Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: St. Michael

Aachen, the westernmost city in Germany, developed from a Roman settlement and spa, subsequently becoming the preferred medieval Imperial residence of Emperor Charlemagne of the Frankish Empire. From 936 to 1531 Aachen was the place where 31 Holy Roman Emperors were crowned Kings of the Germans. Pepin the Short had a castle residence built in the town, due to the proximity of the hot springs and also for strategic reasons between the Rhineland and northern France. Charlemagne´s coronation as king of the Franks took place here in 768. He spent most winters in Aachen between 792 and his death in 814. Aachen became the focus of his court and the political centre of his empire. During the reign of Otto II, the nobles revolted and the West Franks under Lothair raided Aachen in 978. The palace and town of Aachen had fortifying walls built by order of Emperor Frederick Barbarossa between 1172 and 1176. Later Aachen remained a city of regional importance, due to its proximity to Flanders and achieved a modest position in the trade in woollen cloths, favoured by imperial privilege. In 1579 the first Jesuits came to Aachen. In 1600 the council of the town took the decision to settle Jesuits in Aachen. The Jesuits´church was built between 1617 and 1628, but the facade was unfinished until 1861. With the dissolution of the Jesuit Order in 1773, the church was closed and converted into a granary during the French period, later it was used as a parish church. In 1987 the Greek Orthodox community of St. Dimitrios purchased the building to held Orthodox services. Here St. Michael is seen in the facade of the St. Leonard School opposite the church. As the Jesuits once were responsible for the educational system the neighbourhood is not accidentally.

Approaching the small, unimpressive village of Altenstadt the visitor will find a really impressing romanesque basilica. The church is way too big for the village. The original name of the village was "Scongoe". Founded on a hill over the river Lech, it controlled the old roman "highway" from Augsburg to Italy - and over the time got wealthy and proud. So they started to build this St.Michael-church between 1170 and 1220. Just after the church was completed, discussions started and the whole village moved (for strategic reasons) to a new place, just a few kilometres away and started the (still existing) "Schongau", naming the old place "Altenstadt" (= old town). As there were no people to care for the abandoned church, and over the many years (fortunately) no money, to change it into gothic, baroque or rococo style, purity has survived here. I have uploaded already many photos taken in Altenstadt during prior visits. So just a few "new" photos now. The baptismal font is so delicate, that some scholars reckon, that it may not have been carved (1200) for this church but for some more "important" place. It shows Mary and the child, John the Baptist, the baptism of Jesus (here) and St. Michael fighting Luzifer. Down below you can see the rivers of paradise, flowing out of the mouths of that strange heads.

Approaching the small, unimpressive village of Altenstadt the visitor will find a really impressing romanesque basilica. The church is way too big for the village. The original name of the village was "Scongoe". Founded on a hill over the river Lech, it controlled the old roman "highway" from Augsburg to Italy - and over the time got wealthy and proud. So they started to build this St.Michael-church between 1170 and 1220. Just after the church was completed, discussions started and the whole village moved (for strategic reasons) to a new place, just a few kilometres away and started the (still existing) "Schongau", naming the old place "Altenstadt" (= old town). As there were no people to care for the abandoned church, and over the many years (fortunately) no money, to change it into gothic, baroque or rococo style, purity has survived here. I have uploaded already many photos taken in Altenstadt during prior visits. So just a few "new" photos now. St. Christopher must have been even more gigantic before the gallery was installed.

Approaching the small, unimpressive village of Altenstadt the visitor will find a really impressing romanesque basilica. The church is way too big for the village. The original name of the village was "Scongoe". Founded on a hill over the river Lech, it controlled the old roman "highway" from Augsburg to Italy - and over the time got wealthy and proud. So they started to build this St.Michael-church between 1170 and 1220. Just after the church was completed, discussions started and the whole village moved (for strategic reasons) to a new place, just a few kilometres away and started the (still existing) "Schongau", naming the old place "Altenstadt" (= old town). As there were no people to care for the abandoned church, and over the many years (fortunately) no money, to change it into gothic, baroque or rococo style, purity has survived here. I have uploaded already many photos taken in Altenstadt during prior visits. So just a few "new" photos now. A capital

Approaching the small, unimpressive village of Altenstadt the visitor will find a really impressing romanesque basilica. The church is way too big for the village. The original name of the village was "Scongoe". Founded on a hill over the river Lech, it controlled the old roman "highway" from Augsburg to Italy - and over the time got wealthy and proud. So they started to build this St.Michael-church between 1170 and 1220. Just after the church was completed, discussions started and the whole village moved (for strategic reasons) to a new place, just a few kilometres away and started the (still existing) "Schongau", naming the old place "Altenstadt" (= old town). As there were no people to care for the abandoned church, and over the many years (fortunately) no money, to change it into gothic, baroque or rococo style, purity has survived here. I have uploaded already many photos taken in Altenstadt during prior visits. So just a few "new" photos now. The murals are medieval, but not as old as the church. Here is a "Weighing of souls" and four saints.

