made architectural drawings necessary to make it conceivable. Because of this amazing trick, the spire was saved! It was built next to Strasbourg Cathedral in the 1730s, from designs by Robert de Cotte . Strasbourg Cathedral (1015-1439) is an absolute masterpiece of Gothic art. Above this are two levels of animated mechanical figures, above that a figure of Christ and the four Evangelists, under a dome formed by crossed arches. In the portal of the Last Judgement, (right) Christ sits on his throne sorting the virtuous from the wicked. [21] From 1341 until 1372 (or according to other sources: 13391371), the post of chief architect was held by a Master Gerlach (not to be confused with Erwin's other son, Gerlach von Steinbach, architect of the Niederhaslach Church),[22] who has been identified as Erwin's grandson Johannes Gerlach von Steinbach. On the last level are the Apostles, passing in front of Christ. A bas-relief of an abstracted Gothic cathedral will emerge on the . Most of these windows date back to the 12th and 13th centuries! The choir was given its multicolour painted decoration, by douard Steinl and Charles Auguste Steinheil, finished in 1879. This was changed and the French Gothic style or Rayonnant Gothic was used for most parts of the cathedral starting in the 13th century. This is crowned by the cross, which is surrounded by four smaller crosses and images of the host and chalice, elements of the liturgy of the Eucharist. The cathedral was built in Gothic style. 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. [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 current cathedral wasnt the first building on the site, 4. A little-known treasure of Strasbourg, the gothic Eglise Saint-Pierre-le-Jeune was consecrated in 1053 by the Alsatian Pope Leo IX. Archaeological excavations below and around the cathedral have been conducted in 1896-1897, 1907, 1923-1924, 1947-1948, between 1966 and 1972, and finally between 2012 and 2014.. The cathedral has a rich history, dating back to the . The city celebrated its 2,000th anniversary in October of the year 1988 because it was first mentioned as the Ancient Roman settlement of Argentoratum in the year 12 B.C. Strasbourg is located close to the border of Germany. Construction History of the Strasbourg Cathedral in Alsace. The very beautiful stained glass windows date from the fourteenth century and is mostly a work by John Kircheim. Under the balustrade is a large painting on wood illustrating the Nativity, in a sweeping landscape. In 1956, the Council of Europe donated the famous choir window by Max Ingrand, the "Strasbourg Madonna" (see also Flag of Europe Biblical interpretation). [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. Each pillar bundles sixteen smaller columns, of which five reach upward to support the vaults overhead. The reddish-brown sandstone from the Vosges mountains gives the cathedral its distinctive colour.[8]. Find Strasbourg Strasbourg Cathedral stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. The four bells in the octagon tower are rung on the hour. It is the third clock on that spot and dates from th. The crossing is filled with statues and busts of saints set into niches as well as bas-reliefs of the Nativity and the Adoration of the Magi. In 1682, the choir screen (built in 1252) was broken out to expand the choir towards the nave. The second wave of construction started in the 12th century, when the Gothic style of architecture had started to develop. 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. The Gothic style also appeared in the statuary, particularly the Pillar of the Angels, and in the tympanums over the double portals on the south transept, which showed the influence of the sculpture in French Gothic cathedrals. During the French Revolution in the late 18th century, churches in France were in great danger. The original construction phase utilized the Romanesque architectural style. Built entirely in the Middle Ages, Strasbourg Cathedral was the tallest building in the world for more than 200 years. 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. The cathedral was eventually surpassed in height by the St. Nikolai Church in Hamburg, Germany. The reverse of the central doors of the portal has a column statue of Saint Peter holding the keys of the kingdom and above it a blind rose, without glass, a miniature version of the large rose window above it. By the use of buttresses and a double wall, the outer wall decorative with wide spaces, and the inner wall bearing the weight and having large windows, the interior of the cathedral could have more light. When Bishop Werner I supported the winning candidate, Henry II of Germany, one of his Henry's rivals, Hermann of Germany, raided Strasbourg and burned down the cathedral. 1500 and 1682), but many treasures remain inside the building; others, or fragments of them, being displayed in the Muse de luvre Notre-Dame. At the same time, the planned two spires on either side of the facade would reach an extraordinary height of 122 meters. Strasbourg's 11th-15th-century Cathedral of Notre-Dame, damaged in 1870 and again in World War II, has been carefully restored. One of the oldest surviving architectural drawings of the cathedral. [83] The present clock was built by Jean-Baptiste Schwilgu between 1837 and 1842.[83]. Parcours "The Cathedral of Strasbourg" Streetcar line: Ligne A, D-Arrt : Langstross Grand'Rue. The cathedral is illuminated by one of the most remarkable collections of stained-glassed windows in the world. The church is located in the Alsace Region in eastern France, 2. Top 10 Little Known Facts about Palais Rohan. All these automata are put into operation daily at 12:30 pm except Sundays. [52], The cathedral has three portals, corresponding to the three vessels of the nave. Strasbourg Cathedral still holds a remarkable record, 7. On the south side of the nave, the upper walls have windows depicting female saints, including local saints from Alsace or Strasbourg. Climbing up to the Cathedral's platform and guard house is a thrilling experience. An even older bell, by Jean Jacques-Miller (1595), repeats the sounding of the hours one minute later. 