Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: gothique

The construction of the church Saint-Léger (= Leodegar, Ludger) in Guebwiller started in 1182 and took about 100 years. The church was built from local red sandstone in a style between late romanesque and early gothic. The most interesting point I found is, that the architects of this church obviously spent a lot of time in Rosheim, about 70kms north. They studied the church Saints-Pierre-et-Paul, that is only about 30 years older. The triangel on the roof between nave and transept gives room for a remarkable large sculpture in Rosheim. This idea was copied here, as it even seems to be the same old man, holding his long beard. A medieval "copy and paste". Actually the copy is a bit clumsy, compared to the original. Here is the original www.flickr.com/photos/martin-m-miles/5387259540/

The construction of the church Saint-Léger (= Leodegar, Ludger) in Guebwiller started in 1182 and took about 100 years. The building, built from red local sandstone, is pretty huge and the style is between late romanesque and early gothic. I have the impression, that the architects of this church obviously spent a lot of time in Rosheim, studying the church Saints-Pierre-et-Paul, that is only about 30 years older. Standing at the western end of the nave, looking to the choir. The structure of the nave differs clearly from the church in Rosheim. The nave here is still romanesque, the vaulting is early gothic style - and the far away choir, added to the church after 1336 is "very" gothic.

The construction of the church Saint-Léger (= Leodegar, Ludger) in Guebwiller started in 1182 and took about 100 years. The church was built from local red sandstone in a style between late romanesque and early gothic. The most interesting point I found is, that the architects of this church obviously spent a lot of time in Rosheim, studying the church Saints-Pierre-et-Paul, that is only about 30 years older. The structure is huge and the crossing tower is impressive. The choir, seen here, was added around 1350 and is gothic. Please note the otherwise unspectacular triangel, that I marked. What was an architectural "invention" in Molsheim - here simply got copied.

The construction of the church Saint-Léger (= Leodegar, Ludger) in Guebwiller started in 1182 and took about 100 years. The building, built from red local sandstone, is pretty huge and the style is between late romanesque and early gothic. The most interesting point I found is, that the architects of this church obviously spent a lot of time in Rosheim, studying the church Saints-Pierre-et-Paul, that is only about 30 years older. There are details in Rosheim, copied here. But the masters working here, never reached the elegant style seen in Rosheim. I had visited Guebwiller in autumn 2010, now I was back in spring. The light had changed - not the building. - Early morning - sunlight sparkling into the camera....

The construction of the church Saint-Léger (= Leodegar, Ludger) in Guebwiller started in 1182 and took about 100 years. The building, built from red local sandstone, is pretty huge and the style is somehwere between late romanesque and early gothic. The most interesting point I found is, that the architects of this church obviously spent a lot of time in Rosheim, studying the church Saints-Pierre-et-Paul, that is only about 30 years older. There are details in Rosheim, copied here. The towers of Saint-Léger are so high, I could not find a good point of view, to take a photo, so - sorry for that white van, that is parked in front. I waited for nearly an hour, but the driver was on holidays maybe, as the van was still standing there a day later....

The architecture of Notre Dame de l'Assomption, the parish church of Rouffach, about 20kms south of Colmar, is a mixture of romanesque and gothique style. The pretty huge building suffered heavy damage during the French Revolution. A mean looking little guy near one of the windows of the gothic choir. He is wearing a cloak with a hood and seems waiting for unwary spectators coming near enough - to spit on them.

The architecture of Notre Dame de l'Assomption, the parish church of Rouffach, about 20kms south of Colmar, is a mixture of romanesque and gothique style. The pretty huge building suffered heavy damage during the French Revolution. A musician is comfortably sitting on the top of a gothic spire, playing an instrument. First I saw the instrument as a bagpipe. Bagpipes have been very popular already in pre-medieval times. Here the thin blowpipe got lost over the time. Meanwhile - from the posture and the gesture of the hands - I think this is a kind of lute, having a very big belly. Anyway, the musician did not come alone to entertain the crowds in Rouffach. See his companion on the next photo.

The architecture of Notre Dame de l'Assomption, the parish church of Rouffach, about 20kms south of Colmar, is a mixture of romanesque and gothique style. The pretty huge building suffered heavy damage during the French Revolution. A lonely dog sitting on the top of a gothic spire. He seems to wait for the rising of the moon. Then he will start to whine and howl "from dusk till dawn"... As this carving is over the sacristy, added to the gothic choir, it may not be that old.

