Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: gothic hall church

The carving, topping the end of the right row of choir-stalls in St. Johann (Baptist), shows a dog catching a hare. The dog seems strange. It is small compared to the hare, the head is donkey-like, the teeth are clearly thatones of a herbivore.

The nave and the two aisles of the former collegiat church St. Johann (Baptist). High, wide, clear. Consecrated in 1292 St. Johann is one of the oldest large gothic hall churches in Germany - and so may be connected to the cathedral and the Bartholomew Chapel in Paderborn. St. Johann may have influenced the masters who built the (smaller) St. Marien church in Lemgo, only a few decades younger. Paderborn and Lemgo are about 100km southeast. Here is the nave of St. Marien, Lemgo. www.flickr.com/photos/martin-m-miles/4337778515/

The choir of St. Johann (Baptist). Consecrated in 1292 this is one of the oldest large gothic hall churches in Germany. Only a few choir stalls have "survived" the centuries. The altar was carved in 1512. Hinges on the sides show, that originally this was winged altar, but the wings got lost. All the windows are new. The life-size figures of the apostles on the walls were carved from sandstone around 1400.

After warlike situations, the collegiate which was in existence since 974 moved from Enger into the fortified town of Herford in 1414. Everything of value (of course the relics of Widukind) so came to Herford. The collegiate used the St. Johann church, as their collegiat church upto the secularisation in 1810. Originally this gothic hall church was the parish church of the 1224 founded "new town"-area in Herford. The construction of the church started 1240. When the collegiate moved in, the church got a very valuable interior, which got lost, due to an iconoclasm, that took place here in 1532, when everything that could be moved out was moved out - and burnt. Only the choir, being owned by the collegiate, was spared out. All the baroque furniture, we see today was installed within the 17th century. On the sides and on the galleries, the local guildes had their specific seats, that were proudly decorated. There were special seats for the guildes of weavers, bakers, shoemakers, tailors and others.

Built within the 13./14. century, for hundreds of years this church was used by the many pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela. Pope Julius II confirmed in 1510 the status of "St. Jakobi" as a church just for the Santiago-pilgrims. Due to the "Herford Vision", the oldest known Marian apparition north of the Alpes (940 or 1011), Herford had a great attraction to these. The town offered four hospitals to the pilgrims at that time. After the reformation, when catholic pilgrims were not favourable visitors any longer, the city-council closed the church - and was used as a stable. In 1590 it was reopened - as a lutheran church, what it still is. A strange object shown in the St. Jakobi church is this rib of a whale. It was given to the church by the former mayor of Herford Anton Brudtlacht in 1589. It is not the only whalebone in german churches Even bigger bones can be seen in "St. Maria im Kapitol" in Cologne. www.flickr.com/photos/roland-rossner/2786317321/ another is displayed in the Cathedral of Magdeburg: www.flickr.com/photos/martin-m-miles/4795593117/ A huge whale-rib can be seen in Gandersheim abbey www.flickr.com/photos/martin-m-miles/5706420469/ Meanwhile I have learned that these bones are called "hierozoika" a Greek word designating items from the animal world hallowed by being mentioned in the bible. Hundreds of such bones still hang in european churches. Mr. Nicholas Redman has published several books about. Here is his website: www.whalebones.co.uk/index.html

After warlike situations, the collegiate which was in existence since 974 moved from Enger into the fortified town of Herford in 1414. Everything of value (of course the relics of Widukind) so came to Herford. The collegiate used the St. Johann church, as their collegiat church upto the secularisation in 1810. Originally this gothic hall church was the parish church of the 1224 founded "new town"- area in Herford. The construction of the church started 1240. When the collegiate moved in, the church got a very valuable interior, which got lost, due to an iconoclasm, that took place here in 1532, when everything that could be moved out was moved out - and burnt. Only the choir, being owned by the collegiate, was spared out. All the baroque furniture, we see today was installed within the 17th century.