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. [79], The Romanesque north transept has four traverses, which were the first in the cathedral to receive Gothic rib vaults. The design called for a west front taller and wider than the nave behind it. It is the least decorated side of the cathedral. Strasbourg Cathedral is located in the heart of the Grande le, an island that lies at the historic centre of the north-eastern French city and has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1988. The visual effect of the faade is enhanced by its unusual darkish red stone. Its considered to be the epitome of French Gothic architecture, 5. Strasbourg Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Strasbourg, France. Overview Download history Purchase history Invoices Boards SIGN OUT. Schedule: Monday to Saturday: 8:30 to 11:15 a.m. and 12:45 to 5:45 p.m. Sundays and feast days: 2 to 5:15 p.m. May be closed to visiting during services. 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. The tracery and decoration of the interior are very much like of that exterior, with blind galleries and delicate parallel vertical lines, like the strings of a harp. Theres a statue of the main architect next to the cathedral, 8. This enormous bell was installed but cracked shortly afterwards. In height to the vaults it is 32.616 metres (107.01ft). Work on the church was frequently interrupted by wars and political crises. Only the names remain carved on the walls. [10], 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. Free or royalty-free photos and images. [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. Some of the windows were assembled with glass from different periods: in the windows devoted to the Emperors Frederick II and Henry II of Bamberg, the heads were made between 1250 and 1275, but in 1522 were remounted onto the bodies of other kings from earlier windows made in about 1180. [44] On 1 March 1941, General Leclerc made the "Oath of Kufra" (serment de Koufra), stating he would "rest the weapons only when our beautiful colours fly again on Strasbourg's cathedral". Here are the best facts about Strasbourg Cathedral 1. This mechanism displays the phases of the moon. [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. Judgement of Solomon at Strasbourg Cathedral. It is in a Neo-Byzantine style, with Christ in a red frame in the center. 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 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. These windows date to about 1345. [17] The first recorded bishop, Amand, participated in the Councils of Cologne and Sardique in 346 and 347. Free shipping for many products! This was then carried out in the south transept. The sculpture of the portals was returned to its places or restored between 1811 and 1827. Strasbourg Cathedral is the symbol of the city. [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. These windows consist of 5 sets and depict 19 Emperors of the Holy Roman Empire. Ad vertisement from shop HayleesSilver. 1. This massive faade was decorated with thousands of figures giving it a unique and magnificent impression! History. Let's find out the people who live in Strasbourg. 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 1015, bishop Werner laid the first stone of a new cathedral on the foundations of the Carolingian church. Strasbourg is the second most popular tourist city in France, after Paris; and there are three main attractions. HayleesSilver From shop HayleesSilver. Type of place: Religious site. 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. While previous faades were certainly drawn prior to construction, Strasbourg has one of the earliest faades whose construction is inconceivable without prior drawing. Fortunately for Strasbourg, the Romanesque church burnt down in 1176, and reconstruction dragged on sufficiently for the bishop to mostly use the newly . 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. Strasbourg Cathedral (official French: Notre-Dame de Strasbourg ,German: Liebfrauenmnster zu Straburg, Our Lady of Strasbourg) is the Cathedral in Strasbourg. The Cathedrale Strasbourg is a Roman Catholic Church renovated and essentially rebuilt (from the original church of 1015) at the end of the 12th century in a Gothic architectural style. Inside Strasbourg Cathedral. It is the second most visited cathedral in France, just after Notre Dame de Paris! Recht, Roland; Foessel, Georges; Klein, Jean-Pierre: Learn how and when to remove this template message, Al-Qaeda plot to bomb the adjacent Christmas market, List of tallest structures built before the 20th century, St. Peter and St. Paul's Church, Wissembourg, "Architecture et sculpture gothiques: cathdrale de Strasbourg (1)", "Prodige du gigantesque et du dlicat (translation)", "Chronologie des fouilles archologiques", "17. [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. 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. 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. [80], The north transept also contains the two baptismal fonts, one circular and one octagonal, in their own architectural settings, They were made by Jost Dotzinger in 1453. It was constructed beginning in about 1330, following the rebuilding of the transept. One of the coolest facts about Strasbourg Cathedral is that you can get the best view of all on top of the cathedral itself! ABOUT Strasbourg Cathedral: discover the Gothic masterpiece! 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]. 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). They were manufactured between 1638 and 1657 in Paris by Pierre Damour. The upper windows at Strasbourg fill the entire space between the triforium and the vaults. However, the official ownership of the structure was given, and belongs today, to the French state, and it is administered by the Mayor of Strasbourg.