Rhineland-Palatinate / Rheinland Pfalz

Worms, one of the oldest towns in Germany, was an early bishopric in the valley of the Rhine river and an important palatinate of Charlemagne, who built a palace here. Burchard of Worms, bishop since 1000, had the older carolingian church dismantled and started the construction of the cathedral, dedicated to St Peter. In 1018 this church got consecrated - the first time. In 1122 the Concordat of Worms was signed here, ending the Investiture Controversy. In 1521 the Diet of Worms, a general assembly of the estates of the Holy Roman Empire, took place here, presided by Emperor Charles V. Martin Luther said the sentence "Here I stand. I can do no other. May God help me" here. After that he was declared an outlaw. Parts of the basilica collapsed and got rebuilt. The most parts of the cathedral seen today was constructed between 1125 and the end of that century. The church has two choirs (east and west) and is 110 meters long. During the Nine Years' War, the french troops tried to blew up the building, but failed. Inside the eastern choir, now facing east, looking through the nave. The baroque altar, a work of Balthasar Neumann, is to be seen in the western choir, in a distance of about 100 meters.

Worms, one of the oldest towns in Germany, was an early bishopric in the valley of the Rhine river and an important palatinate of Charlemagne, who built a palace here. Burchard of Worms, bishop since 1000, had the older carolingian church dismantled and started the construction of the cathedral, dedicated to St Peter. In 1018 this church got consecrated - the first time. In 1122 the Concordat of Worms was signed here, ending the Investiture Controversy. In 1521 the Diet of Worms, a general assembly of the estates of the Holy Roman Empire, took place here, presided by Emperor Charles V. Martin Luther said the sentence "Here I stand. I can do no other. May God help me" here. After that he was declared an outlaw. Parts of the basilica collapsed and got rebuilt. The most parts of the cathedral seen today was constructed between 1125 and the end of that century. The church has two choirs (east and west) and is 110 meters long. During the Nine Years' War, the french troops tried to blew up the building, but failed. The crypt of the carolingian church was the burial place for the Salian dynasty already since early times. Meanwhile a new underground chapel is built, but the old tombs still exist. Here is the tomb of Conrad, Duke of Lorraine, aka "Conrad the Red". + 955. Great-grandfather of Conrad II, Holy Roman Emperor. Conrad the Red was married to Liutgarde, daughter of Otto and Editha. I had met Conrad´s parents in law in Magedburg. See them here www.flickr.com/photos/martin-m-miles/4328456651/

Worms, one of the oldest towns in Germany, was an early bishopric in the valley of the Rhine river and an important palatinate of Charlemagne, who built a palace here. Burchard of Worms, bishop since 1000, had the older carolingian church dismantled and started the construction of the cathedral, dedicated to St Peter. In 1018 this church got consecrated - the first time. In 1122 the Concordat of Worms was signed here, ending the Investiture Controversy. In 1521 the Diet of Worms, a general assembly of the estates of the Holy Roman Empire, took place here, presided by Emperor Charles V. Martin Luther said the sentence "Here I stand. I can do no other. May God help me" here. After that he was declared an outlaw. Parts of the basilica collapsed and got rebuilt. The most parts of the cathedral seen today was constructed between 1125 and the end of that century. The church has two choirs (east and west) and is 110 meters long. During the Nine Years' War, the french troops tried to blew up the building, but failed. Two evil snarling lions loitering on a windowsill of the eastern façade, that reminds on a westwork, but faces east. It is difficult to take photos of the façade, as the neighbouring buildings are very close to it. All the carvings on this side look - mint. They may be copies of the old ones. The cathedral got severly damaged end of WWII - and reconstructed in the 1950s.

