Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Taufstein

Anklam was originally a Wendish fortress, as there was a Scandinavian and Wendish settlement here in the early Middle Ages. Later the town became part of the Duchy of Pomerania. During the German eastward expansion, the abandoned fortress was developed into a settlement. The town has significance as a shipping port on the river Peene. It was elevated to the status of a town in 1244 and joined the Hanseatic League in the same year and prospered through membership. The town suffered greatly during the Thirty Years' War when Swedish and imperial troops fought over it for twenty years. During this and subsequent wars, the town was repeatedly ravaged by fires and the plague. After the war, Anklam became part of Swedish Pomerania in 1648 but in 1676 it was conquered by Frederick William of Brandenburg. In 1713 Anklam was sacked by soldiers of the Russian Empire. With the Stockholm Treaty of 1720, the southern parts of the town were ceded to Prussia, while a smaller part north of the Peene remained Swedish. - The Marienkirche was first mentioned in 1296. The construction probably began 40 years earlier. It was a Romanesque church with a double tower, which can be classified as much older and was then rebuilt in Gothic style. The Romanesque tower is still recognisable in the masonry of its Gothic successor. By the end of the 15th century, St. Mary's Church had acquired its present appearance. The design of the tower changed over time. In 1816, the pointed spire, which had been destroyed by fire, was replaced by a lower pyramidal roof. In 1884, the low spire also burnt down after a lightning strike, whereupon the four gables of the tower were rebuilt and substantially raised, and the Marienkirche was provided with a Gothic pointed spire, which reached a height of about 100 metres. The new spire was completed in 1888. During a bombing raid in 1943, this construction was destroyed and only three of the former four gables remained standing. After the war, the tower was given a simpler gable roof with only two gables and today has a height of 64 metres. Much of the furnishings was removed during the Second World War. It did not save them, however, because most of it disappeared there. The baptismal font is made of limestone from the Baltic island of Gotland and dates from around 1330. It is decorated with floral and mask motifs and was originally also coloured. Following the taste of the times, it was removed from the church in modern times and stood around as a flowerpot by the roadside in the 19th century. In the 1930s it was brought back into the church and placed in the choir.

Cologne is the fourth-largest city in Germany - and one of the oldest. A Germanic tribe, the Ubii, had a settlement here, this was named by the Romans "Oppidum Ubiorum". In 50 AD, the Romans founded "Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium", the city then became the provincial capital of "Germania Inferior". A city with such a history has -of course- many museums. One is the "Museum Schnütgen", devoted to medieval art. In 1906, the collection of Alexander Schnütgen, a theologian and passionate art collector, was donated to the city. Since 1956, the museum has occupied the Romanesque church of St. Cäcilien (1130-1160), that was once part of a monastery founded in 881. An annex was added in the 1950s, but even now only about 10% of all artefacts can be displayed as of course the collection has expanded since Schnütgen´s donation. www.museum-schnuetgen.de/Info Baptismal font (12th. century) from the Meuse valley. This one is similar to the fonts I saw in Northern France (eg. Laon).

A monastery was founded here by some Everward and his wife Geva around 854 as a house of secular canonesses, unmarried daughters of the saxonian nobility. There are parallels to the abbey in Gandersheim, - only a few years younger - and as well a secular house for noble unmarried ladies. The abbey existed upto 1812, and during centuries had a very colourful history. After Luther´s reformation the canonesses favoured to be "Lutherians" in future, so that some Anabaptists of the Muenster rebellion could find a secret asylum here for some years. Catholicism returned finally to Freckenhorst during the 17th century. In 1116 the collegiate and the church burnt down. Parts of the westwork survived the fire and got integrated into the new church. This got consecrated in 1129 by Egbert, bishop in Muenster, a relative of and advisor to Lothair III. - The most valuable jewel within this great romanesque collegiate church is this baptismal font. Quoting late Georg Dehio, one of the great german art-historians, this is "the most important baptismal from stone of the 12th century" in Germany, "a goldwork in stone". Over a "greek" base, two carved bands going all around (a small third one on top is just ornamental). Inbetween is an inscription telling us the exact date of the consecration of the church: - 04. June 1129 - Framed by arcades are seven "images", connected to the liturgical year, that actually translate to seven "steps" to salvation. Here the Ascension of Jesus The heads and pointing hands of the twelve apostles are to be seen, as they observe the Ascension of Jesus. Jesus, shown in a kind of walking position, holds a cross and looks up to a cloud, symbolizing the heaven. Two angels are on his side, holding speech scroll and so creating a specific structure, consisting out of two earthen and a heavenly triangle. The angels "say": "VIRI GALIL(AEI) Q(UI)D STATIS ASPIC(IENTES) IN C(AE)L(UM)" - "SIC VENIET Q(UEMA)ADMOD(UM) VID(ISTIS) EU(M)" This refers to Acts 1.11 "Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven." - Sorry for the bad quality of the photos. To take them on a afternoon in winter was not a really good idea, but I could not wait for better light in spring and so had to use a torchlight. - More interesting details can be found in: Kirche und Stift Freckenhorst, Jubilaeumsschrift zur 850. Wiederkehr des Weihetages der Stiftskirche am 04. Juni 1979, Warendorf 1979

