Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: vaults

The origins of St David's Cathedral date back to the 6th century, when St David (ca. 512-587) founded his monastery here. The community was attacked many times by Vikings and many clerics and bishops were murdered by the raiders. In 1081, William the Conqueror visited St Davids to pray, and thus recognised it as a holy and respected place. At Bishop Bernard's successful urging, Pope Callistus II added St David's to the calendar of saints in 1120 and issued a decree in 1123 that "two pilgrimages to St David's are equal to one to Rome and three pilgrimages to one to Jerusalem". Therefore, a larger cathedral was built by 1131. In 1171 King Henry II visited St David's. Construction of the current cathedral began in 1181 and was completed shortly afterwards. However, in 1220 the new tower collapsed and in 1248 an earthquake destroyed much of the chancel, choir and transept, so these parts were rebuilt. Reconstruction followed the 13th-century style with pointed arches. The next major phase of construction was started under Bishop Henry de Gower (1328–1347). He gave the cathedral's exterior a Gothic style. The cathedral was finally completed around 1520. From the 14th century onwards, the ensemble was completely surrounded by a massive wall, which originally had four gates. Of these, only the tower gate has survived, which is connected to the 13th century bell tower and opens the way from the cathedral to the city centre of St. David's. The Reformation and the dissolution of the monasteries under the Tudor King Henry VIII in 1536 was a shock. The English Civil War also left significant damage to the building fabric caused by Oliver Cromwell's troops. The valuable lead covering was removed from the roof of the bishop's palace, leaving the building to decay. The roof of the transept of the cathedral was also uncovered in order to access the lead. It was not until the late 18th century that efforts were made to preserve at least parts of the cathedral complex. After the first attempt to restore the west front failed the whole building was restored between 1862 and 1870. The Lady Chapel

The origins of St David's Cathedral date back to the 6th century, when St David (ca. 512-587) founded his monastery here. The community was attacked many times by Vikings and many clerics and bishops were murdered by the raiders. In 1081, William the Conqueror visited St Davids to pray, and thus recognised it as a holy and respected place. At Bishop Bernard's successful urging, Pope Callistus II added St David's to the calendar of saints in 1120 and issued a decree in 1123 that "two pilgrimages to St David's are equal to one to Rome and three pilgrimages to one to Jerusalem". Therefore, a larger cathedral was built by 1131. In 1171 King Henry II visited St David's. Construction of the current cathedral began in 1181 and was completed shortly afterwards. However, in 1220 the new tower collapsed and in 1248 an earthquake destroyed much of the chancel, choir and transept, so these parts were rebuilt. Reconstruction followed the 13th-century style with pointed arches. The next major phase of construction was started under Bishop Henry de Gower (1328–1347). He gave the cathedral's exterior a Gothic style. The cathedral was finally completed around 1520. From the 14th century onwards, the ensemble was completely surrounded by a massive wall, which originally had four gates. Of these, only the tower gate has survived, which is connected to the 13th century bell tower and opens the way from the cathedral to the city centre of St. David's. The Reformation and the dissolution of the monasteries under the Tudor King Henry VIII in 1536 was a shock. The English Civil War also left significant damage to the building fabric caused by Oliver Cromwell's troops. The valuable lead covering was removed from the roof of the bishop's palace, leaving the building to decay. The roof of the transept of the cathedral was also uncovered in order to access the lead. It was not until the late 18th century that efforts were made to preserve at least parts of the cathedral complex. After the first attempt to restore the west front failed the whole building was restored between 1862 and 1870. The crossing

According to legend, Canterbury was founded by Rudilibas in 900 BC and called Caerkent by the ancient Britons. From 43 AD, the Roman Durovernum Cantiacorum was built here and developed into an administrative centre. From 200 AD, the city was surrounded by city walls. Æthelberht of Kent, who ruled from 568 AD, made Canterbury his residence. After the Anglo-Saxons converted to Christianity, the city became the seat of the archbishop. In 842 and 851, Canterbury suffered great loss of life in Danish raids. In 1011, the city was besieged by a Viking army, culminating in the sack of the city. The people of Canterbury remembered this destruction and offered no resistance to the invasion of William the Conqueror in 1066. In 1363, during the Hundred Years' War, a commission found that the Roman wall had eroded due to dilapidation, stone theft and ditch filling. Between 1378 and 1402, the wall was virtually rebuilt and new wall towers added. In 1448, Canterbury was granted city charter, which gave the city a mayor and high sheriff. In the mid-16th century, many Huguenots, facing persecution fled and resettled. The first Huguenot church in Canterbury was founded around 1548. With the accession of Mary I, the Huguenot inhabitants of Canterbury were forced to flee in 1553, but after the accession of Elizabeth I, a number of Huguenots returned. In the 17th century, French-speaking Huguenots made up two-fifths of Canterbury's population. Canterbury was not only the starting point of the historic Via Francigena, which leads to Rome, but also the destination of many pilgrimages. One of these is described by Geoffrey Chaucer, author of "The Canterbury Tales". The cathedral towers over all the buildings in the city and can be seen from everywhere. In 597, missionaries led by the monk Augustine arrived in Canterbury. Remains of this first cathedral were found under the removed floor slabs during renovation work in 1993, including remains from Roman times. . In 950, the building was renovated by Archbishop Bodo. The church burnt down shortly after the Norman conquest in 1067. Begun under Lanfrank, a confidant of William the Conqueror, it then took several centuries to create what can be seen today: a very complicated and extensive spatial structure with Romanesque, early Gothic and late Gothic sections. The vaults above the nave