Worms, one of the oldest towns in Germany, was an early bishopric in the valley of the Rhine river and an important palatinate of Charlemagne, who built a palace here. Burchard of Worms, bishop since 1000, had the older carolingian church dismantled and started the construction of the cathedral, dedicated to St Peter. In 1018 this church got consecrated - the first time. In 1122 the Concordat of Worms was signed here, ending the Investiture Controversy. In 1521 the Diet of Worms, a general assembly of the estates of the Holy Roman Empire, took place here, presided by Emperor Charles V. Martin Luther said the sentence "Here I stand. I can do no other. May God help me" here. After that he was declared an outlaw. Parts of the basilica collapsed and got rebuilt. The most parts of the cathedral seen today was constructed between 1125 and the end of that century. The church has two choirs (east and west) and is 110 meters long. During the Nine Years' War, the french troops tried to blew up the building, but failed. Two evil snarling lions loitering on a windowsill of the eastern façade, that reminds on a westwork, but faces east. It is difficult to take photos of the façade, as the neighbouring buildings are very close to it. All the carvings on this side look - mint. They may be copies of the old ones. The cathedral got severly damaged end of WWII - and reconstructed in the 1950s. Here are the same lions as before - from a different point of view.

Worms, one of the oldest towns in Germany, was an early bishopric in the valley of the Rhine river and an important palatinate of Charlemagne, who built a palace here. Burchard of Worms, bishop since 1000, had the older carolingian church dismantled and started the construction of the cathedral, dedicated to St Peter. In 1018 this church got consecrated - the first time. In 1122 the Concordat of Worms was signed here, ending the Investiture Controversy. In 1521 the Diet of Worms, a general assembly of the estates of the Holy Roman Empire, took place here, presided by Emperor Charles V. Martin Luther said the sentence "Here I stand. I can do no other. May God help me" here. After that he was declared an outlaw. Parts of the basilica collapsed and got rebuilt. The most parts of the cathedral seen today was constructed between 1125 and the end of that century. The church has two choirs (east and west) and is 110 meters long. During the Nine Years' War, the french troops tried to blew up the building, but failed. Another pair of lions on another window sill of the eastern façade. The left lion is just killing a poor human with a long mustache and a giant chin. The black lion to the right may be a mother, protecting her cub, a theme similar to the carving in Andlau (Alsace). It is difficult to take photos of the façade, as the neighbouring buildings are very close to it. This black lioness is the only clearly weathered carving on this side. All other, like the left lion, by her side look mint and may be copies of the old ones. The cathedral got severely damaged end of WWII - and reconstructed in the 1950s.

Worms, one of the oldest towns in Germany, was an early bishopric in the valley of the Rhine river and an important palatinate of Charlemagne, who built a palace here. Burchard of Worms, bishop since 1000, had the older carolingian church dismantled and started the construction of the cathedral, dedicated to St Peter. In 1018 this church got consecrated - the first time. In 1122 the Concordat of Worms was signed here, ending the Investiture Controversy. In 1521 the Diet of Worms, a general assembly of the estates of the Holy Roman Empire, took place here, presided by Emperor Charles V. Martin Luther said the sentence "Here I stand. I can do no other. May God help me" here. After that he was declared an outlaw. Parts of the basilica collapsed and got rebuilt. The most parts of the cathedral seen today was constructed between 1125 and the end of that century. The church has two choirs (east and west) and is 110 meters long. During the Nine Years' War, the french troops tried to blew up the building, but failed. The façade of western choir is clearly influenced by architectural ideas from Burgundy, probably from Cluny. So all around the choir are lots of carvings showing strange creatures making grimaces to the people on the ground - and small men in anger and in danger.

Worms, one of the oldest towns in Germany, was an early bishopric in the valley of the Rhine river and an important palatinate of Charlemagne, who built a palace here. Burchard of Worms, bishop since 1000, had the older carolingian church dismantled and started the construction of the cathedral, dedicated to St Peter. In 1018 this church got consecrated - the first time. In 1122 the Concordat of Worms was signed here, ending the Investiture Controversy. In 1521 the Diet of Worms, a general assembly of the estates of the Holy Roman Empire, took place here, presided by Emperor Charles V. Martin Luther said the sentence "Here I stand. I can do no other. May God help me" here. After that he was declared an outlaw. Parts of the basilica collapsed and got rebuilt. The most parts of the cathedral seen today was constructed between 1125 and the end of that century. The church has two choirs (east and west) and is 110 meters long. During the Nine Years' War, the french troops tried to blew up the building, but failed. The façade of western choir is clearly influenced by architectural ideas from Burgundy, probably from Cluny. So all around the choir are lots of carvings showing strange creatures making grimaces to the people on the ground - and small men in anger and in danger. Most carvings here are from the local red sandstone and weathered, so they look older as the impressing lions from the eastern side. Here a small peasant returning from the field. He carries his shovel or hoe on the shoulder. He had worked the whole days and so he is very tired and scratches his long beard. He is not at all aware, that the terrifying hellhound is just behind him. The creature will grab him within the next second - and throw him into the center of hell.

