Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: spire

Offenburg was first mentioned in 1148 and was declared a Free Imperial City by 1240. During the 9-Years-War the town suffered under the French occupation of Offenburg. In 1689 Offenburg was set on fire and completely destroyed except for the Capuchin monastery and two other houses. The "Offenburger Programm" which consisted of thirteen demands "in the name of the people of Baden", was put forward here on 12 September 1847. This was the first known demand for democracy in Germany, demanding basic and human rights as well as freedom of the press. It was one of the triggers that started the 1848-Revolution in Southern Germany. The Neo-Gothic spire of the protestant Stadtkirche over the centre of Offenburg.

Kloster Allerheiligen (= "All Saints Abbey") is a former Benedictine monastery, founded by Eberhard VI. von Nellenburg in 1049. The Nellenburg family controlled the bypass of the Rheinfall waterfalls, what led to great wealth. The construction site of the monastery was consecrated by by Pope Leo IX and the works were completed already 1064. The church was dedicated to the Saviour, the Holy Cross, the Virgin Mary and All the Saints. Allerheiligen became, instead of the Reichenau Abbey, the new grave lay by the founding family, and Eberhard himself became a monk in the abbey, and died here in 1078. During the Investiture Controversy the pope loyal Burkhard von Nellenburg, Ebergard´s son and heir, conformed in 1080 all of the rights of the monastery. The monastery was subordinate to the Pope, and received the vast estate of the Nellenburg family, the free election of the abbot, and the town of Schaffhausen. Burkhard remained the monastery's Vogt, and motivated the abbot to join with some monks from the Hirsau Abbey, to reform the monastery on the model of Hirsau, that was based on Cluny During the Reformation in Switzerland, the abbey was abolished, and the church of the abbey became the second main city church in 1524. Kloster Allerheiligen is a labyrinthic complex of buildings. In 1150 Abbot Ulrich planned a double tower, but only the western, seen here, was completed. The Gothic spire was added in 1764, when the church was already used by the Swiss Reformed parish.

Augustodunum (today Autun) was founded during the reign of Augustus, after whom it was named. It was an important settlement, the Roman theather, partly unearthed, could seat about 15.000 people, there is a Roman temple, walls... But it is the Cathédrale Saint-Lazare and the wonderful carvings, that made me return to Autun again and again. There had been a church here earlier, that was just too small, when Autun became a center of pilgrimage, after relics of St. Lazarus were kept here since about 970. Just like Vezelay, 90kms north, where the relics of St. Lazarus´ sister St. Maria Magdalena were kept at that time. In 1120 it was decided to construct this larger and more suitable cathedral. At that time this construction was influenced by Cluny III, that was a little older. The cathedral ("Latin Cross") was completed in 1146, only the porch which was added some years later After severe damage in 1376, during the Hundred Years' War, rebuilding and remodeling the romanesque structure started within the 15th century. At that time Gothic chapels were added and the massive crossing tower was built.

The "Cathedral of Our Lady" (= "Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal") is the see of the Diocese of Antwerp. The building of the cathedral started in 1352 and the first stage of construction was ended in 1521, when the church got consecrated. In 1533 the new church caught fire and got severyl damaged. Protestants raided the church in 1566. Many treasures, that had survived the iconoclastic fever got removed and sold, when Antwerp came under Protestant administration in 1581. After French revolutionaries conquered Anwerp 1794, the church was used as a stable. In 1798 the French administration intended to demolish the building. Time changed and within the 19th century the church was restored and refurnished. The cathedral´s spire is 123 metres high!

Early morning light on the two black spires of the Clermont-Ferrand cathedral. The spires are more than 100 meters high and black, like the entire cathedral, as the entire structure is built from the vulcanic rock from Volvic. The first cathedral on this place was built already within the 5th century. This church was destroyed by Pepin the Short, who a couple of years later financed the reconstruction. This second structure here was destroyed by the Normans in 915. The third (romanesque) cathedral, was consecrated in 946. This building probably served as the model and prototype for many churches in the Auvergne. After a trip to Paris, the bishop was so enthusiastic about the the new gothic cathedrals being built in the north, that he had the romanesque cathedral was demolished - and in 1248 the construction of this cathedral started. It took hundreds of years - and actually never got completed. During the French Revolution the revolutionaries wanted to tear down the church, but they could be persuaded to use it as a gathering place. So only some the transept towers and the complete furniture and interior decoration got lost. Finally in 1866 the completion works began. In 1884, the western façade with its spires and the last span of the nave were finally completed. So what you see here - is pretty recent.

The parish in Rully may be on of the oldest around, as Saint-Rieul ("Rully" derives from "Rieul" was the very first bishop of nearby Senlis end of the fourth century. Legends tell, that Saint Rieul preached here as a missionary in front of a crowd of heathens and miraculously tranquilized frogs, remembered as "le miracle des grenouilles". The parish church was erected from the early 12 century on. The oldest existing part is the tower. These weathered heads are on one of the tower´s corner.

The parish in Rully may be one of the oldest around, as Saint-Rieul ("Rully" derives from "Rieul" was the very first bishop of nearby Senlis end of the fourth century. Legends tell, that Saint Rieul preached here as a missionary in front of a crowd of heathens and miraculously tranquilized frogs, remembered as "le miracle des grenouilles". The parish church was erected from the early 12 century on. The oldest existing part is the tower (the roof is younger). The carvings around the tower have the same zigzag decor, as seen around the portal.