According to legend, Canterbury was founded by Rudilibas in 900 BC and called Caerkent by the ancient Britons. From 43 AD, the Roman Durovernum Cantiacorum was built here and developed into an administrative centre. From 200 AD, the city was surrounded by city walls. Æthelberht of Kent, who ruled from 568 AD, made Canterbury his residence. After the Anglo-Saxons converted to Christianity, the city became the seat of the archbishop. In 842 and 851, Canterbury suffered great loss of life in Danish raids. In 1011, the city was besieged by a Viking army, culminating in the sack of the city. The people of Canterbury remembered this destruction and offered no resistance to the invasion of William the Conqueror in 1066. In 1363, during the Hundred Years' War, a commission found that the Roman wall had eroded due to dilapidation, stone theft and ditch filling. Between 1378 and 1402, the wall was virtually rebuilt and new wall towers added. In 1448, Canterbury was granted city charter, which gave the city a mayor and high sheriff. In the mid-16th century, many Huguenots, facing persecution fled and resettled. The first Huguenot church in Canterbury was founded around 1548. With the accession of Mary I, the Huguenot inhabitants of Canterbury were forced to flee in 1553, but after the accession of Elizabeth I, a number of Huguenots returned. In the 17th century, French-speaking Huguenots made up two-fifths of Canterbury's population. Canterbury was not only the starting point of the historic Via Francigena, which leads to Rome, but also the destination of many pilgrimages. One of these is described by Geoffrey Chaucer, author of "The Canterbury Tales". The cathedral towers over all the buildings in the city and can be seen from everywhere. In 597, missionaries led by the monk Augustine arrived in Canterbury. Remains of this first cathedral were found under the removed floor slabs during renovation work in 1993, including remains from Roman times. . In 950, the building was renovated by Archbishop Bodo. The church burnt down shortly after the Norman conquest in 1067. Begun under Lanfrank, a confidant of William the Conqueror, it then took several centuries to create what can be seen today: a very complicated and extensive spatial structure with Romanesque, early Gothic and late Gothic sections. The vaults over the first crossing

Today, Plasencia is a city with more than 40,000 inhabitants. The city was founded in 1186 by Alfonso VIII of Castile during the reconquest of the Moorish-occupied territories from the 10th century onwards and was elevated to the status of a bishop's see by Pope Clement III just three years later. However, the conflicts between Christians and the Almohads, who were dominant at the time, continued until 1212, when the city finally came under Christian rule after the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa. Plasencia Cathedral comprises two buildings: one known as the Old Cathedral, begun in the 13th century in the Romanesque style in transition to the Gothic. The remains of the original church include the naves, the western façade, the Gothic-style cloister and the chapter room crowned with a ribbed dome in the Byzantine tradition. The New Cathedral, begun in the 15th century, is in the Gothic style. It has high vaults supported by groups of columns. The Old Cathedral (Catedral vieja) currently houses the Cathedral Museum, while the New Cathedral (Catedral nueva) is the seat of the diocese of Plasencia

Hereford became the seat of Putta, Bishop of Hereford, some time between 676 and 688, after which the settlement continued to grow due to its proximity to the border between Mercia and Wales, becoming the Saxon capital of West Mercia by the beginning of the 8th century. Hostilities between the Anglo-Saxons and the Welsh came to a head with the Battle of Hereford in 760, in which the Britons freed themselves from the influence of the English. Hereford was again targeted by the Welsh during their conflict with the Anglo-Saxon King Edward the Confessor in 1056 when, supported by Viking allies, Gruffydd ap Llywelyn, King of Gwynedd and Powys, marched on the town and put it to the torch before returning home in triumph. A church has existed on this site since the 8th century or earlier. The present building was begun in 1079. Substantial parts date from both the Norman and the Gothic periods. The cathedral is dedicated to two saints, St Mary the Virgin and St Ethelbert the King. The latter was beheaded by Offa, King of Mercia, in the year 794. Offa had consented to give his daughter to Ethelbert in marriage, but he changed his mind and deprived him of his head. Of this Norman church, completed around 1150, the surviving parts are the nave arcade, the choir, the south transept and the crossing arches. Scarcely 50 years after its completion the east end was altered by constructing a retro-choir and a lady chapel. 1226 - 1246, the Lady Chapel was rebuilt in the Early English style. Around the middle of the century the clerestory, and the vaulting of the choir, were rebuilt, having been damaged by the settling of the central tower. Under Peter of Aigueblanche (bishop 1240–68) the rebuilding of the north transept was begun, being completed later in the same century. On Easter Monday, 1786, the greatest disaster in the history of the cathedral took place. The west tower fell, creating a ruin of the whole of the west front and at least one part of the nave. The restoration work took more than a century. The west front was restored over the period 1902 and 1908.

