Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: me fecit

Not much is known about the foundation of Braunschweig. Tradition tells, Brunswick (= Braunschweig) was created through the merger of two settlements on either side of the River Oker around 860. The city was first mentioned in documents from the St. Magni Church in 1031. Up to the 12th century, Brunswick was ruled by the Saxon noble family, then, through marriage, it fell to the House of Welf. In 1142, Henry the Lion of the House of Welf became Duke of Saxony and made Braunschweig the capital of his state. He turned Dankwarderode Castle into his own Pfalz and developed the city further to represent his authority. Under Henry's rule, the Cathedral of St. Blasius was built and he also had the statue of a lion, his heraldic animal, erected in front of the castle. Henry the Lion became so powerful that he dared to refuse military aid to Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa, which led to his banishment in 1182. Henry went into exile in England. He had previously established ties to the English crown in 1168, through his marriage to King Henry II of England's daughter Matilda, sister of Richard the Lionheart. However, his son Otto, who could regain influence and was eventually crowned Holy Roman Emperor, continued to foster the city's development. Brunswick was an important center of trade, an economic and a political centers and a member of the Hanseatic League from the 13th century on. By the year 1600. Brunswick was the seventh largest city in Germany. It was de facto ruled independently by a powerful class of patricians and the guilds throughout much of the Late Middle Ages and the early modern period. Because of the growing power of Brunswick's burghers, the Princes of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel finally moved their Residenz out of the city and to the nearby town of Wolfenbüttel in 1432. The Princes of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel did not regain control over the city until the late 17th century, when Rudolph Augustus, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, took the city by siege. St. Blasii Cathedral was built in 1173 as a collegiate church by order of Henry the Lion, Duke of Bavaria and Saxony, opposite his Dankwarderode Castle and designated by him as the burial place of him and his second wife Matilda of England. The cathedral was consecrated in 1226. The construction of the church was disrupted several times during the various exiles of Henry the Lion, so that he and his consort were both buried in an unfinished church. In 1543, at the time of the Protestant Reformation, the church came into Lutheran use. Its college was dissolved. The cathedral is the burial place of Otto IV, Holy Roman Emperor (1175 - 1218) and Caroline of Brunswick, Queen Consort of George IV of the United Kingdom. - The "Imervard-Kreuz", made in the mid-12th century, is a larger-than-life oak crucifix measuring 2.71 m high and 2.66 m wide. The unknown "Master Imervard", who created the cross, marked his work on the ends of Christ's girdle with the inscription IMERVARD ME FECIT. This marking was originally hidden from the viewer by a gold sheet covering the belt. Master Imervar's signature

Not much is known about the foundation of Braunschweig. Tradition tells, Brunswick (= Braunschweig) was created through the merger of two settlements on either side of the River Oker around 860. The city was first mentioned in documents from the St. Magni Church in 1031. Up to the 12th century, Brunswick was ruled by the Saxon noble family, then, through marriage, it fell to the House of Welf. In 1142, Henry the Lion of the House of Welf became Duke of Saxony and made Braunschweig the capital of his state. He turned Dankwarderode Castle into his own Pfalz and developed the city further to represent his authority. Under Henry's rule, the Cathedral of St. Blasius was built and he also had the statue of a lion, his heraldic animal, erected in front of the castle. Henry the Lion became so powerful that he dared to refuse military aid to Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa, which led to his banishment in 1182. Henry went into exile in England. He had previously established ties to the English crown in 1168, through his marriage to King Henry II of England's daughter Matilda, sister of Richard the Lionheart. However, his son Otto, who could regain influence and was eventually crowned Holy Roman Emperor, continued to foster the city's development. Brunswick was an important center of trade, an economic and a political centers and a member of the Hanseatic League from the 13th century on. By the year 1600. Brunswick was the seventh largest city in Germany. It was de facto ruled independently by a powerful class of patricians and the guilds throughout much of the Late Middle Ages and the early modern period. Because of the growing power of Brunswick's burghers, the Princes of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel finally moved their Residenz out of the city and to the nearby town of Wolfenbüttel in 1432. The Princes of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel did not regain control over the city until the late 17th century, when Rudolph Augustus, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, took the city by siege. St. Blasii Cathedral was built in 1173 as a collegiate church by order of Henry the Lion, Duke of Bavaria and Saxony, opposite his Dankwarderode Castle and designated by him as the burial place of him and his second wife Matilda of England. The cathedral was consecrated in 1226. The construction of the church was disrupted several times during the various exiles of Henry the Lion, so that he and his consort were both buried in an unfinished church. In 1543, at the time of the Protestant Reformation, the church came into Lutheran use. Its college was dissolved. The cathedral is the burial place of Otto IV, Holy Roman Emperor (1175 - 1218) and Caroline of Brunswick, Queen Consort of George IV of the United Kingdom. - The "Imervard-Kreuz", made in the mid-12th century, is a larger-than-life oak crucifix measuring 2.71 m high and 2.66 m wide. The unknown "Master Imervard", who created the cross, marked his work on the ends of Christ's girdle with the inscription IMERVARD ME FECIT. This marking was originally hidden from the viewer by a gold sheet covering the belt.