A monastery was founded here by some Everward and his wife Geva around 854 as a house of secular canonesses, unmarried daughters of the saxonian nobility. There are parallels to the abbey in Gandersheim, - only a few years younger - and as well a secular house for noble unmarried ladies. The abbey existed upto 1812, and during centuries had a very colourful history. After Luther´s reformation the canonesses favoured to be "Lutherians" in future, so that some Anabaptists of the Muenster rebellion could find a secret asylum here for some years. Catholicism returned finally to Freckenhorst during the 17th century. In 1116 the collegiate and the church burnt down. A new church was built. This new church got consecrated in 1129 by Egbert, bishop in Muenster, a relative of and advisor to Lothair III. - The most valuable jewel within this great romanesque collegiate church is this baptismal font. Quoting late Georg Dehio, one of the great german art-historians, this is "the most important baptismal from stone of the 12th century" in Germany, "a goldwork in stone". Over a "greek" base, two carved bands going all around. Inbetween is an inscription telling us the exact date of the consecration of the church: - 04. June 1129 - Here the words: "EGBERTO ORTDINAT(IONIS) SUE (carved in higher) ANNO II". (The church was consecrated by bishop) "Egbert in his second year of ordination". - A detail from the lower part again. The lions are carved in a style, that is near to Byzantine artwork. Here is one of the two lions, of which only the head is visible. The tails of the neigbouring lions enter the lion´s mouth and leave the head again via the ears. The artist added impressive "ceremonial" tassels on to the lions´ tails. - More interesting details can be found in: Kirche und Stift Freckenhorst, Jubilaeumsschrift zur 850. Wiederkehr des Weihetages der Stiftskirche am 04. Juni 1979, Warendorf 1979 -

A monastery was founded here by some Everward and his wife Geva around 854 as a house of secular canonesses, unmarried daughters of the saxonian nobility. There are parallels to the abbey in Gandersheim, - only a few years younger - and as well a secular house for noble unmarried ladies. The abbey existed upto 1812, and during centuries had a very colourful history. After Luther´s reformation the canonesses favoured to be "Lutherians" in future, so that some Anabaptists of the Muenster rebellion could find a secret asylum here for some years. Catholicism returned finally to Freckenhorst during the 17th century. In 1116 the collegiate and the church burnt down. A new church was built. This new church got consecrated in 1129 by Egbert, bishop in Muenster, a relative of and advisor to Lothair III. - The most valuable jewel within this great romanesque collegiate church is this baptismal font. Quoting late Georg Dehio, one of the great german art-historians, this is "the most important baptismal of the 12th century" in Germany, "a goldwork in stone". Over a "greek" base, two carved bands going all around. Inbetween is written: + ANNO AB INCARNAT(IONE) D(OMINI) M C XX VIIII EPACT (IS) XXVIII CONCURR(ENTIBUS) I P(OST) B(ISSEXTILEM) INDICT(IONE) VII II NON(AS) IBN(II) A VENERAB(ILI) EP(ISCOP)O MIMIGARDEVORDENSI EGBERTO ORTDINAT(IONIS) SUE ANNO II CONSECRATU(M) E(ST) HOC TEMPLUM In the year 1129 after the incarnation of the Lord, 28. Epakten, 1. Concurrenten, after a leap year, 7. Indiktion, on the 2. nones of june, the adorable bishop of Muenster Egbert in his second year of ordination this church was consecrated The inscription gives us the exact date of the consecration - 04. June 1129 - Epakten, Concurrenten and Indikations were all used in medieval calenders, Mimigardevordensi is a very old name for Muenster. Sorry for the bad quality of the photos. To take them on a afternoon in winter was not a really good idea, but I could not wait for better light in spring. - More interesting details can be found in: Kirche und Stift Freckenhorst, Jubilaeumsschrift zur 850. Wiederkehr des Weihetages der Stiftskirche am 04. Juni 1979, Warendorf 1979