In Roman times Gloucester (= "Glevum") Glevum was an important crossing of the River Severn. At its height, Glevum may have had a population of as many as 10,000 people. The entire area around Glevum was intensely Romanised in the second and third centuries with a high distribution of villas. Withdrawal of all Roman forces in about 410 may have allowed leading families of the Dobunni tribe to regain power. In the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle Gloucester is shown as part of Wessex from the Battle of Deorham in 577. The foundation in 681 of the abbey of St Peter by Æthelred of Mercia, favoured town growth; and before the Norman conquest of England, Gloucester was a borough governed by a portreeve, with a castle which was frequently a royal residence, and a mint. In the early 10th century the remains of Saint Oswald were brought to a small church here and shrine built there, a draw for pilgrims. The first Norman ruler, Earl Godwine, was succeeded almost a century later by Robert of Gloucester. In a charter of 1155, Henry II of England granted the citizens the same rights as the inhabitants of London and Winchester. Henry II's second charter guaranteed free passage across the River Severn. The first charter was confirmed by King Richard I in 1194. King John Lackland´s charter in 1200 considerably extended the town's rights. A mainstay of the local economy in the late Middle Ages was the textile trade. In the days of the Hanseatic League, the clothmakers of Gloucester maintained lively business contacts with the German merchants in London. Gloucester Abbey was initially founded as a nunnery in the 7th century. Benedictines moved in in 1022. In 1072, Serlo, a native of Normandy, became abbot and the dilapidated old Gloucester Abbey was reoccupied. At Christmas 1085, William the Conqueror commissioned the legendary Domesday Book to be drawn up in the old chapter house, in which the new ownership of the conquered land was recorded. In the following years, the abbey received various donations from William and his sons, enabling Bishop Robert of Hereford to lay the foundation stone for a new, larger Norman church in 1089. It was consecrated in 1100. At this time, probably only the choir with the gallery and the extensive crypt, the crossing and the first bays of the nave had been completed. The structure of the wall then changed; it is assumed that a fire in 1122 was the cause of this. Then there was a series of structural damages. Among other things, the southern west tower collapsed in 1170. After the roof truss burnt down in 1190, the stone vaulting of the nave was completed in 1242.This created a clear contrast between the mighty Norman pillars and the delicate Gothic vaulting rising from the triforium zone. At the beginning of the 14th century, the abbey had funds at its disposal, which were invested in the embellishment of the church. Firstly, the north aisle was renovated from 1318 to 1329 and the south transept was remodelled from 1331 to 1337 by not demolishing the old "Serlo building", but instead deciding to rebuild it.This part of the Serlo building from around 1100 is therefore still largely preserved, albeit hidden behind a new wall.The vault was raised, the clerestory windows enlarged and the remains of the Norman wall covered with the new Decorated Style tracery. After the Dissolution of the monasteries, Henry VIII created the new Diocese of Gloucester and in 1541, the abbey church became the cathedral. The cloister was built in the 14th century. There are wonderful Gothic fan vaults here.

