LaurieAnnie's photos with the keyword: Charlemagne

Grossmünsterplatz, CH-8001 Zürich, Tel: +41 (0) 44 252 5949, Open: 1 Nov-31 Mar 10am-4pm, 1 Apr-31 Oct 10am-6pm, Tram 4, 15 to <> As Zürich's most imposing landmark, the Grossmünster takes centre-stage on the Limmat's east bank, in the area known as the Niederdorf. The building's lofty twin towers, which dominate the skyline and small-scale architecture of the surrounding area, are in stark contrast to the cathedral's lack of decorative grandeur and (relatively) diminutive interior dimensions. It was, of course, Huldrych Zwingli, the 16th-century reformist preacher who ensured the Grossmünster - or Great Minster – was free of ostentation. Seen by many as the "bürgermeister, secretary, and council" of Zürich in one, he was the most "liberal" of all the Reformers and a key figure in the running of the city (being responsible for its transformation from a sparsely populated community into a renowned religious centre for European theologians). Founded in the ninth century by Charlemagne (Charles the Great), the Frankish King and Holy Roman Emperor, the original Carolingian church had its foundations laid on a site of long-established religious significance, namely the burial place of Felix and Regula (third-century Christian Romans and the patron saints of Zurich who were martyred by decapitation). Indeed, legend has it that Charlemagne founded the church after his horse stumbled over their burial site. Its present Romanesque form dates from 1106, although the Grossmünster's neo-Gothic twin domes, built in 1781, serve as a replacement for the original spires devastated by fire in 1763. Inside, many of the cathedral's decorative elements, including the pulpit, have been partially reconstructed or, in the case of the organ (1960) are modern day replacements. Other artistic touches, such as the stained-glass windows by Augusto Giacometti and Otto Müch's ornate bronze doors in the North and South portals, date from the early-1930s and mid-1940s respectively. The impressive crypt, a long triple-aisled hall, is dominated by a weathered statue of Charlemagne (which originally adorned the Southern Tower), with a replica now crowning the same spot. Also of interest are the Romanesque cloisters, built in 1170–80 and partly demolished in 1851 by the neo-Gothic reconstruction undertaken by G.A. Wegmann, before being renovated in the 1960s. As a haven of peace and tranquillity from the hustle and bustle of the Old Town, the vaulted bays, which surround a central garden, boast arched windows decorated with grotesque faces, dragons, centaurs and other mythical creatures. Needless to say, views of the city from the top of the Grossmünster's towers (accessed by ascending 187 steps) are impressive, although the climb is not recommended for small children or the elderly. Text from: www.talkingcities.co.uk/zurich_pages/sights_alpha2.htm

The Room of the Fire in the Borgo The room was used in the time of Julius II (pontiff from 1503 to 1513) for the meetings of the highest court of the Holy See: the Segnatura Gratiae et Iustitiae, presided over by the Pope. The paintings on the ceiling, by Pietro Vannucci, called the Perugino, commissioned by the Pope in 1508, are related to this function. At the time of Leo X (pontiff from 1513 to1521) the room was used as a dining room and the task of frescoing the walls was assigned to Raphael who entrusted a large part of the work to his school. The work was completed between 1514 and 1517. The frescoes illustrate the political aspirations of Leo X through stories taken from the lives (narrated in the Liber Pontificalis) of two previous Popes with the same name: Leo III (Crowning of Charlemagne and Justification of Leo III) and Leo IV (Fire in the Borgo and the Battle of Ostia ). In all the episodes the Pope is a portrait of the reigning pontiff Leo X. Six seated figures of emperors and sovereigns who are protectors of the church are shown in the monochromes below the paintings. Text from: mv.vatican.va/3_EN/pages/SDR/SDR_04_SalaInce.html Crowning of Charlemagne The crowning of Charlemagne, which took place in St Peter's on Christmas night in the year 800, forms the foundation of the Holy Roman Empire. It is quite likely that the fresco refers to the concordat drawn up between the Holy See and the kingdom of France in 1515, since Leo III (pontiff from 795 to 816) is in fact a portrait of Leo X and Charlemagne that of Francis I. Text from: mv.vatican.va/3_EN/pages/x-Schede/SDRs/SDRs_04_01_028.html