A monastery was founded here by some Everward and his wife Geva around 854 as a house of secular canonesses, unmarried daughters of the saxonian nobility. There are parallels to the abbey in Gandersheim, - only a few years younger - and as well a secular house for noble unmarried ladies. The abbey existed upto 1812, and during centuries had a very colourful history. After Luther´s reformation the canonesses favoured to be "Lutherians" in future, so that some Anabaptists of the Muenster rebellion could find a secret asylum here for some years. Catholicism returned finally to Freckenhorst during the 17th century. In 1116 the collegiate and the church burnt down. A new church was built. This new church got consecrated in 1129 by Egbert, bishop in Muenster, a relative of and advisor to Lothair III. - The most valuable jewel within this great romanesque collegiate church is this baptismal font. Quoting late Georg Dehio, one of the great german art-historians, this is "the most important baptismal of the 12th century" in Germany, "a goldwork in stone". Over a "greek" base, two carved bands going all around. Inbetween is an inscription telling us the exact date of the consecration of the church: - 04. June 1129 - Seen here the first (ANNO) and the last (TEMPLUM) word of the inscription. - A detail from the lower part. This lower part depicts lions, carved in a style probably influenced by Byzantine art. Four of the lions seem are pressed down, having turned their heads - snarling. Of two lions only the heads are shown, the tails of the other lions run through these heads. Inbetween these lions stands a bearded man with nice curls. His hands rest relaxed on the brim. The lions around him seem to be creatures of hell, but he does not seen frightened. This may be Daniel in the lion´s den - or somebody in hell, knowing that he is saved, by what is depicted on the upper part. Sorry for the bad quality of the photos. To take them on a afternoon in winter was not a good idea, but I could not wait for better light in spring, so I used a torchlight... - More interesting details can be found in: Kirche und Stift Freckenhorst, Jubilaeumsschrift zur 850. Wiederkehr des Weihetages der Stiftskirche am 04. Juni 1979, Warendorf 1979

A monastery was founded here by some Everward and his wife Geva around 854 as a house of secular canonesses, unmarried daughters of the saxonian nobility. There are parallels to the abbey in Gandersheim, - only a few years younger - and as well a secular house for noble unmarried ladies. The abbey existed upto 1812, and during centuries had a very colourful history. After Luther´s reformation the canonesses favoured to be "Lutherians" in future, so that some Anabaptists of the Muenster rebellion could find a secret asylum here for some years. Catholicism returned finally to Freckenhorst during the 17th century. In 1116 the collegiate and the church burnt down. A new church was built. This new church got consecrated in June 1129 by Egbert, bishop in Muenster, a relative of and advisor to Lothair III. - The most valuable jewel within this great romanesque collegiate church is this baptismal font. Quoting late Georg Dehio, one of the great german art-historians, this is "the most important baptismal from stone of the 12th century" in Germany, "a goldwork in stone". Over a "greek" base, two carved bands going all around (a small third one on top is just ornamental). Inbetween is an inscription telling us the exact date of the consecration of the church: - 04. June 1129 - Framed by arcades are seven "images", connected to the liturgical year, that actually translate to seven "steps" to salvation. Here seen the Annunciation. Archangel Gabriel announcing Mary that she would become the mother of Jesus. Gabriel holds a speech band, that reads "AVE GRAE PLENA (JES?) TECU" / Ave gratiae plena (Jes?) tecu / Hail, full of grace, Jesus is with you / This differs a bit from Luke 1.28. Mary answers via speech band "FIAT M SCDM VBV T" / Fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum / May your word to me be fulfilled /. - Sorry for the bad quality of the photos. To take them on a afternoon in winter was not a really good idea, but I could not wait for better light in spring and so had to use a torchlight. More interesting details can be found in: Kirche und Stift Freckenhorst, Jubilaeumsschrift zur 850. Wiederkehr des Weihetages der Stiftskirche am 04. Juni 1979, Warendorf 1979