In Roman times Gloucester (= "Glevum") Glevum was an important crossing of the River Severn. At its height, Glevum may have had a population of as many as 10,000 people. The entire area around Glevum was intensely Romanised in the second and third centuries with a high distribution of villas. Withdrawal of all Roman forces in about 410 may have allowed leading families of the Dobunni tribe to regain power. In the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle Gloucester is shown as part of Wessex from the Battle of Deorham in 577. The foundation in 681 of the abbey of St Peter by Æthelred of Mercia, favoured town growth; and before the Norman conquest of England, Gloucester was a borough governed by a portreeve, with a castle which was frequently a royal residence, and a mint. In the early 10th century the remains of Saint Oswald were brought to a small church here and shrine built there, a draw for pilgrims. The first Norman ruler, Earl Godwine, was succeeded almost a century later by Robert of Gloucester. In a charter of 1155, Henry II of England granted the citizens the same rights as the inhabitants of London and Winchester. Henry II's second charter guaranteed free passage across the River Severn. The first charter was confirmed by King Richard I in 1194. King John Lackland´s charter in 1200 considerably extended the town's rights. A mainstay of the local economy in the late Middle Ages was the textile trade. In the days of the Hanseatic League, the clothmakers of Gloucester maintained lively business contacts with the German merchants in London. Gloucester Abbey was initially founded as a nunnery in the 7th century. Benedictines moved in in 1022. In 1072, Serlo, a native of Normandy, became abbot and the dilapidated old Gloucester Abbey was reoccupied. At Christmas 1085, William the Conqueror commissioned the legendary Domesday Book to be drawn up in the old chapter house, in which the new ownership of the conquered land was recorded. In the following years, the abbey received various donations from William and his sons, enabling Bishop Robert of Hereford to lay the foundation stone for a new, larger Norman church in 1089. It was consecrated in 1100. At this time, probably only the choir with the gallery and the extensive crypt, the crossing and the first bays of the nave had been completed. The structure of the wall then changed; it is assumed that a fire in 1122 was the cause of this. Then there was a series of structural damages. Among other things, the southern west tower collapsed in 1170. After the roof truss burnt down in 1190, the stone vaulting of the nave was completed in 1242.This created a clear contrast between the mighty Norman pillars and the delicate Gothic vaulting rising from the triforium zone. At the beginning of the 14th century, the abbey had funds at its disposal, which were invested in the embellishment of the church. Firstly, the north aisle was renovated from 1318 to 1329 and the south transept was remodelled from 1331 to 1337 by not demolishing the old "Serlo building", but instead deciding to rebuild it.This part of the Serlo building from around 1100 is therefore still largely preserved, albeit hidden behind a new wall.The vault was raised, the clerestory windows enlarged and the remains of the Norman wall covered with the new Decorated Style tracery. After the Dissolution of the monasteries, Henry VIII created the new Diocese of Gloucester and in 1541, the abbey church became the cathedral. The cloister was built in the 14th century. There are wonderful Gothic fan vaults here.

In Roman times Gloucester (= "Glevum") Glevum was an important crossing of the River Severn. At its height, Glevum may have had a population of as many as 10,000 people. The entire area around Glevum was intensely Romanised in the second and third centuries with a high distribution of villas. Withdrawal of all Roman forces in about 410 may have allowed leading families of the Dobunni tribe to regain power. In the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle Gloucester is shown as part of Wessex from the Battle of Deorham in 577. The foundation in 681 of the abbey of St Peter by Æthelred of Mercia, favoured town growth; and before the Norman conquest of England, Gloucester was a borough governed by a portreeve, with a castle which was frequently a royal residence, and a mint. In the early 10th century the remains of Saint Oswald were brought to a small church here and shrine built there, a draw for pilgrims. The first Norman ruler, Earl Godwine, was succeeded almost a century later by Robert of Gloucester. In a charter of 1155, Henry II of England granted the citizens the same rights as the inhabitants of London and Winchester. Henry II's second charter guaranteed free passage across the River Severn. The first charter was confirmed by King Richard I in 1194. King John Lackland´s charter in 1200 considerably extended the town's rights. A mainstay of the local economy in the late Middle Ages was the textile trade. In the days of the Hanseatic League, the clothmakers of Gloucester maintained lively business contacts with the German merchants in London. Gloucester Abbey was initially founded as a nunnery in the 7th century. Benedictines moved in in 1022. In 1072, Serlo, a native of Normandy, became abbot and the dilapidated old Gloucester Abbey was reoccupied. At Christmas 1085, William the Conqueror commissioned the legendary Domesday Book to be drawn up in the old chapter house, in which the new ownership of the conquered land was recorded. In the following years, the abbey received various donations from William and his sons, enabling Bishop Robert of Hereford to lay the foundation stone for a new, larger Norman church in 1089. It was consecrated in 1100. At this time, probably only the choir with the gallery and the extensive crypt, the crossing and the first bays of the nave had been completed. The structure of the wall then changed; it is assumed that a fire in 1122 was the cause of this. Then there was a series of structural damages. Among other things, the southern west tower collapsed in 1170. After the roof truss burnt down in 1190, the stone vaulting of the nave was completed in 1242.This created a clear contrast between the mighty Norman pillars and the delicate Gothic vaulting rising from the triforium zone. At the beginning of the 14th century, the abbey had funds at its disposal, which were invested in the embellishment of the church. Firstly, the north aisle was renovated from 1318 to 1329 and the south transept was remodelled from 1331 to 1337 by not demolishing the old "Serlo building", but instead deciding to rebuild it.This part of the Serlo building from around 1100 is therefore still largely preserved, albeit hidden behind a new wall.The vault was raised, the clerestory windows enlarged and the remains of the Norman wall covered with the new Decorated Style tracery. After the Dissolution of the monasteries, Henry VIII created the new Diocese of Gloucester and in 1541, the abbey church became the cathedral.