The architecture of Notre Dame de l'Assomption, the parish church of Rouffach, about 20kms south of Colmar, is a mixture between romanesque and gothique. The large building suffered heavy damage during the French Revolution. Work on the building started within the 11th century and continued until 1508. The twin-towered façade, seen here, remained unfinished. During the restauration during the 19th century it was planed to complete the facade. The works actually started at the north tower using red sandstone. Then the Franco-Prussian War stopped all works in 1870 - and the façade stayed unfinished. So, the north tower now is 56 m., while the south tower is only 42 m. high.

The architecture of Notre Dame de l'Assomption, the parish church of Rouffach, about 20kms south of Colmar, is a mixture of romanesque and gothique style. The transept and large parts of the nave are romanesque, the choir and the facade are gothic. The pretty huge building suffered heavy damage during the French Revolution. Work on the building started within the 11th century and continued until 1508. The twin-towered façade (to the right, only one tower is to be seen), remained unfinished. When restauration took place during the 19th century it was planed to complete the facade. The works actually started at the north tower. The Franco-Prussian War stopped all works in 1870 - and the façade stayed unfinished. So, the north tower (seen here) now is 56 m., while the south tower is only 42 m. high. The crossing tower got a new spire in 1854 and now reaches up to 68 meters.

The architecture of Notre Dame de l'Assomption, the parish church of Rouffach, about 20kms south of Colmar, is a mixture of romanesque and gothique style. The oldest part is the transept,dating back to the 11th century. The nave is about 100/200 years younger, while the choir is gothic. The large building suffered heavy damage during the French Revolution. Many years of renovating and reconstruction during the 19th century have saved a lot. So the old crossing tower got a new helmet, reaching 68m. It was even planned to (finally) finish the gothic twin-towered façade(to the left), but the but the Franco-Prussian War stopped all these plans in 1870.

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 a museum 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 gothic cloister has survived the times. In neighbouring Speyer it got demolished early 19th century. Here are the graves for the members of the chapter like in most bishoprics, that still have a cloister. It is raining. The sextons have carried all the pots with the ornamental trees into the cloister. The trees probably like the rain - and stand in perfect line.

A convent existed in the valley of the River Orbieu already in the 7th century. In 779 Charlemagne sponsored the convent that became the Abbaye Sainte-Marie. Lagrasse (pop. 550), one of the "Plus Beaux Villages de France" ("The most beautiful villages of France"), developed around the abbey. The parish church of the village was erected from ~ 1350 on in the specific "Gothique méridional", that is very common in the South of France. It was consecrated in 1398.

The "Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption" stands on that place, where during the "Council of Clermont" in November 1095 Pope Urban II launched the first cruisade. The war-cry "Deus lo vult" was heard here for the first time. The construction of the cathedral began as early as 1248 in the then new, gothic style. The black, vulcanic stones used from the beginning give the cathedral its dark colour. The choir, the transept and the start of the nave were finished about 50 years later, but it took upto the late 19th century, to finish the huge building, with its 96m high spires.

The construction of the cathedral began as early as 1248 in the then very new, gothic style. The black, vulcanic stones used from the beginning give the cathedral its dark colour. As these black stones are very strong it was possible for the architects to create very high and elegant pillars. The choir, the transept and the start of the nave were finished about 50 years later, but it took upto the late 19th century, to finish the huge building, that was fortunately not dismantled during the French Revolution.

The construction of the cathedral began as early as 1248 in the then very new, gothic style. The black, vulcanic stones used from the beginning give the cathedral its dark colour. As these black stones are very strong it was possible for the architects to create very elegant pillars - and all around the large choir space for these fantastic stained glass windows. Louis IX´s son (the future Philip III) married Isabella of Aragon in this choir in May 1262. At this occasion the king may have financed a part of the stained glass windows that seem to be from the same workshop as those in Sainte-Chapelle on the Île de la Cité in Paris.

The architecture of Notre Dame de l'Assomption, the parish church of Rouffach, about 20kms south of Colmar, is a mixture of romanesque and gothique style. The pretty huge building suffered heavy damage during the French Revolution. The companion of the musician seen on the preceding photo, playing either bagpipe or lute, is on top of the next spire. The companion is a monkey! Maybe the monkey is dancing, maybe the monkey plays an instrumet as well. His hands got lost, but there is a rope going up to his neck - and this rope may have been connected to lute or other stringed instrument. Maybe the two musicians perform a duet. From the posture, the monkey is very similar to his "master". Maybe the monkey even imitates him.