[17] The first recorded bishop, Amand, participated in the Councils of Cologne and Sardique in 346 and 347. "[36], The cathedral was not returned to church control until July 15, 1801, along with confiscated property that had not been destroyed. 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. The second wave of construction started in the 12th century, when the Gothic style of architecture had started to develop. Until today, the church remains the 6th-tallest church in the world and is the most prominent landmark in Strasbourg. A door opens from the chapel to an adjoining cloister behind the cathedral. Select from premium Strasbourg Strasbourg Cathedral of the highest quality. The belltower is 142 m high. 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. It was hoisted up to its present position in 1327. [49], In 2000, an Al-Qaeda plot to bomb the adjacent Christmas market was prevented by French and German police. Cathedral. Strasbourg cathedral is an excellent example of gothic art, though the building also has Romanesque features dating back to before 1225 when there was a change of craftsmen. The cathedral has a rich history, dating back to the . It was the tallest building of world for over 227 years. [53], The portal of Saint-Laurent, on the north transept, The three Kings with the Virgin Mary and child, Original statues in the Muse de l'uvre Notre-Dame, The portal of Saint Lawrence, was added to the north transept between 1495 and 1505 by Jacob von (or Jacques de) Landshut, with sculptures by Hans von Aachen (aka Johan von Ach, or Jean d'Aix-la-Chapelle) and Conrad Sifer. It was called the Dreiknigsuhr ("three-king clock"), and was located at the opposite wall from where today's clock is. two bells are from 1987 and 2006. It is composed of an octagonal pillar surrounded by four engaged columns, which reach upwards to support the vaults, and four slender colonettes. [52], The cathedral has three portals, corresponding to the three vessels of the nave. 1. On a clear day, it can be seen all the way from the Vosges Mountains, a mountain range over 30 kilometers to the southeast of the city, and the Black Forest, a famous forest an equal distance to the east! Strasbourg astronomical clock, Strasbourg Cathedral, Strasbourg, Alsace The cathedral - Office de tourisme de Strasbourg et sa Rgion Bayeux Tapestry. Strasbourg Cathedral de Notre-Dame is known as one of the most beautiful gothic cathedrals in Europe. Cathedral facts for kids. The first cathedral was built on top of this temple and was completed in the 7th century, but nothing of these structures remains today. The roof was set afire and the cross at the top of the spire was bent by a German artillery shell. [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. The construction of the Strasbourg Cathedral, we know today, thereafter started and it took quite a bit of time to finish. These include an old bell made by Jean Rosier and Cesar Bonbon (1691). The same was about to happen to the spire of Strasbourg Cathedral as the agitators who ruled the city during the revolution, referred to as the Enrags, planned to demolish it in April of 1794. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Stavelot Triptych. Ad vertisement from shop HayleesSilver. 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. It is the tallest building in the city and has been a World Heritage Site since 1988. [86], Life of the Virgin Mary tapestry - "The Nativity" (163857), The cathedral has a particularly fine group of fourteen tapestries depicting the life of the Virgin Mary. 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 sculpture over the central tympanum and over the south portal of the transept was saved because it was covered with wooden planks with the revolutionary motto "Libert-Egalit-Fraternit,"[36], In April 1794, the Enrags started planning to tear the spire down, on the grounds that it hurt the principle of equality. This cathedral was then again replaced by a more prominent structure which consisted of three naves and three apses, and it was on the ruins of this Carolingian cathedral that the original modern-day cathedral was constructed in 1015. Some of the capitals also have sculpted monsters and lions on the corners. [85], The cathedral has two Romanesque crypts, the oldest parts of the cathedral. Parcours "The Cathedral of Strasbourg" Streetcar line: Ligne A, D-Arrt : Langstross Grand'Rue. While Strasbourg, today, is a symbol of unity in Europe, for centuries, it was at the center of conflict. Built of red Vosges sandstone, it is a harmonious edifice despite the variety of its architectural styles. The visual effect of the faade is enhanced by its unusual darkish red stone. Although considerable parts of it are still in Romanesque architecture, it is widely considered At 142 metres , Strasbourg Cathedral was the world's tallest building from 1647 to 1874 , 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. Above this is a colourful clock with the signs of the zodiac. The work was completed in 1439. Strasbourg Cathedral - Wikiwand More recently, a group of six modern bells was cast in Heidelberg between 1974 and 1976; they range from 1.7 meters to 0.9 meters in diameter, and from 3.9 to 5.7 tons in weight. 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. [71], The narthex of the cathedral and massive pillars supporting the tower, seen from the central nave, Inside of west front doors, with blind rose window and column-statue of St. Peter. The cathedral is known for its ornate architecture and is one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in Europe. [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. THE 10 BEST Strasbourg Sights & Historical Landmarks A monument has been erected in his honor in a town nearby called Steinbach which is part of the town of Baden-Baden, about 30 kilometers (20 miles) to the northeast of Strasbourg. On the south side of the nave, the upper walls have windows depicting female saints, including local saints from Alsace or Strasbourg. 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. It's the most. 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. Apart from that, he is also standing just outside of the Cathedral near the southern transept of the church. This is a real masterpiece of high Gothic. 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. [41][42], During World War II, the cathedral was seen as a symbol for both warring parties. The church is located in the Alsace Region in eastern France, 2. Christianity was first imposed in 313 by the Edict of Constantine. A round, Baroque sacristy of modest proportions was added north-east of the northern transept in 1744 by the city's chief architect Joseph Massol according to plans by Robert de Cotte and between 1772 and 1778 architect Jean-Laurent Goetz surrounded the cathedral by a gallery in early Gothic Revival style in order to reorganise the merchants' shops that used to settle around the building (and would do so until 1843). 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. 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. 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. [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. Its place as the bourdon, or largest and deepest-sounding bell, was taken by an older bell, the "Totenglock", or "Death bell", which was traditionally used for mourning. Different characters, representing the ages of life (from a child to an old man) parade in front of Death. In 1518, a 'dancing plague' affected around 400 people in Strasbourg, Alsace (Now a city of France . 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. [79]. The vaults are supported by a circular pillar with modest decorative stone rings. [83], Animated characters launch into movement at different hours of the day. The painted figures on the wall represent fathers of the church and founders of religious orders, depicted in Byzantine style. Strasbourg Cathedral is over 1,000 years old Officially named "Notre-Dame de Strasbourg" ("Our Lady of Strasbourg"), the Cathedral was built in a Gothic style, and is still to this day a "light and delicate marvel", as Victor Hugo called it. 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. Strasbourg Facts for Kids | KidzSearch.com A gallery of statues of the Apostles, each in his own arch, is placed above the rose window. And finally, here's my list of the top 4 packing essentials you shouldn't head to the Strasbourg Cathedral without. Its also the capital of the Bas-Rhin department. Strasbourg Cathedral is the oldest Gothic cathedral in the world and one of the must-sees when visiting Strasbourg. The cathedral was one of the earliest structures built with exterior flying buttresses. It is the least decorated side of the cathedral. With its spire soaring 142m above the city, Our Lady of Strasbourg Cathedral was the highest building in the West until the nineteenth century. Each has a particular theme of decoration; the left portal is dedicated to the infancy of Christ, the central portal to redemption, and the right portal to the Last Judgement. It is one of the oldest parts of the cathedral, constructed in about 1170 and then rebuilt in Gothic style in 1230, with the same height as the adjoining nave. Strasbourg and Cologne Cathedral together represent some of the earliest uses of architectural drawing. 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. Originally the lantern was topped by a statue of the Virgin Mary, the patron saint of the cathedral, but in 1488 it was replaced by a fleuron, or flower-shaped ornament.