CATHEDRAL QUEST
Our quest to experience the great cathedrals and churches of Europe
GERMANY 2007
Day 8
TUESDAY, May 29TH
SPEYER,
STRASBOURG TO FREIBURG
We had breakfast in the Golden Engel breakfast room
which was a very nice room.
Several other people were there.
They didn’t have a buffet, just cereals, meats, cheese, breads and hard boiled
eggs.
It was a cold and rainy morning.
We
walked back to the Dom and past
it to
St. Magdenla where Edith Stein had taught.
We went in the chapel where several nuns were praying.
Then we went back to the cathedral for a final look.
We still liked the brightness and color of the stone.
We checked out and headed to Strasbourg in France.
It rained most of the way.
Our GPS leads us to the cathedral door…..amazing….down some very narrow streets
but “she” knew the name of all of them.
It stopped raining but was cold and windy…about 50 degrees.
We had lunch in a café opposite the cathedral.
I had quiche and salad, and my wife had onion soup.
STRASBOURG CATHEDRAL
Not
much known about origin of this cathedral, nothing is mentioned before 8th
century. Fire destroyed the old cathedral and a new one was started in 1015.
It was the size of present church, but nothing remains of that church. In
1190, reconstruction of eastern structures, choir and transept started in late
Romanesque style. A number of builders, the last coming from France,
completed the southern arm between 1225 and 1235 in Gothic style -inspired by
Chartres. The nave was built 1245-1275. Next, the façade was erected but required
more than a one and a half centuries to complete. The steeple was completed in 1439 and
rises to a height of 466 feet.
In the 19th
century restoration was started which is still going on today.
Because the cathedral was located at the end of a street with rather tall
buildings it was impossible to photograph the entire façade. SEE
MY MINI-MODEL
The interior was a beautiful mixture of colored stone with high Gothic walls and
columns. The
apse had one rather small stained glass, flanked by murals.
We enjoyed looking at the mechanical clock and the column of angels.
After walking around outside, we headed to Freiburg.
Our “TomTom” GPS
got us out
of town perfectly and right to our Freiburg hotel.
We walked over to the Munster which was about two blocks away.
It had stopped raining but was cold.
We stopped in a café for a drink and then to the Cathedral.
It was almost too dark inside to see it.
apse had one rather small stained glass, flanked by murals.
We enjoyed looking at the mechanical clock and the column of angels.
After walking around outside, we headed to Freiburg.
Our “TomTom” GPS
got us out
of town perfectly and right to our Freiburg hotel.
We walked over to the Munster which was about two blocks away.
It had stopped raining but was cold.
We stopped in a café for a drink and then to the Cathedral.
It was almost too dark inside to see it.
FREIBURG CATHEDRAL
FREIBURG IM BREISGAU (Freiburg Cathedral) was one of those rare Gothic churches
to have actually been finished, complete with tower during the middle ages. The
Church was started in1200 but in 1368
there was an economic decline and the work
on church ceased. Work resumed on the munster and was completed in first half of
16th century.
The style
was Romanesque, having a transept with dome above crossing and the two towers
which flank the choir. The Romanesque choir was demolished at the end of 15th
century for new Gothic one.
The Western tower was constructed in 2 phases -
1270-90
and 1300-1330 the octagon was completed.
The work
on tower was interrupted while the nave was competed.
It was resumed in 1300 after change of plan and new architect. The tower
has an unique four sided base rising
to a 12 sided
star gallery then to an 8 sided structure above The
octagon
has 8 free standing
columns.
The 380 foot tower is the
first entirely openwork stone spire in the history of Gothic buildings.
A new
chancel was built in 1354 and consecration in 1513.
In 1370, funds ran dry and the project halted. It resumed a century later,
in 1471. The vaulting over high chancel was constructed in 1510.
More description and photos will be on Day 9.
We ate dinner in a very nice restaurant across from the munster, Oberkirch
Weinstruble.
We shared mushroom
bacon in cream sauce.
I had turkey
medallion in orange pepper sauce with rice and asparagus.
My wife had trout and potatoes.
We walked a litte around town and back to hotel, a little after 8:00.
Next Day
Day 1 - Cologne
Day 2 - Cologne
Day 3 -Aachen
Day 4 - Maria Laach - Mainz
Day 5 - Mainz
to Trier
Day 6 - Trier
Day -7- Speyer
Day 8 - Speyer - Strasbourg - Freiburg
Day 9 - Basel - Lindau
Day 10 - Lindau- Meersburg
Day 11 - Lindau
Day 12 -
Hohenschwangau
Day 13 - Zurich
Day 14 - Zurich -home
Home
there was an economic decline and the work
on church ceased. Work resumed on the munster and was completed in first half of
16th century. 1270-90
and 1300-1330 the octagon was completed.
The work
on tower was interrupted while the nave was competed.
It was resumed in 1300 after change of plan and new architect. The tower
has an unique four sided base rising
to a 12 sided star gallery then to an 8 sided structure above The
octagon
has 8 free standing
columns.
The 380 foot tower is the
first entirely openwork stone spire in the history of Gothic buildings.