In Roman times Gloucester (= "Glevum") Glevum was an important crossing of the River Severn. At its height, Glevum may have had a population of as many as 10,000 people. The entire area around Glevum was intensely Romanised in the second and third centuries with a high distribution of villas. Withdrawal of all Roman forces in about 410 may have allowed leading families of the Dobunni tribe to regain power. In the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle Gloucester is shown as part of Wessex from the Battle of Deorham in 577. The foundation in 681 of the abbey of St Peter by Æthelred of Mercia, favoured town growth; and before the Norman conquest of England, Gloucester was a borough governed by a portreeve, with a castle which was frequently a royal residence, and a mint. In the early 10th century the remains of Saint Oswald were brought to a small church here and shrine built there, a draw for pilgrims. The first Norman ruler, Earl Godwine, was succeeded almost a century later by Robert of Gloucester. In a charter of 1155, Henry II of England granted the citizens the same rights as the inhabitants of London and Winchester. Henry II's second charter guaranteed free passage across the River Severn. The first charter was confirmed by King Richard I in 1194. King John Lackland´s charter in 1200 considerably extended the town's rights. A mainstay of the local economy in the late Middle Ages was the textile trade. In the days of the Hanseatic League, the clothmakers of Gloucester maintained lively business contacts with the German merchants in London. Gloucester Abbey was initially founded as a nunnery in the 7th century. Benedictines moved in in 1022. In 1072, Serlo, a native of Normandy, became abbot and the dilapidated old Gloucester Abbey was reoccupied. At Christmas 1085, William the Conqueror commissioned the legendary Domesday Book to be drawn up in the old chapter house, in which the new ownership of the conquered land was recorded. In the following years, the abbey received various donations from William and his sons, enabling Bishop Robert of Hereford to lay the foundation stone for a new, larger Norman church in 1089. It was consecrated in 1100. At this time, probably only the choir with the gallery and the extensive crypt, the crossing and the first bays of the nave had been completed. The structure of the wall then changed; it is assumed that a fire in 1122 was the cause of this. Then there was a series of structural damages. Among other things, the southern west tower collapsed in 1170. After the roof truss burnt down in 1190, the stone vaulting of the nave was completed in 1242.This created a clear contrast between the mighty Norman pillars and the delicate Gothic vaulting rising from the triforium zone. At the beginning of the 14th century, the abbey had funds at its disposal, which were invested in the embellishment of the church. Firstly, the north aisle was renovated from 1318 to 1329 and the south transept was remodelled from 1331 to 1337 by not demolishing the old "Serlo building", but instead deciding to rebuild it.This part of the Serlo building from around 1100 is therefore still largely preserved, albeit hidden behind a new wall.The vault was raised, the clerestory windows enlarged and the remains of the Norman wall covered with the new Decorated Style tracery. After the Dissolution of the monasteries, Henry VIII created the new Diocese of Gloucester and in 1541, the abbey church became the cathedral.

Winchester, today a town with a population of about 40.000, played an important role in the history of England. In the 10th and early 11th centuries, Winchester was the capital of England and before that the capital of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Wessex. The Romans already knew the place under the name "Venta Belgarum". In the middle of the 9th century, St Swithin was Bishop of Winchester. At the end of the 9th century, the city also became part of a number of fortifications along the south coast of England, built by Alfred the Great. Winchester remained the capital of Wessex and later England until after the Norman Conquest, when the Normans chose London as their capital in 1066. Jews lived in Winchester from at least 1148, and in the 13th century the Jewish community was one of the most important in England. There were a series of blood libel claims against the Jewish community in the 1220s and 1230s, which likely was the cause of the hanging of the community's leader, Abraham Pinch, in front of the synagogue. Simon de Montfort ransacked the Jewish quarter in 1264, and in 1290 all Jews were expelled from England. A pre-Norman cathedral was founded in 642 on a site immediately north of the present one. This building became known as the Old Minster. It became part of a monastic settlement in 971 and was demolished in 1093. Edward the Confessor was crowned in the Old Minster in 1043. The cathedral in its present form was built between 1079 and 1532 and is dedicated to numerous saints, in particular Swithun of Winchester. It has a very long and very wide nave, an early English transept, Norman transepts and a tower. With a total length of 170 metres, it is probably the longest medieval cathedral in Europe. When William the Conqueror invaded England in 1066, he began to install his own bishops in place of the Anglo-Saxon bishops. William installed his friend and relative Walkelin as the first Norman Bishop of Winchester in 1070, and nine years later Walkelin began the construction of a huge Norman cathedral. The new cathedral was consecrated with the completion of the east end in 1093, and the many tombs of Saxon kings moved from the Old Minster into the new cathedral. Then the demolition of the New and Old Minsters began, and quickly progressed, leaving virtually no remains. The outline of the Old Minster can still be seen today to the north of the present nave. The first alteration to Walkelin's cathedral was in 1202 when Bishop Godfrey de Luci started construction of a new Early English retrochoir, this resulted in the demolition of the Norman apse. In 1346, Bishop Edington had the Norman west front demolished and began building a new Perpendicular Gothic facade, featuring a huge west window, which still stands today. Edington also began renovation of the nave. Master mason William Wynford remodelled the massive Norman nave into a soaring Perpendicular Gothic masterpiece. The Gothic vaults

