Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Stadtkirche

Biel/Bienne lies on the language boundary between the French-speaking and German-speaking parts of Switzerland and is bilingual throughout. Biel is the German name for the town; Bienne is the French name. Biel was considered an associate of the Swiss Confederacy during the 15th century, and after its participation in the Burgundy Wars even came to be recognized as a full member by 1494. Even though Biel remained nominally under the control of the Catholic Bishops of Basel, in 1528 it converted to the new Protestant faith. In 1793, the French Army captured the Bishopric of Basel and brought the French into the lands. In 1798, French troops marched through the open city gate while the population celebrated their arrival. Bienne and its neighboring communities were incorporated as the "Canton de Bienne". The Congress of Vienna in 1814 granted most of the territory of the Bishopric to the canton of Bern. In 1815 Biel finally joined the Canton of Bern. By the beginning of the 20th century anarcho-syndicalist groups, which saw strikes and sabotage as legitimate means to bring about reform, began to influence the labor movement in Biel/Bienne. The first large scale strike was the construction workers strike of 1902. The following years were marked with bitterly fought labor disputes. The largest strike was the journeymen carpenters strike of 1907, which lasted almost a year. Also in 1907 a member of the Social Democratic Party was elected mayor. His election marked the first time that a Social Democrat was elected to such a powerful office in Switzerland. During WW I wages were reduced significantly while inflation made everything more expensive. In July 1918, a demonstration of starving workers erupted into street riots that required military action to suppress. The town was known as "Red Biel" and that was probably the reason behind the failure of the merger with Nidau in 1920, prevented by the conservative Council in Bern. Today, Biel is the center of the watchmaking industry in Switzerland. Omega, Rolex, Swatch, Mido, Wenger and many other manufacturers have factories here. The current church was built on the site of two earlier churches, one Romanesque and one early Gothic. The construction of the church began in 1451 under the direction of the master builder Wenzlin von Böhmen, who stayed here until his death in 1465. The main construction was completed about 5 years later in 1470.

There is a legend around the foundation of the Walsrode Monastery by Count Wale. When the count had to leave his nearby castle he got stuck in the swamp with his wagon in the area of today's Walsrode. He saw this as a divine sign to buy the place and found a monastery there. He named the place "Walesrode" The settlement that developed around the monastery was repeatedly caught up in the military conflicts from 1371 onwards. The village was helplessly exposed to the frequent looting and pillaging by the troops and was burned down by soldiers from Bremen in 1381. The citizens were allowed after that by the Saxon dukes to build fortifications. They laid out a large moat and erected four city gates. The Reformation was very slow to take hold in the area. Duke Ernst sent the preacher Henning Kelp to Walsrode around 1528 so that the monastery would be reformed, but the resistance of the canonesses and the rural population continued for decades. It was not until 1574 that the Reformation was considered complete in the monastery of Walsrode. The "Stadtkirche", dedicated to "St. John the Baptist" was erected in classicist style 1848 -1850. There were at least three predecessor churches, built in the 10th, 12th and 15th centuries. The "Walsroder Kruzifix" ("Walsrode crucifix"), carved around 1500 from the studio of the artist Hans Brüggemann, who was born around 1480 in Walsrode. It is known especially for the "Bordesholm Altar", now in the Schleswig Cathedral.

There is a legend around the foundation of the Walsrode Monastery by Count Wale. When the count had to leave his nearby castle he got stuck in the swamp with his wagon in the area of today's Walsrode. He saw this as a divine sign to buy the place and found a monastery there. He named the place "Walesrode" The settlement that developed around the monastery was repeatedly caught up in the military conflicts from 1371 onwards. The village was helplessly exposed to the frequent looting and pillaging by the troops and was burned down by soldiers from Bremen in 1381. The citizens were allowed after that by the Saxon dukes to build fortifications. They laid out a large moat and erected four city gates. The Reformation was very slow to take hold in the area. Duke Ernst sent the preacher Henning Kelp to Walsrode around 1528 so that the monastery would be reformed, but the resistance of the canonesses and the rural population continued for decades. It was not until 1574 that the Reformation was considered complete in the monastery of Walsrode. The "Stadtkirche", dedicated to "St. John the Baptist" was erected in classicist style 1848 -1850. There were at least three predecessor churches, built in the 10th, 12th and 15th centuries. Pictures of two pious men. Epitaphs of former Lutheran pastors with nice Baroque hairdos. To the left Gabriel Meyer (1608 - 1679), to the right Meyer´s successor Superintendent Rudolphus Lodemann (1639 - 1714).

There is a legend around the foundation of the Walsrode Monastery by Count Wale. When the count had to leave his nearby castle he got stuck in the swamp with his wagon in the area of today's Walsrode. He saw this as a divine sign to buy the place and found a monastery there. He named the place "Walesrode" The settlement that developed around the monastery was repeatedly caught up in the military conflicts from 1371 onwards. The village was helplessly exposed to the frequent looting and pillaging by the troops and was burned down by soldiers from Bremen in 1381. The citizens were allowed after that by the Saxon dukes to build fortifications. They laid out a large moat and erected four city gates. The Reformation was very slow to take hold in the area. Duke Ernst sent the preacher Henning Kelp to Walsrode around 1528 so that the monastery would be reformed, but the resistance of the canonesses and the rural population continued for decades. It was not until 1574 that the Reformation was considered complete in the monastery of Walsrode. The "Stadtkirche", dedicated to "St. John the Baptist" was erected in classicist style 1848 -1850. There were at least three predecessor churches, built in the 10th, 12th and 15th centuries.

There is a legend around the foundation of the Walsrode Monastery by Count Wale. When the count had to leave his nearby castle he got stuck in the swamp with his wagon in the area of today's Walsrode. He saw this as a divine sign to buy the place and found a monastery there. He named the place "Walesrode" The settlement that developed around the monastery was repeatedly caught up in the military conflicts from 1371 onwards. The village was helplessly exposed to the frequent looting and pillaging by the troops and was burned down by soldiers from Bremen in 1381. The citizens were allowed after that by the Saxon dukes to build fortifications. They laid out a large moat and erected four city gates. The Reformation was very slow to take hold in the area. Duke Ernst sent the preacher Henning Kelp to Walsrode around 1528 so that the monastery would be reformed, but the resistance of the canonesses and the rural population continued for decades. It was not until 1574 that the Reformation was considered complete in the monastery of Walsrode. The "Stadtkirche", dedicated to "St. John the Baptist" was erected in classicist style 1848 -1850. There were at least three predecessor churches, built in the 10th, 12th and 15th centuries. The massive tower is from 1786. Wall to wall to the south stands the smaller monastery church.

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 protestant Stadtkirche is a Neo-Gothic church building on a cross-shaped floor plan, erected 1857-1864.

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.