Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Freising

Archeologists excavated the foundations of the oldest known monastery in Carinthia around and below the parish church of Molzbichl. This monastery, founded 770/780 during the Christianisation of the area, existed for nearly two centuries. The church of the convent was really large, measuring impressive 24m x 8m. The graveslab of a deacon named Nonnosus is part of the altar. Following the information it reads: Hic re(quies)ci(t) servus Χϱ(ιστου) Nonnosus diac(onus) qui vixit annos p(lus) m(inus) CIII obiit IIII Non(as) Septemb(res) et deposit(us) est in hunc loco XIII Kal(endas) Aug(ustas) indict(ione) XI tertio (anno) post cons(ulatum) Lampadi et Ores/tis v(irorum) c(larissimorum) Here rests the servant of Christ, Nonnosus, deacon, who lived more or less for 103 years. He died on September 2 at this place died on July 20...three years after the consulate of the illustrious men Lampadius and Orestes. (= 533) The plate may have been brought to Molzbichl from the nearby ancient city of Teurnia (today St. Peter in Holz), where Nonnosus could have served as a deacon. The area of Teurnia was under the jurisdiction of the bishops of Freising - and a grave of "Saint Nonnosus" can be found in the crypt of the Freising Cathedral. Nonnosus´ cult was strong in Bavaria. He was prayed to by sufferers from diseases of the kidneys. At Freising, these sufferers performed a ritual, called "Durchschluepf". It involved crawling three times around Nonnosus' sarcophagus on all fours.

During the Christianization of Carinthia, that had started in the 8th century, monks from the Innichen Abbey (today South Tyrol, Italy) worked here on behalf of the Diocese of Freising. Bishop Waldo of Freising had the first church built on the highest point of the small island. This church was first mentioned in an 894 deed as Maria Werd. "Werd" is an old German word for island. Later the relics of Saint Primus and Saint Felician were translated to this church and around 1150 Otto I of Freising founded a college of canons here. He as well had another smaller church, named "Winterkirche" built aside the collegiate church. Both churches burnt down in 1399 and afterwards got rebuilt in the late Gothic style, seen today. The apse of the small "Winterkirche" (aka "Rosenkranzkirche") still has some frescoes.

During the Christianization of Carinthia, that had started in the 8th century, monks from the Innichen Abbey (today South Tyrol, Italy) worked here on behalf of the Diocese of Freising. Bishop Waldo of Freising had the first church built on the highest point of the small island. This church was first mentioned in an 894 deed as Maria Werd. "Werd" is an old German word for island. Later the relics of Saint Primus and Saint Felician were translated to this church and around 1150 Otto I of Freising founded a college of canons here. He as well had another smaller church, named "Winterkirche" built aside the collegiate church. Both churches burnt down in 1399 and afterwards got rebuilt in the late Gothic style, seen today. The small "Winterkirche".

During the Christianization of Carinthia, that had started in the 8th century, monks from the Innichen Abbey (today South Tyrol, Italy) worked here on behalf of the Diocese of Freising. Bishop Waldo of Freising had the first church built on the highest point of the small island. This church was first mentioned in an 894 deed as Maria Werd. "Werd" is an old German word for island. Later the relics of Saint Primus and Saint Felician were translated to this church and around 1150 Otto I of Freising founded a college of canons here. He as well had another smaller church, named "Winterkirche" built aside the collegiate church. Both churches burnt down in 1399 and afterwards got rebuilt in the late Gothic style, seen today. Under the choir of today´s church is a crypt, that may have been the crypt of the preceding Romanesque church.

During the Christianization of Carinthia, that had started in the 8th century, monks from the Innichen Abbey (today South Tyrol, Italy) worked here on behalf of the Diocese of Freising. Bishop Waldo of Freising had the first church built on the highest point of the small island. This church was first mentioned in an 894 deed as Maria Werd. "Werd" is an old German word for island. Later the relics of Saint Primus and Saint Felician were translated to this church and around 1150 Otto I of Freising founded a college of canons here. He as well had another smaller church, named "Winterkirche" built aside the collegiate church. Both churches burnt down in 1399 and afterwards got rebuilt in the late Gothic style, seen today. Under Gothic rib vaults are Baroque altars and a massive pulpit.