Winchester, today a town with a population of about 40.000, played an important role in the history of England. In the 10th and early 11th centuries, Winchester was the capital of England and before that the capital of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Wessex. The Romans already knew the place under the name "Venta Belgarum". In the middle of the 9th century, St Swithin was Bishop of Winchester. At the end of the 9th century, the city also became part of a number of fortifications along the south coast of England, built by Alfred the Great. Winchester remained the capital of Wessex and later England until after the Norman Conquest, when the Normans chose London as their capital in 1066. Jews lived in Winchester from at least 1148, and in the 13th century the Jewish community was one of the most important in England. There were a series of blood libel claims against the Jewish community in the 1220s and 1230s, which likely was the cause of the hanging of the community's leader, Abraham Pinch, in front of the synagogue. Simon de Montfort ransacked the Jewish quarter in 1264, and in 1290 all Jews were expelled from England. A pre-Norman cathedral was founded in 642 on a site immediately north of the present one. This building became known as the Old Minster. It became part of a monastic settlement in 971 and was demolished in 1093. Edward the Confessor was crowned in the Old Minster in 1043. The cathedral in its present form was built between 1079 and 1532 and is dedicated to numerous saints, in particular Swithun of Winchester. It has a very long and very wide nave, an early English transept, Norman transepts and a tower. With a total length of 170 metres, it is probably the longest medieval cathedral in Europe. When William the Conqueror invaded England in 1066, he began to install his own bishops in place of the Anglo-Saxon bishops. William installed his friend and relative Walkelin as the first Norman Bishop of Winchester in 1070, and nine years later Walkelin began the construction of a huge Norman cathedral. The new cathedral was consecrated with the completion of the east end in 1093, and the many tombs of Saxon kings moved from the Old Minster into the new cathedral. Then the demolition of the New and Old Minsters began, and quickly progressed, leaving virtually no remains. The outline of the Old Minster can still be seen today to the north of the present nave. The first alteration to Walkelin's cathedral was in 1202 when Bishop Godfrey de Luci started construction of a new Early English retrochoir, this resulted in the demolition of the Norman apse. In 1346, Bishop Edington had the Norman west front demolished and began building a new Perpendicular Gothic facade, featuring a huge west window, which still stands today. Edington also began renovation of the nave. Master mason William Wynford remodelled the massive Norman nave into a soaring Perpendicular Gothic masterpiece. The Gothic vaults above the nave

Alcántara is a small Spanish town (pop 1500) that got its name from the Arabs for the nearby Roman bridge (see previous uploads). In 1213 the area was reconquered by the troops of Alfonso IX. A few years later the place came under the command of the Alcántara Knights. In 1488, the order's council decided to build a new monastery. Construction began in 1505 and lasted for most of the 16th century. In 1706, it was sacked during the War of Spanish Succession, and it was damaged by the 1755 Lisbon earthquake. After the Spanish confiscation in 1835, it was abandoned and began to fall into ruin. 1961 it was acquired by Hidroeléctrica Española, which restored it and occupied the structure until 1966. In 1985 it went to the "Fundación San Benito de Alcántara". The Gothic vaults of the convent´s church

The Visigoth king Leovigild founded a city called Victoriacum on the occasion of a victory over the Basques in the 6th century. In 1181, King Sancho the Wise of Navarre founded what is now Vitoria, named Nueva Victoria. This was an extension of the already existing Basque settlement of Gasteiz, which was developed into a fortification against Castile. In 1199, the town was besieged for nine months and eventually captured by the troops of Alfonso VIII of Castile, who annexed the town to the Kingdom of Castile. The town was progressively enlarged and in 1431 it was granted a city charter. The Battle of Vitoria of the Peninsular War occurred near Vitoria-Gasteiz on 21 June 1813. An allied army under General Wellington broke the French army under Joseph Bonaparte. The victory assured the eventual end of French control in Spain. There is a monument commemorating this battle in the main square of the city known as the Monument to Independence. Construction of the Cathedral of Santa María in Gothic style began in the late 13th century and continued throughout the 14th century. It was conceived as a fortress church, with great volume and enclosed appearance, being part of the city's defenses. From 1496 to 1861 it served as a collegiate church. In 1862 the church became the cathedral of the newly created Diocese of Vitoria until the new María Inmaculada Cathedral was completed in 1914.