This is "bigger than life". A height of 3,18m. Majestic. Well known all over Bavaria under the name "Der grosse Gott von Altenstadt" (The Great God from Altenstadt). Carved around 1215. A "Rex Gloriae". The two adjoining sculptures (Mary and John) are copies. The originals were sold to the Bavarian National Museum, where they found a new home.

Approaching the small, unimpressive village of Altenstadt the visitor will find a really impressing romanesque basilica. The church is way too big for the village. The original name of the village was "Scongoe". Founded on a hill over the river Lech, it controlled the old roman "highway" from Augsburg to Italy - and over the time got wealthy and proud. So they started to build this St.Michael-church between 1170 and 1220. Just after the church was completed, discussions started and the whole village moved (for strategic reasons) to a new place, just a few kilometres away and started the (still existing) "Schongau", naming the old place "Altenstadt" (= old town). As there were no people to care for the abandoned church, and over the many years (fortunately) no money, to change it into gothic, baroque or rococo style, purity has survived here. I have uploaded already many photos taken in Altenstadt during prior visits. So just a few "new" photos now.

Approaching the small, unimpressive village of Altenstadt the visitor will find a really impressing romanesque basilica. The church is way too big for the village. The original name of the village was "Scongoe". Founded on a hill over the river Lech, it controlled the old roman "highway" from Augsburg to Italy - and over the time got wealthy and proud. So they started to build this St.Michael-church between 1170 and 1220. Just after the church was completed, discussions started and the whole village moved (for strategic reasons) to a new place, just a few kilometres away and started the (still existing) "Schongau", naming the old place "Altenstadt" (= old town). As there were no people to care for the abandoned church, and over the many years (fortunately) no money, to change it into gothic, baroque or rococo style, purity has survived here. I have uploaded already many photos taken in Altenstadt during prior visits. So just a few "new" photos now.

Approaching the small, unimpressive village of Altenstadt the visitor will find a really impressing romanesque basilica. The church is way too big for the village. The original name of the village was "Scongoe". Founded on a hill over the river Lech, it controlled the old roman "highway" from Augsburg to Italy - and over the time got wealthy and proud. So they started to build this St.Michael-church between 1170 and 1220. Just after the church was completed, discussions started and the whole village moved (for strategic reasons) to a new place, just a few kilometres away and started the (still existing) "Schongau", naming the old place "Altenstadt" (= old town). As there were no people to care for the abandoned church, and over the many years (fortunately) no money, to change it into gothic, baroque or rococo style, purity has survived here. I have uploaded already many photos taken in Altenstadt during prior visits. So just a few "new" photos now.

The St. Michael's Church was built in the 11th century, but only few parts of the building date back to the time. One of them is the crypt, that unfortunately seems permanently locked. The church got remodelled in Gothic style within the 14th century and redesigned in Bavarian rococo from 1723-1235. The nave, seen from the gallery.

The city of Siegen (pop. 100.000) got its name probably from the river name Sieg. The city´s history is connected to mining, some mines date back to the late Iron Age. In 1224 the "Oberes Schloss" ("upper castle") existed already was already standing at this time, in 1303, the town was granted town rights. In the 16th century, the town was surrounded by walls with 16 towers and three town gates. After the Refomarmation Protestands (Calvinists) and Catholics lived here side by side. A sometimes violent neighborhood. Mid 18th century the wealthy area was part of the Principality of Orange-Nassau, ruled by William I, who was Prince of Orange-Nassau, Prince of Orange and the first King of the Netherlands. In 1815 Siegen was assigned to the Prussian Province of Westphalia. In 1577, Peter Paul Rubens, the the best known son of the city, was born here to the Calvinists Jan Rubens and Maria Pypelincks, who had fled Antwerp. The Catholic parish church St. Michael is pretty young. Built 1903-1906 in Neo-Romanic style, it does look older.

The dark and narrow crypt od St. Michael. This belonged to the Benedictine monastery of Fulda, founded 744 by Saint Sturmius, a disciple of Saint Boniface. The construction of St. Michael started with this crypt around 820. 200 years later it was tried to form the church above the crypt a copy of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.

The construction of St. Michael started 820 and has preromanistique features down in the crypt. It has changed widely over the centuries, but still is very impressive. Unfortunately it is not allowed to take photos inside. Not at all.

Maria Gail is an important center of pilgrimage in Carinthia since centuries. It is locally claimed, that Langobardian missionaries may have founded Maria Gail within the 6th century. The church was mentioned the first time in 1136. The once massive Romanesque church got enlarged (in Gothic style) between 1400 and 1450. In 1478 the church got severely damaged by Turkish troops during the Ottoman incursions. It got rebuilt and re-consecrated in 1486. During a renovation in 1950 late Romanesque frescoes (13th.) were discovered under the plaster along the walls of the nave. Fixed onto the southern outer wall outise are some Romanesque scupltures, that probably originate from the preciding church, that got ruined by the Turkish troops. These two angels belonged once to a large "Last Judgement"-group. The right one blows the horn, while the left one is (smiling!) Archangel St. Michael, who holds the scale for the "Weighing of the Souls".