Worms, one of the oldest towns in Germany, was an early bishopric in the valley of the Rhine river and an important palatinate of Charlemagne, who built a palace here. Burchard of Worms, bishop since 1000, had the older carolingian church dismantled and started the construction of the cathedral, dedicated to St Peter. In 1018 this church got consecrated - the first time. In 1122 the Concordat of Worms was signed here, ending the Investiture Controversy. In 1521 the Diet of Worms, a general assembly of the estates of the Holy Roman Empire, took place here, presided by Emperor Charles V. Martin Luther said the sentence "Here I stand. I can do no other. May God help me" here. After that he was declared an outlaw. Parts of the basilica collapsed and got rebuilt. The most parts of the cathedral seen today was constructed between 1125 and the end of that century. The church has two choirs (east and west) and is 110 meters long. During the Nine Years' War, the french troops tried to blew up the building, but failed. The façade of western choir is clearly influenced by architectural ideas from Burgundy, probably from Cluny. So all around the choir are lots of carvings showing strange creatures making grimaces to the people on the ground - and small men in anger and in danger. Two small men in a brawl. They have each other by the beards - and so are "beardpullers". Actually this theme was very popular within the 12th century, especially in Burgundy and the Auvergne. I am sure about the beards, that is easy. I am not sure what they are holding or pulling with the other hands.

Worms, one of the oldest towns in Germany, founded by Celts, was an early bishopric in the valley of the Rhine river and an important palatinate of Charlemagne, who built a palace here. Burchard of Worms, bishop since 1000, had the older carolingian church dismantled and started the construction of the cathedral, dedicated to St Peter. In 1018 this church got consecrated - the first time. In 1122 the Concordat of Worms was signed here, ending the Investiture Controversy. In 1521 the Diet of Worms, a general assembly of the estates of the Holy Roman Empire, took place here, presided by Emperor Charles V. Martin Luther said the sentence "Here I stand. I can do no other. May God help me" here. After that he was declared an outlaw. Parts of the basilica collapsed and got rebuilt. The most parts of the cathedral seen today was constructed between 1125 and the end of that century. The church has two choirs (east and west) and is 110 meters long. During the Nine Years' War, the french troops tried to blew up the building, but failed. The façade of western choir is clearly influenced by architectural ideas from Burgundy, probably from Cluny. So all around the choir are lots of carvings showing strange creatures making grimaces to the people on the ground - and small men in anger and in danger. On the right is a huge, evil creature with enormous teeth, swallowing two smaller animals. On the left two small men, clothed much better than the neighbouring peasants - arm wrestling and posing. Or are they dancing?

Worms, one of the oldest towns in Germany, founded by Celts, was an early bishopric in the valley of the Rhine river and an important palatinate of Charlemagne, who built a palace here. Burchard of Worms, bishop since 1000, had the older carolingian church dismantled and started the construction of the cathedral, dedicated to St Peter. In 1018 this church got consecrated - the first time. In 1122 the Concordat of Worms was signed here, ending the Investiture Controversy. In 1521 the Diet of Worms, a general assembly of the estates of the Holy Roman Empire, took place here, presided by Emperor Charles V. Martin Luther said the sentence "Here I stand. I can do no other. May God help me" here. After that he was declared an outlaw. Parts of the basilica collapsed and got rebuilt. The most parts of the cathedral seen today was constructed between 1125 and the end of that century. The church has two choirs (east and west) and is 110 meters long. During the Nine Years' War, the french troops tried to blew up the building, but failed. The façade of western choir is clearly influenced by architectural ideas from Burgundy, probably from Cluny. So all around the choir are lots of carvings showing strange creatures making grimaces to the people on the ground - and small men in anger and in danger. The only small lady I took a photograph of. The elderly gentlewoman is elegantly dressed, wearing a cap with two veils on the sides. She is holding a ball and seems to be contemplating over the future. She does not know, that the grinning hellhound is already waiting just around the corner, though the creature has lost half of his head over the centuries, she will still be surprised, when she turns around.