Already in the 7th century, it was the location of a fortified Slavonic settlement, at a ford in the Vistula river. Thorn was established in 1231 under the administration of the Teutonic Order. The Teutonic Order had been called earlier by the Polish Duke Conrad of Mazovia to Christianize the pagan Baltic Pruzzes. However, the Order became active only after Emperor Frederick II granted it the right to rule over the land to be conquered in 1226. The foundation stone of the city of Thorn was laid in 1231 and soon after immigrants from Westphalia populated the town. In the 14th century, Thorn joined the Hanseatic League. The Order's efforts to simultaneously expand its sovereignty and control trade led to warlike conflicts. The city was captured by Poland in 1410 during the Polish–Lithuanian–Teutonic War however, after the First Peace of Thorn was signed in 1411, the city fell back to the Teutonic Order. In the 1420s, Polish King Władysław II Jagiełło built the Dybów Castle, located in present-day left-bank Toruń. In 1440, the gentry of Thorn co-founded the Prussian Confederation to further oppose the Knights' policies. The Confederation rose against the Monastic state of the Teutonic Knights in 1454 and its delegation submitted a petition to Polish King Casimir IV Jagiellon asking him to regain power over the region as the rightful ruler. These events led to the Thirteen Years' War. The citizens of the city conquered the Teutonic castle and dismantled the fortifications. In May 1454, a ceremony was held in Toruń, during which the nobility, knights, landowners, mayors, and local officials solemnly swore allegiance to the Polish King. During the war, Toruń financially supported the Polish Army. The Thirteen Years' War ended in 1466, with the Second Peace of Thorn, in which the Teutonic Order renounced any claims to the city and recognized it as part of Poland. During the Great Northern War (Deluge), the city was besieged by Swedish troops. In the second half of the 17th century, tensions between Catholics and Protestants grew. In the early 18th century about half of the population, especially the gentry and middle class, was German-speaking and Protestant, while the other half was Polish-speaking Roman Catholic. The old town of Torun is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. - St. Jakub (St. James) was built from 1309 to the 15th century. The cornerstone for the construction was laid by Bishop Herman in 1309. In the same year, the construction of the presbytery began, which was covered with a stellar vault, In the 14th century, the parish was started to be managed by the cisterns, then the Benedictine nuns. In the years 1557-1667 the parish church belonged to the Evangelical community, then it was regained by the Benedictine nuns, who managed the temple until the 19th century. From then to the present day the parish church. Due to the characteristic shape and the many architectural details the church is one of the important examples of brick architecture in the Baltic Sea area.

The history of Opole dates back to the 8th and 9th centuries. The territory is politically disputed. Around 990 Silesia, together with the territory of Opole, was annexed by Mieszko I to the Polish state. In 1039 Břetislav I reconquered the territory for eleven years, after which Opole reverted to Bohemia. In 1050, Casimir I reconquered Silesia. It became a Polish duchy in 1172 and received city rights from Duke Casimir I of Opole in 1217. Opole was a center of trade. Several trade routes crossed here, which helped to make profits from transit trade. After the death of King Ludvík II Silesia was inherited by Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor, placing Opole under the sovereignty of the Habsburg monarchy of Austria. The Habsburgs took control of the region in 1532 but pawned the duchy to different rulers including several monarchs of Poland. In 1615, a fire destroyed all the houses within the city walls. After the Swedish invasion of Poland, in 1655 John II Casimir Vasa stayed with his court here. In November of that year, the "Uniwersał opolski" was issued here by the King, calling for Poles to rise against the Swedes. After 1668 the region passed again to the control of the Habsburgs. Frederick II of Prussia conquered most of Silesia from Austria in 1740 during the Silesian Wars. Under Prussian rule, the ethnic structure of the city began to change and a kind of "Germanization" set in. Nevertheless, Opole remained an important cultural, social and political center for the Poles in Upper Silesia. In the course of German unification in 1871 Opole became part of the German Empire. After WWI, a referendum was held with the result that Silesia remained part of the German Reich. After the end of WWII in 1945, Oppeln was transferred from Germany to Poland and the name changed from Oppeln to Opole. According to tradition, the first wooden church was built on this site as early as 1002. In 1024 the Bishop of Wroclaw donated to the church a relic of the Holy Cross, which he is said to have received from St. Emmerich, the son of the King of Hungary. Between 1254 and 1295 a new large stone church was built. In 1415, lightning struck the nave and destroyed the entire church by fire. Only a small part of the relic of the Holy Cross was preserved. Due to lack of money, the reconstruction took more than 100 years. During the reconstruction works, the church was again destroyed by fire. It was not until 1520 that the new building was completed. The cathedral is a three-nave hall church in the Gothic style and has been preserved in large parts although it had become a ruin after the 30-year war. The nave's vault