Stift Millstatt ("Millstatt Abbey") was founded by the Aribo II and Boto, members of Aribonids, a noble, Bavarian family, around 1070. Run by Benedictine monks and protected by Papal deeds Stift Millstatt prospered in the early years and a nunnery was added. Within the 13th century, the decay began. As the abbey had secular Church Vogts, it suffered strongly under the political powergames of that timne and finaly ended 1456 under the House of Habsburg. At that time only 10 monks still lived here. Emperor Frederick III reached a papal bull in 1469, so that the military order of the Knights of Saint George took over Stift Millstatt in order to fight the invading troops of the Ottoman Empire. The order now had to cope with the debts left by the Benedictines and the redevelopment of the neglected premises. While the knights were engaged with the fortification of the monastery, they failed to protect the region. Millstatt was heavily devastated by the Turks in 1478, followed by Hungarian troops in 1487. As the power of the knightly order declined, unrests and revolts arose among the surrounding peasants. As the new Protestant belief spread in the area the monastery vested the Society of Jesus ("Jesuits") in 1598 to support the Counter-Reformation. The monks were disliked by the population for their stern measures. In 1737 the displeasure culminated in open revolt, when peasants ganged up and stormed the monastery. The rule of the Jesuits ended, when the order was suppressed by Pope Clement XIV in 1773. The monks had to leave Millstatt. Today the former abbey-church serves the parish, while the other buildings belong to the Austrian state and host the "Österreichische Bundesforste" (Austrian State Forestry Commission). The western side, the towers and the magnificent Romanesque funnel portal were created under abbot Heinrich I (1166 - 1177). The church underwent numerous alterations over the centuries. It did not only suffer from fires, but as well from earthquakes. A strong quake in 1690 heavily damaged the western facade. The repair took more than four years. The lintel under the tympanum at that time broke in four pieces (note the iron clamps). The Jesuits then covered the tympanum with plaster - and it stayed hidden until 1878. The tympanum depicts Christ Pantocrator (same hairdo like Samson in Gurk!), holding a book ("Ego sum Alpha et Omega") and surrounded by sun, moon and stars. Christ blesses Abbot Henricus, who holds a model of the church. The inscription on the archivolt reads "HEINRICUS ABBAS RUDGER - - - E FECIT! It is incomplete, but it is clear that Rudger (the artist) signed his work.

Sainte-Trinité dates back to the early 12th century. It is Romanesque, described as "style bourguignon". The dedication to the Holy Trinity is not very frequent in this period. Autry was part of the convent Montet-aux-Moines (20kms south), itself a priory dependent on Saint-Michel-de-la-Cluse in Piedmont ("Sacra di San Michele" near Turino, Italy). Later the parish passed under the authority of the Abbess of Saint-Menoux, just a few kilometers north. The tympanum has two angels holding an "empty" mandorla which surrounds "normally" Christ in glory. It may have been painted - and weathered away. Left and rights are arches with lamps and behind houses and towers. That architecture may stand for the "Heavenly Jerusalem". The tympanum is signed in the right corner. + NATALIS ME FE(CIT)