The St. Martin's Cathedral, a predominantly romanesque structure, with many gothic and some baroque extensions, is in the very center of the city of Mainz. Archbishop Willigis of Mainz, an important political player, had the construction of a cathedral started end of the 10th century. This basilica was (already!) completed 1009. A day before consecration in August 1009, the new cathedral was illuminated by torches - and burnt down completely. So finally 1036 Archbishop Bardo completed the church and it got consecrated in the presence of Conrad II. Another fire in 1081 damaged the cathedral. With the support of Henry IV the reconstruction started around 1100. For the next years "magistri comacin", highly specialised stone masons from the Lombardy left their marks here. In 1184 Frederick I Barbarossa hold one of the biggest parties of medieval times here, for the accolade of his sons, a ceremony that took place inside the cathedral. During the Thirty Years' War swedish troops looted the cathedral, so some parts of the former treasury are now in amuseum in Uppsala. The "Republic of Mainz", a product of the French Revolution, was the first democratic state on German territory. The state was represented in Paris by Georg Forster, who, as a boy, had been in the Pacific with Captain Cook. During the time of the republic the cathedral was used as a piggery, later a military hospital. All furniture was either sold or used for heating up the building. The time of the republic ended, when Prussia cannonaded Mainz, what damaged the cathedral severely. . The eastern apse and the transept within the two flanking towers. The lower parts of these towers date back to around 1000. Henry IV supported from around 1100 on the rebuilding of the cathedral after the fire of 1081. Henry IV had just before remodelled the Speyer Cathedral - and he had employed very experienced stone masons from the Lombardy, the "magistri comacin". So the cathedral in Speyer and the cathedral in Mainz are both in a kind of lombardic style. They both have blind arcades (aka "lombard bands"), dwarf galleries and this triangle of niches under the gable. After the death of their sponsor Henry IV (1106) the lombardic masters left the construction site - and moved on.

A rainy autumn day in Worms, an early bishopric in the valley of the Rhine river and an important palatinate of Charlemagne, who built a palace here. Burchard of Worms, bishop since 1000, had the older carolingian church dismantled and started the construction of the cathedral, dedicated to St Peter. In 1018 this church got consecrated - the first time. In 1122 the Concordat of Worms was signed here, ending the Investiture Controversy. In 1521 the Diet of Worms, a general assembly of the estates of the Holy Roman Empire, took place here, presided by Emperor Charles V. Martin Luther said the sentence "Here I stand. I can do no other. May God help me" here. After that he was declared an outlaw. Parts of the basilica collapsed and got rebuilt. The most parts of the cathedral seen today was constructed between 1125 and the end of that century. The church has two choirs (east and west) and is 110 meters long. During the Nine Years' War, the french troops tried to blew up the building, but failed. An important episode of the "Nibelungenlied" is placed on the western side of the cathedral. Brynhild and Kriemhild meet in front of the cathedral - and have the argument, that starts the story, ending in Kriemhild´s revenge.