During the Christianization of Carinthia, that had started in the 8th century, monks from the Innichen Abbey (today South Tyrol, Italy) worked here on behalf of the Diocese of Freising. Bishop Waldo of Freising had the first church built on the highest point of the small island. This church was first mentioned in an 894 deed as Maria Werd. "Werd" is an old German word for island. Later the relics of Saint Primus and Saint Felician were translated to this church and around 1150 Otto I of Freising founded a college of canons here. He as well had another smaller church, named "Winterkirche" built aside the collegiate church. Both churches burnt down in 1399 and afterwards got rebuilt in the late Gothic style, seen today. The round Karner (ossuary), consecrated in 1279, survived the blaze of 1399.

During the Christianization of Carinthia, that had started in the 8th century, monks from the Innichen Abbey (today South Tyrol, Italy) worked here on behalf of the Diocese of Freising. Bishop Waldo of Freising had the first church built on the highest point of the small island. This church was first mentioned in an 894 deed as Maria Werd. "Werd" is an old German word for island. Later the relics of Saint Primus and Saint Felician were translated to this church and around 1150 Otto I of Freising founded a college of canons here. He as well had another smaller church, named "Winterkirche" built aside the collegiate church. Both churches burnt down in 1399 and afterwards got rebuilt in the late Gothic style, seen today. Here is the choir of the Gothic church - and the round Karner (ossuary). The Karner, consecrated in 1279, survived the blaze of 1399.

During the Christianization of Carinthia, that had started in the 8th century, monks from the Innichen Abbey (today South Tyrol, Italy) worked here on behalf of the Diocese of Freising. Bishop Waldo of Freising had the first church built here. This was first mentioned in an 894 deed as Maria Werd. "Werd" is an old German word for island - and this place was an island at that time. Later the relics of Saint Primus and Saint Felician were translated to this church and around 1150 Otto I of Freising founded a college of canons here. He as well had another smaller church, named "Winterkirche" built aside the collegiate church. Both churches burnt down in 1399 and afterwards got rebuilt in the late Gothic style, seen today.

Another capital in the crypt. If you compare it to the others, you see the differrent styles used here.

Try without flashlight.. One of the beasts has a human in his mouth. The man on the rigt side seems to reopen the jaw with his hands. The beasts btw. have three jaws! There are four of these beasts on the pillar. Men (knights?) fighting them. What it all means is very much disputed. The woman with the flower on the eastern side - could be "the church", the knights fighting with beastly paganism. I could not find anything about, what the poor dog could stand for...

Another try to take a photo in the dark crypt ... The crypt was finished in 1161, when St. Nonnosius´ relics were stored in the little tomb here. The crypt has four naves - 24 pillars (3 x 8) plus halfpillars on the sidewalls. All pillars are different. They are obviously done by different carvers. In the middle of the crypt (and of this photo, barely to be seen) is a so called "Bestiensaeule", a pillar "formed" by beasts, known in Europe only from few places (Souillac!), but thisone is totally different. The little daylight comes through windows of an apse on the eastside, added later. In 1161 - it was even darker here ..

This is the most famous and best known crypt in Germany. It is - dark. This darkness may be authentic, but it is depressing, if you try to take photos. Just in case the archbishop himself (or a person near him), reads this: only a few bulbs, even low-current LEDs, that could be switched on and off, would help many visitors. I´m sure, that most even would pay some coins for a little more light. I had to use flashlight later - and I do not like that in churches... In the background (left) is the golden shrine of Saint Korbinian, on the right the tomb of Saint Nonnosus.

Approaching Freising Cathedral (Saint Mary and Corbinian Cathedral). Founded up on that hill by frankish missionary St. Korbinian (born in Arpajon, south of Paris) as early as 724. He was the first bishop of the Diocese Freising, established (after his death) by St. Bonifacius (born in Crediton, near Exeter), another missionary to the germanic tribes (see: Fulda). One of St. Korbinian´s symbols is a bear, carrying Korbinian´s luggage, but that is another story..

The interior of the "Mariendom". Once romanesque, later gothic - now late, flamboyant baroque. The ceiling was done by the Asam-brothers (see Munich) in about 18 months. Notice, that the choir elevated. Under the choir is the crypt. This was the bishop´s seat over centuries upto 1821, when the "Diocese Freising" got a new status as "Archdiocese of Munich and Freising". Since then this is a co-cathedral. The other one is "Liebfrauen" in Munich. On the left, you see conservators at work.