Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: St. Blasius

Hann. Münden (short for Hannoversch Münden) lies at the confluence of the Fulda and Werra rivers, which join to form the Weser. The founding of the city is not exactly documented. The first mention in a document from 1183 speaks of a city. Around the year 1200 the construction of the city fortifications of Münden began as a city wall with city gates and wall towers. The shoal of the Werrahohl on the outskirts of the city, which forced the boatmen to unload their goods in the city, was advantageous for Münden. In the 16th century, Münden was an important trading town. Accordingly, trading, transhipment and mooring places along the Werra and Fulda shipping routes developed on the western and northern outskirts of the old town. Above all, woad, glass, textiles and rafts with wood and grain were traded and transported. Herring and other fish came up the Weser from the North Sea. At the beginning of the 14th century there were about 500 houses in the village. In 1525 Elisabeth von Brandenburg was granted Münden as a dominion. Elisabeth came into contact with the ideas of the Reformation early on and brought the reformer Antonius Corvinus to Münden. In 1776 almost 20,000 Hessian soldiers were embarked in Münden, who had been hired out by the Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel Friedrich II to the Hanoverian Elector and King of Great Britain, George III. They were "used" in combat against American troops in the American Revolutionary War. The return of the soldiers also took place via Münden in November 1783, but hardly more than half returned. - Three predecessor churches existed, where St. Blasiu is now. Around 1000 there was a chapel, it was extended to the west around 1150 with a Romanesque building. From 1180 to 1190 an extension to the Romanesque basilica with round apses in the side aisles was made, which later burned down. Today's building was erected in three phases on the foundations of the Romanesque church. From 1260 to 1280 the first bay and the chancel were built. According to an inscription to the left of the south portal, the second phase of construction was completed from 1487 to 1519 with the addition of a sacristy and the substructure of the tower. The ship was also completed at this time.The year 1488 is preserved above the rise of the tower. The tower was completed in the third construction phase from 1535 to 1584. It is octagonal, 58 meters high. From 1584 to 1929 watchmen watched over the city from here. - The bronze baptismal font is the oldest piece of art in this church. It was cast in 1392 by Nikolaus Stettin.

Hann. Münden (short for Hannoversch Münden) lies at the confluence of the Fulda and Werra rivers, which join to form the Weser. The founding of the city is not exactly documented. The first mention in a document from 1183 speaks of a city. Around the year 1200 the construction of the city fortifications of Münden began as a city wall with city gates and wall towers. The shoal of the Werrahohl on the outskirts of the city, which forced the boatmen to unload their goods in the city, was advantageous for Münden. In the 16th century, Münden was an important trading town. Accordingly, trading, transhipment and mooring places along the Werra and Fulda shipping routes developed on the western and northern outskirts of the old town. Above all, woad, glass, textiles and rafts with wood and grain were traded and transported. Herring and other fish came up the Weser from the North Sea. At the beginning of the 14th century there were about 500 houses in the village. In 1525 Elisabeth von Brandenburg was granted Münden as a dominion. Elisabeth came into contact with the ideas of the Reformation early on and brought the reformer Antonius Corvinus to Münden. In 1776 almost 20,000 Hessian soldiers were embarked in Münden, who had been hired out by the Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel Friedrich II to the Hanoverian Elector and King of Great Britain, George III. They were "used" in combat against American troops in the American Revolutionary War. The return of the soldiers also took place via Münden in November 1783, but hardly more than half returned. - Three predecessor churches existed, where St. Blasiu is now. Around 1000 there was a chapel, it was extended to the west around 1150 with a Romanesque building. From 1180 to 1190 an extension to the Romanesque basilica with round apses in the side aisles was made, which later burned down. Today's building was erected in three phases on the foundations of the Romanesque church. From 1260 to 1280 the first bay and the chancel were built. According to an inscription to the left of the south portal, the second phase of construction was completed from 1487 to 1519 with the addition of a sacristy and the substructure of the tower. The ship was also completed at this time.The year 1488 is preserved above the rise of the tower. The tower was completed in the third construction phase from 1535 to 1584. It is octagonal, 58 meters high. From 1584 to 1929 watchmen watched over the city from here. - The bronze baptismal font is the oldest piece of art in this church. It was cast in 1392 by Nikolaus Stettin.