A monastery was founded here by some Everward and his wife Geva around 854 as a house of secular canonesses, unmarried daughters of the saxonian nobility. There are parallels to the abbey in Gandersheim, - only a few years younger - and as well a secular house for noble unmarried ladies. The abbey existed upto 1812, and during centuries had a very colourful history. After Luther´s reformation the canonesses favoured to be "Lutherians" in future, so that some Anabaptists of the Muenster rebellion could find a secret asylum here for some years. Catholicism returned finally to Freckenhorst during the 17th century. In 1116 the collegiate and the church burnt down. Parts of the westwork survived the fire and got integrated into the new church. This got consecrated in 1129 by Egbert, bishop in Muenster, a relative of and advisor to Lothair III. - The most valuable jewel within this great romanesque collegiate church is this baptismal font. Quoting late Georg Dehio, one of the great german art-historians, this is "the most important baptismal from stone of the 12th century" in Germany, "a goldwork in stone". Over a "greek" base, two carved bands going all around (a small third one on top is just ornamental). Inbetween is an inscription telling us the exact date of the consecration of the church: - 04. June 1129 - Framed by arcades are seven "images", connected to the liturgical year, that actually translate to seven "steps" to salvation. Here the Last Judgment Jesus - in the gesture of the Pantokrator with widespread arms - sitting on a rainbow in a mandorla. The symbols of the four evangelists around, the humans down below. A second rainbow is near to Jesus´ feet. Two banderols roll down from Jesus hands. To the right "VENITE BENEDICTI PATRIS MEI (AC)CIPITE REGNUM", what is Matthew 25.34 "Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom..". To the left "DISCEDITE A ME MALEDICTI IN IGNEM ETERNAM", what is Matthew 25.41 "Then he will say to those on his left, "Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire.." - Sorry for the bad quality of the photos. To take them on a afternoon in winter was not a really good idea, but I could not wait for better light in spring and so had to use a torchlight. - More interesting details can be found in: Kirche und Stift Freckenhorst, Jubilaeumsschrift zur 850. Wiederkehr des Weihetages der Stiftskirche am 04. Juni 1979, Warendorf 1979

A monastery was founded here by some Everward and his wife Geva around 854 as a house of secular canonesses, unmarried daughters of the saxonian nobility. There are parallels to the abbey in Gandersheim, - only a few years younger - and as well a secular house for noble unmarried ladies. The abbey existed upto 1812, and during centuries had a very colourful history. After Luther´s reformation the canonesses favoured to be "Lutherians" in future, so that some Anabaptists of the Muenster rebellion could find a secret asylum here for some years. Catholicism returned finally to Freckenhorst during the 17th century. In 1116 the collegiate and the church burnt down. A new church was built. This new church got consecrated in 1129 by Egbert, bishop in Muenster, a relative of and advisor to Lothair III. - The most valuable jewel within this great romanesque collegiate church is this baptismal font. Quoting late Georg Dehio, one of the great german art-historians, this is "the most important baptismal of the 12th century" in Germany, "a goldwork in stone". Over a "greek" base, two carved bands going all around. Inbetween is written: + ANNO AB INCARNAT(IONE) D(OMINI) M C XX VIIII EPACT (IS) XXVIII CONCURR(ENTIBUS) I P(OST) B(ISSEXTILEM) INDICT(IONE) VII II NON(AS) IBN(II) A VENERAB(ILI) EP(ISCOP)O MIMIGARDEVORDENSI EGBERTO ORTDINAT(IONIS) SUE ANNO II CONSECRATU(M) E(ST) HOC TEMPLUM In the year 1129 after the incarnation of the Lord, 28. Epakten, 1. Concurrenten, after a leap year, 7. Indiktion, on the 2. nones of june, the adorable bishop of Muenster Egbert in his second year of ordination this church was consecrated The inscription gives us the exact date of the consecration - 04. June 1129 - Epakten, Concurrenten and Indikations were all used in medieval calenders, Mimigardevordensi is a very old name for Muenster. Sorry for the bad quality of the photos. To take them on a afternoon in winter was not a really good idea, but I could not wait for better light in spring. - More interesting details can be found in: Kirche und Stift Freckenhorst, Jubilaeumsschrift zur 850. Wiederkehr des Weihetages der Stiftskirche am 04. Juni 1979, Warendorf 1979