The monastery "Abbatia ad Lacum" was founded in 1093 on the shores of a lake (lacum). It was a priory of Affligem Abbey (Belgium) first, but since 1138 was an independent Benedictian abbey. The erection of the monastery, following the "Sankt Galler Klosterplan" ("Plan of Saint Gall") started, when the first monks settled here. To complete the church took more than 200 years. Even after the consecration, many parts were added or altered. The abbey was an intellectual hub in the 12th/13th century, but like many other convents declined later. It joined the Bursfelde Congregation, a reform movement originating from the Bursfelde Abbey in the valley of the Weser river. The monastery existed upto the secularisation. The buildings and all the abbey´s possessions became property of the French state. The inventary was auctioned. After the Congress of Vienna the ownership of the empty buildings went to the Prussian State, who sold it. Within the 1860s it was acquired by the "Society of Jesus". The "Kulturkampf", a row between the Prussian government and the Roman Catholic administration, ended that episode and in 1992 the Benedictines returned. They could do with the support of Wilhelm II, as the church itself was still owned by the Prussian state. Since then many restaurations and renovations have taken place, to "purify" the buildings - and "recreate" the Romanesque style. The abbey church has two apses, two transepts - and six towers!

The monastery "Abbatia ad Lacum" was founded in 1093 on the shores of a lake (lacum). It was a priory of Affligem Abbey (Belgium) first, but since 1138 was an independent Benedictian abbey. The erection of the monastery, following the "Sankt Galler Klosterplan" ("Plan of Saint Gall") started, when the first monks settled here. To complete the church took more than 200 years. Even after the consecration, many parts were added or altered. The abbey was an intellectual hub in the 12th/13th century, but like many other convents declined later. It joined the Bursfelde Congregation, a reform movement originating from the Bursfelde Abbey in the valley of the Weser river. The monastery existed upto the secularisation. The buildings and all the abbey´s possessions became property of the French state. The inventary was auctioned. After the Congress of Vienna the ownership of the empty buildings went to the Prussian State, who sold it. Within the 1860s it was acquired by the "Society of Jesus". The "Kulturkampf", a row between the Prussian government and the Roman Catholic administration, ended that episode and in 1992 the Benedictines returned. They could do with the support of Wilhelm II, as the church itself was still owned by the Prussian state. Since then many restaurations and renovations have taken place, to "purify" the buildings - and "recreate" the Romanesque style. Seen here is the westwork, a kind of western transept, the western apse and a cloister-like narthex, that was added to the church 1220/1230.

The monastery "Abbatia ad Lacum" was founded in 1093 on the shores of a lake (lacum). It was a priory of Affligem Abbey (Belgium) first, but since 1138 was an independent Benedictian abbey. The erection of the monastery, following the "Sankt Galler Klosterplan" ("Plan of Saint Gall") started, when the first monks settled here. To complete the church took more than 200 years. Even after the consecration, many parts were added or altered. The abbey was an intellectual hub in the 12th/13th century, but like many other convents declined later. It joined the Bursfelde Congregation, a reform movement originating from the Bursfelde Abbey in the valley of the Weser river. The monastery existed upto the secularisation. The buildings and all the abbey´s possessions became property of the French state. The inventary was auctioned. After the Congress of Vienna the ownership of the empty buildings went to the Prussian State, who sold it. Within the 1860s it was acquired by the "Society of Jesus". The "Kulturkampf", a row between the Prussian government and the Roman Catholic administration, ended that episode and in 1992 the Benedictines returned. They could do with the support of Wilhelm II, as the church itself was still owned by the Prussian state. Since then many restaurations and renovations have taken place, to "purify" the buildings - and "recreate" the Romanesque style. Seen here is the westwork, the western apse and the entrance to the cloister-like narthex, that was added to the church 1220/1230.

The monastery "Abbatia ad Lacum" was founded in 1093 on the shores of a lake (lacum). It was a priory of Affligem Abbey (Belgium) first, but since 1138 was an independent Benedictian abbey. The erection of the monastery, following the "Sankt Galler Klosterplan" ("Plan of Saint Gall") started, when the first monks settled here. To complete the church took more than 200 years. Even after the consecration, many parts were added or altered. The abbey was an intellectual hub in the 12th/13th century, but like many other convents declined later. It joined the Bursfelde Congregation, a reform movement originating from the Bursfelde Abbey in the valley of the Weser river. The monastery existed upto the secularisation. The buildings and all the abbey´s possessions became property of the French state. The inventary was auctioned. After the Congress of Vienna the ownership of the empty buildings went to the Prussian State, who sold it. Within the 1860s it was acquired by the "Society of Jesus". The "Kulturkampf", a row between the Prussian government and the Roman Catholic administration, ended that episode and in 1992 the Benedictines returned. They could do with the support of Wilhelm II, as the church itself was still owned by the Prussian state. Since then many restaurations and renovations have taken place, to "purify" the buildings - and "recreate" the Romanesque style. In case the previous upload depicted in deed "Okeanos", then, following the theory, this Lady should be "Gaia", the great mother of all. I do not see the mythical couple. While I saw a bearded gentleman in the pose of a "Master of the Beasts", this sculpture reminds me on many breastfeeding Luxuriae I have seen so far. The snakes are different here, as they have human heads and seem to end in foliage.