Hann. Münden (short for Hannoversch Münden) lies at the confluence of the Fulda and Werra rivers, which join to form the Weser. The founding of the city is not exactly documented. The first mention in a document from 1183 speaks of a city. Around the year 1200 the construction of the city fortifications of Münden began as a city wall with city gates and wall towers. The shoal of the Werrahohl on the outskirts of the city, which forced the boatmen to unload their goods in the city, was advantageous for Münden. In the 16th century, Münden was an important trading town. Accordingly, trading, transhipment and mooring places along the Werra and Fulda shipping routes developed on the western and northern outskirts of the old town. Above all, woad, glass, textiles and rafts with wood and grain were traded and transported. Herring and other fish came up the Weser from the North Sea. At the beginning of the 14th century there were about 500 houses in the village. In 1525 Elisabeth von Brandenburg was granted Münden as a dominion. Elisabeth came into contact with the ideas of the Reformation early on and brought the reformer Antonius Corvinus to Münden. In 1776 almost 20,000 Hessian soldiers were embarked in Münden, who had been hired out by the Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel Friedrich II to the Hanoverian Elector and King of Great Britain, George III. They were "used" in combat against American troops in the American Revolutionary War. The return of the soldiers also took place via Münden in November 1783, but hardly more than half returned. - Three predecessor churches existed, where St. Blasiu is now. Around 1000 there was a chapel, it was extended to the west around 1150 with a Romanesque building. From 1180 to 1190 an extension to the Romanesque basilica with round apses in the side aisles was made, which later burned down. Today's building was erected in three phases on the foundations of the Romanesque church. From 1260 to 1280 the first bay and the chancel were built. According to an inscription to the left of the south portal, the second phase of construction was completed from 1487 to 1519 with the addition of a sacristy and the substructure of the tower. The ship was also completed at this time.The year 1488 is preserved above the rise of the tower. The tower was completed in the third construction phase from 1535 to 1584. It is octagonal, 58 meters high. From 1584 to 1929 watchmen watched over the city from here. - The baroque altar was carved between 1695 and 1700 by Johann Andreas Gröber. It is 12 meters high.

Hann. Münden (short for Hannoversch Münden) lies at the confluence of the Fulda and Werra rivers, which join to form the Weser. The founding of the city is not exactly documented. The first mention in a document from 1183 speaks of a city. Around the year 1200 the construction of the city fortifications of Münden began as a city wall with city gates and wall towers. The shoal of the Werrahohl on the outskirts of the city, which forced the boatmen to unload their goods in the city, was advantageous for Münden. In the 16th century, Münden was an important trading town. Accordingly, trading, transhipment and mooring places along the Werra and Fulda shipping routes developed on the western and northern outskirts of the old town. Above all, woad, glass, textiles and rafts with wood and grain were traded and transported. Herring and other fish came up the Weser from the North Sea. At the beginning of the 14th century there were about 500 houses in the village. In 1525 Elisabeth von Brandenburg was granted Münden as a dominion. Elisabeth came into contact with the ideas of the Reformation early on and brought the reformer Antonius Corvinus to Münden. In 1776 almost 20,000 Hessian soldiers were embarked in Münden, who had been hired out by the Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel Friedrich II to the Hanoverian Elector and King of Great Britain, George III. They were "used" in combat against American troops in the American Revolutionary War. The return of the soldiers also took place via Münden in November 1783, but hardly more than half returned. - Three predecessor churches existed, where St. Blasiu is now. Around 1000 there was a chapel, it was extended to the west around 1150 with a Romanesque building. From 1180 to 1190 an extension to the Romanesque basilica with round apses in the side aisles was made, which later burned down. Today's building was erected in three phases on the foundations of the Romanesque church. From 1260 to 1280 the first bay and the chancel were built. According to an inscription to the left of the south portal, the second phase of construction was completed from 1487 to 1519 with the addition of a sacristy and the substructure of the tower. The ship was also completed at this time. The year 1488 is preserved above the rise of the tower. The tower was completed in the third construction phase from 1535 to 1584. It is octagonal, 58 meters high. From 1584 to 1929 watchmen watched over the city from here.

The name of the first known pastor of the parish was "Elbertus de Balleve" in 1202. The church may have existed at that time, at least the main structure. The construction of the church probably began already end of the 10th / early 11th century, but most of the comparably large romanesque hall-church, with a nave, two aisles and a remarkable apse, was done later. The oldest church of this type (north of the Alps!) is the Bartholomew Chapel in Paderborn (100kms northeast), a masterpiece, created by "graecos operarios" (greek workers). So when this church in Balve got consecrated, this was still a sensationel new layout. The romanesque church (still) has four portals. It may be, that the greenish sandstone used, came from Anroechte (50kms northeast), a town between Soest and Paderborn. Quarries in Annroechte still exist today. Seen here in the middle are Mary and St. John under the Cross. Left a nativity scene. Mary on the ground, ox and ass above and Joseph wearing a "Jew´s hat", sitting to the right. This scene has parallels to a carving in Ense/Bremen (25kms north). The right part is very weathered. My first impression proved to be wrong, after I found a copy of "Bau- und Kunstdenkmale von Westfalen", volume 18 ("Kreis Arnsberg"). This book, published in 1906, seems to have the oldest photographs taken here in 1890. More than a hundred years ago, it was obvious, that an angel (note the wings / right) is approaching a person: the Annunciation. - The mountainous "Sauerland", part of the Duchy of Westphalia is known for witch-hunts in the 16th/17th century. Under the terror-regime of barbarous prosecutor Kaspar Reinhard 280 people were burned at the stakes in and around Balve between 1628 and 1630. Some villagers even tried to assassinate him, but he narrowly escaped. The failed assassinators were executed by dismemberment. The believe in witchcraft stayed stable in the Duchy for long time. In 1695 a 12 year old girl was executed in Olpe (50kms south), the last execution took place in Winterberg (60kms east) in 1728. - Green stones from Anroechte: www.anroechter-stein.de/

As the legend says, that Saint Christopher was a giant, most sculptures or frescoes depicting him - are somehow oversized. This one is on the neo-gothic parish church St. Blasius in Glottertal.