The history of Opole dates back to the 8th and 9th centuries. The territory is politically disputed. Around 990 Silesia, together with the territory of Opole, was annexed by Mieszko I to the Polish state. In 1039 Břetislav I reconquered the territory for eleven years, after which Opole reverted to Bohemia. In 1050, Casimir I reconquered Silesia. It became a Polish duchy in 1172 and received city rights from Duke Casimir I of Opole in 1217. Opole was a center of trade. Several trade routes crossed here, which helped to make profits from transit trade. After the death of King Ludvík II Silesia was inherited by Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor, placing Opole under the sovereignty of the Habsburg monarchy of Austria. The Habsburgs took control of the region in 1532 but pawned the duchy to different rulers including several monarchs of Poland. In 1615, a fire destroyed all the houses within the city walls. After the Swedish invasion of Poland, in 1655 John II Casimir Vasa stayed with his court here. In November of that year, the "Uniwersał opolski" was issued here by the King, calling for Poles to rise against the Swedes. After 1668 the region passed again to the control of the Habsburgs. Frederick II of Prussia conquered most of Silesia from Austria in 1740 during the Silesian Wars. Under Prussian rule, the ethnic structure of the city began to change and a kind of "Germanization" set in. Nevertheless, Opole remained an important cultural, social and political center for the Poles in Upper Silesia. In the course of German unification in 1871 Opole became part of the German Empire. After WWI, a referendum was held with the result that Silesia remained part of the German Reich. After the end of WWII in 1945, Oppeln was transferred from Germany to Poland and the name changed from Oppeln to Opole. According to tradition, the first wooden church was built on this site as early as 1002. In 1024 the Bishop of Wroclaw donated to the church a relic of the Holy Cross, which he is said to have received from St. Emmerich, the son of the King of Hungary. Between 1254 and 1295 a new large stone church was built. In 1415, lightning struck the nave and destroyed the entire church by fire. Only a small part of the relic of the Holy Cross was preserved. Due to lack of money, the reconstruction took more than 100 years. During the reconstruction works, the church was again destroyed by fire. It was not until 1520 that the new building was completed. The cathedral is a three-nave hall church in the Gothic style and has been preserved in large parts although it had become a ruin after the 30-year war.

Riga is the capital of Latvia. With a population of more than 600.000 about a third of all Latvians live here. A settlement of the Finno-Ugric Livs existed on the bank of the Düna. At the end of the 12th century, merchants from Gotland came to trade here. Albert von Buxthoeven, a fierce missionary, was the first bishop in Riga from 1201 to 1229. Riga developed as the hub of Russian trade and the starting point of the German colonization of the Baltic. The merchants who settled here after the subjugation of the surrounding peoples rapidly gained influence. In 1225, they were able to elect the city bailiff themselves, when the City Council existed already. After the Reformation, the power of the archbishops came to an end. After the outbreak of the Livonian War in 1558 the city favoured the status of a free imperial city of the Holy Roman Empire. It was only when the imperial support failed to materialize that the renewed advance of Russian armies led the city to pay homage to Poland's King Stephen Báthory in 1581, who in return confirmed the city's traditional freedoms and privileges. The 40-year Polish-Lithuanian rule, under which the citizens of Riga successfully resisted anti-Reformation efforts ended with the conquest of the city by Gustav II Adolf of Sweden in 1621. The Swedish crown treated Riga by its rank as the second-largest city in the kingdom and had it lavishly fortified. During the Russo-Swedish War (1656-1658), Riga withstood the Russian siege and maintained its position as one of the most important cities in Sweden until the beginning of the 18th century. During this period the city enjoyed extensive self-government. St. John's Church belonged as a chapel to the neighbouring Dominican monastery from 1234. The first documented mention of the church dates back to 1297. At the end of the 15th century, the church was destroyed during battles between the Teutonic Order and the City of Riga. In the period around 1500, the church was rebuilt in its present form. In 1520 it received its net vaults. In 1523, in the course of the Reformation, the Dominicans were deprived of the church and the church was used as an armoury. In 1582, the church was handed over to the Latvian Lutheran parish. The single-nave church interior is spanned by a star vault. There are four bays, twelve meters wide and up to 19 meters high, with the late Gothic network.