The monastery "Abbatia ad Lacum" was founded in 1093 on the shores of a lake (lacum). It was a priory of Affligem Abbey (Belgium) first, but since 1138 was an independent Benedictian abbey. The erection of the monastery, following the "Sankt Galler Klosterplan" ("Plan of Saint Gall") started, when the first monks settled here. To complete the church took more than 200 years. Even after the consecration, many parts were added or altered. The abbey was an intellectual hub in the 12th/13th century, but like many other convents declined later. It joined the Bursfelde Congregation, a reform movement originating from the Bursfelde Abbey in the valley of the Weser river. The monastery existed upto the secularisation. The buildings and all the abbey´s possessions became property of the French state. The inventary was auctioned. After the Congress of Vienna the ownership of the empty buildings went to the Prussian State, who sold it. Within the 1860s it was acquired by the "Society of Jesus". The "Kulturkampf", a row between the Prussian government and the Roman Catholic administration, ended that episode and in 1992 the Benedictines returned. They could do with the support of Wilhelm II, as the church itself was still owned by the Prussian state. Since then many restaurations and renovations have taken place, to "purify" the buildings - and "recreate" the Romanesque style. I found a note in the local museum, that there are some authors, seeing "Okeanus" here and "Gaia" in the other corner, so forming a mighty couple of "land" and "sea". I could not find out, who came up with this theory. I do not see that mythical couple. This bearded gentleman holds two dragon-like creatures in his (tiny) hands, so he seems to be a "Master of the Beasts".

The monastery "Abbatia ad Lacum" was founded in 1093 on the shores of a lake (lacum). It was a priory of Affligem Abbey (Belgium) first, but since 1138 was an independent Benedictian abbey. The erection of the monastery, following the "Sankt Galler Klosterplan" ("Plan of Saint Gall") started, when the first monks settled here. To complete the church took more than 200 years. Even after the consecration, many parts were added or altered. The abbey was an intellectual hub in the 12th/13th century, but like many other convents declined later. It joined the Bursfelde Congregation, a reform movement originating from the Bursfelde Abbey in the valley of the Weser river. The monastery existed upto the secularisation. The buildings and all the abbey´s possessions became property of the French state. The inventary was auctioned. After the Congress of Vienna the ownership of the empty buildings went to the Prussian State, who sold it. Within the 1860s it was acquired by the "Society of Jesus". The "Kulturkampf", a row between the Prussian government and the Roman Catholic administration, ended that episode and in 1992 the Benedictines returned. They could do with the support of Wilhelm II, as the church itself was still owned by the Prussian state. Since then many restaurations and renovations have taken place, to "purify" the buildings - and "recreate" the Romanesque style. A detail from the left side of the narthex facade. Foliage, densely populated by mythical creatures. Two wrestlers to the right. Their upper bodies are human, but they seem to stick in winged siren-bodies. The scene in the center reminds on a "wolf-school", as seen in Freiburg and Saint Ursanne, where the teachers are monks. Here the teacher (in case this is a teacher) seems to be a hairy woodwose or a devil. I could not read the words, he wrote (PEC??? and GAGA??). The animal (wolf?) next to him has turned his head already to the billy goat, that is (not to be seen from this pov) attacked from another wolf from behind. This is left to the portal. The same position on the right side differs notably. See the following upload. According to information from the local museum, the stones used for these carvings by an anonymous master, named "Samsonmeister" by art historians, are "coralline limestones", brought to this secluded place from France.