Lucca existed already in Etruscan times and became a Roman colony in 180 BC. The Diocese of Lucca dates back to the first century, legends tell, that St. Paulinus, a disciple of St. Peter, was the first Bishop of Lucca. In medieval times Lucca was the residence of the Margraves of Tuscany. After the death of Matilda of Tuscany (1115), Lucca constituted itself as an independent republic. Actually the "Republic of Lucca" existed from 1160 to 1805. "San Salvatore" belonged to a convent, that was founded within the 8th century. Sponsored by the Carolingians (Louis the Pious), the nunnery was the richest in Lucca during medieval times. The convent existed upto 1808, when under the reign of Napoleon´s eldest sister Elisa Bonaparte, Princess of Lucca and Piombino and Grand Duchess of Tuscany, all convents in Lucca got secularized. For a while it served as the local hospital. The church, seen here, was built within the 12th century, but got renovated in remodeled a couple of times, especially during the 19th century. Some carvings of the old structure survived the centuries. A closer look onto the carving and the "signature". Next to the nude saint "S NICH - OLAU" Below, left side "P b R P " (??) and on the vessel a very large (and proud) aignature "BIDUINO ME FECIT HOC -OP(us)"

Lucca existed already in Etruscan times and became a Roman colony in 180 BC. The Diocese of Lucca dates back to the first century, legends tell, that St. Paulinus, a disciple of St. Peter, was the first Bishop of Lucca. In medieval times Lucca was the residence of the Margraves of Tuscany. After the death of Matilda of Tuscany (1115), Lucca constituted itself as an independent republic. Actually the "Republic of Lucca" existed from 1160 to 1805. "San Salvatore" belonged to a convent, that was founded within the 8th century. Sponsored by the Carolingians (Louis the Pious), the nunnery was the richest in Lucca during medieval times. The convent existed upto 1808, when under the reign of Napoleon´s eldest sister Elisa Bonaparte, Princess of Lucca and Piombino and Grand Duchess of Tuscany, all convents in Lucca got secularized. For a while it served as the local hospital. The church, seen here, was built within the 12th century, but got renovated in remodeled a couple of times, especially during the 19th century. Some carvings of the old structure survived the centuries. A nude saint (halo) being lifted out of a vessel. To the sides are towers/towns (?) from where people watch the scene. Note the two lions on the right. This is probably a legend connected to Saint Nicholas, as his name is written next to the nude saint. The large inscription on the vessel reads: "Biduino me fecit hoc - op(us)"

The abbey at Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire (originally known as Fleury Abbey) was founded on the banks of the Loire river mid 7th century. It is one of the oldest abbeys of the Benedictine rule in France. The story starts in 672, when some of its monks traveled to Montecassino (Italy), dug up the remains of St. Benedict of Nursia (+ 547) and his sister St. Scholastica and brought them home. After the relics had reached at Fleury Abbey it which was renamed Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire - and due to the relics became a major place of pilgrimage. Of course, this did not help when the Normans rowed up the Loire and burned the buildings of the monastery. But the convent recovered and rebuilt. A famous school and a scriptorium existed here in the late 10th century. The erection of the church started around 1071. When the church was consecrated in 1108, the long nave was not completed. The abbey thrived, but times got rougher. In 1562, the abbey was pillaged by Huguenots. The buildings were restored, but looted and destroyed again during the French Revolution. Saint-Benoît's monks left the abbey and so the history of the convent ended after more than 1100 years. The abbey church had escaped destruction and got restored in the 19th century. In 1944, the convent was refounded the abbey buildings were rebuilt by Benedictine monks after World War II. So the history of the convent was just interrupted for about 150 years. "Tour de Gauzlin", the massive porch tower, is named for Abbot Gaucellin who commissioned it, around 1020. The tower serves as a porch for the west entrance. The columns are decorated with interesting capitals, that were probably carved around 1080. The workshop, who created these masterpieces was led by UNBERTUS, who "signed" on of his works. Here is the signature UNBERTUS ME FECIT.