Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Friedrich Wilhelm IV

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 Roman temple existed here in Roman times, but from th3 4th century on, the site was occupied by Christian buildings. The foundation stone of the Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom) was laid on 15 August 1248. The eastern arm was completed and got consecrated in 1322. In 1473 the works came to a halt, leaving the south tower complete up to the belfry level and crowned with a huge crane for the next 400 years. After the original plans for the façade had been found in Darmstadt and Paris 1814/1816 it was decided to complete the cathedral. Two thirds of the costs were raised by civic efforts, while the remaining costs were covered by the Prussian state. The state saw this as a way to improve its relations with the large number of Catholic subjects it had gained in 1815, when the Catholic Rhineland was added to the Protestant Prussian Kingdom. In 1842 Frederick William IV of Prussia and Johannes von Geissel, later archbishop of Cologne, laid the foundation stone for the completion. In 1880, 632 years after construction had begun, the Cologne Cathedral was completed. The celebration was attended by Emperor Wilhelm I. The craftsmen of the "Dombauhütte", entrusted with the recurring repair work, will never loose their jobs. www.dombau-koeln.de/index.php?id=2&ssl=0

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 Roman temple existed here in Roman times, but from th3 4th century on, the site was occupied by Christian buildings. The foundation stone of the Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom) was laid on 15 August 1248. The eastern arm was completed and got consecrated in 1322. In 1473 the works came to a halt, leaving the south tower complete up to the belfry level and crowned with a huge crane for the next 400 years. After the original plans for the façade had been found in Darmstadt and Paris 1814/1816 it was decided to complete the cathedral. Two thirds of the costs were raised by civic efforts, while the remaining costs were covered by the Prussian state. The state saw this as a way to improve its relations with the large number of Catholic subjects it had gained in 1815, when the Catholic Rhineland was added to the Protestant Prussian Kingdom. In 1842 Frederick William IV of Prussia and Johannes von Geissel, later archbishop of Cologne, laid the foundation stone for the completion. In 1880, 632 years after construction had begun, the Cologne Cathedral was completed. The celebration was attended by Emperor Wilhelm I. Seen in the foreground is the "Musical Dome".

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 Roman temple existed here in Roman times, but from th3 4th century on, the site was occupied by Christian buildings. The foundation stone of the Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom) was laid on 15 August 1248. The eastern arm was completed and got consecrated in 1322. In 1473 the works came to a halt, leaving the south tower complete up to the belfry level and crowned with a huge crane for the next 400 years. After the original plans for the façade had been found in Darmstadt and Paris 1814/1816 it was decided to complete the cathedral. Two thirds of the costs were raised by civic efforts, while the remaining costs were covered by the Prussian state. The state saw this as a way to improve its relations with the large number of Catholic subjects it had gained in 1815, when the Catholic Rhineland was added to the Protestant Prussian Kingdom. In 1842 Frederick William IV of Prussia and Johannes von Geissel, later archbishop of Cologne, laid the foundation stone for the completion. In 1880, 632 years after construction had begun, the Cologne Cathedral was completed. The celebration was attended by Emperor Wilhelm I. The design of Cologne Cathedral was based quite closely on that of Amiens Cathedral. As it is a Gothic cathedral, the plan is in the shape of a Latin Cross with two aisles on either side. The window surface area is about 10.000m², About 1.500m² of these are medieval. The oldest is from 1260. The "Richter-Fenster" named after the artist Gerhard Richter, who created it, is the youngest. In 1863 a window with the depiction of secular and Christian rulers had been installed here, donated by the Kingdom of Prussia. This windows was destroyed in World War II and got replaced by a colourless ornamental window in 1948, that soon needed restauration. In 2006 Gerhard Richter (* 1932) got comissioned by the chapter to created the window seen here. On a surface of 106m² there are 11.263 glass squares in 72 colours. These square are randomly arranged. This window was very disputed! The archbishop, who is not a member of the chapter, did not like it at all. Most others did - and do. It creates a wonderful light. A close up.

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 Roman temple existed here in Roman times, but from th3 4th century on, the site was occupied by Christian buildings. The foundation stone of the Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom) was laid on 15 August 1248. The eastern arm was completed and got consecrated in 1322. In 1473 the works came to a halt, leaving the south tower complete up to the belfry level and crowned with a huge crane for the next 400 years. After the original plans for the façade had been found in Darmstadt and Paris 1814/1816 it was decided to complete the cathedral. Two thirds of the costs were raised by civic efforts, while the remaining costs were covered by the Prussian state. The state saw this as a way to improve its relations with the large number of Catholic subjects it had gained in 1815, when the Catholic Rhineland was added to the Protestant Prussian Kingdom. In 1842 Frederick William IV of Prussia and Johannes von Geissel, later archbishop of Cologne, laid the foundation stone for the completion. In 1880, 632 years after construction had begun, the Cologne Cathedral was completed. The celebration was attended by Emperor Wilhelm I. The design of Cologne Cathedral was based quite closely on that of Amiens Cathedral. As it is a Gothic cathedral, the plan is in the shape of a Latin Cross with two aisles on either side. The window surface area is about 10.000m², About 1.500m² of these are medieval. The oldest is from 1260. The "Richter-Fenster" named after the artist Gerhard Richter, who created it, is the youngest. In 1863 a window with the depiction of secular and Christian rulers had been installed here, donated by the Kingdom of Prussia. This windows was destroyed in World War II and got replaced by a colourless ornamental window in 1948, that soon needed restauration. In 2006 Gerhard Richter (* 1932) got comissioned by the chapter to created the window seen here. On a surface of 106m² there are 11.263 glass squares in 72 colours. These square are randomly arranged. This window was very disputed! The archbishop, who is not a member of the chapter, did not like it at all. Most others did - and do. It creates a wonderful light.

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 Roman temple existed here in Roman times, but from th3 4th century on, the site was occupied by Christian buildings. The foundation stone of the Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom) was laid on 15 August 1248. The eastern arm was completed and got consecrated in 1322. In 1473 the works came to a halt, leaving the south tower complete up to the belfry level and crowned with a huge crane for the next 400 years. After the original plans for the façade had been found in Darmstadt and Paris 1814/1816 it was decided to complete the cathedral. Two thirds of the costs were raised by civic efforts, while the remaining costs were covered by the Prussian state. The state saw this as a way to improve its relations with the large number of Catholic subjects it had gained in 1815, when the Catholic Rhineland was added to the Protestant Prussian Kingdom. In 1842 Frederick William IV of Prussia and Johannes von Geissel, later archbishop of Cologne, laid the foundation stone for the completion. In 1880, 632 years after construction had begun, the Cologne Cathedral was completed. The celebration was attended by Emperor Wilhelm I. On the left his grandson "Kaiser Wilhelm II", the last German emperor, mounted on a horse has a perfect view onto the choir of the cathedral.

The foundation stone of the Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom) was laid on 15 August 1248. The eastern arm was completed and got consecrated in 1322. In 1473 the works came to a halt, leaving the south tower complete up to the belfry level and crowned with a huge crane for the next 400 years. After the original plans for the façade had been found in Darmstadt and Paris 1814/1816 it was decided to complete the cathedral. Two thirds of the costs were raised by civic efforts, while the remaining costs were covered by the Prussian state. The state saw this as a way to improve its relations with the large number of Catholic subjects it had gained in 1815, when the Catholic Rhineland was added to the Protestant Prussian Kingdom. In 1842 Frederick William IV of Prussia and Johannes von Geissel, later archbishop of Cologne, laid the foundation stone for the completion. In 1880, 632 years after construction had begun, the Cologne Cathedral was completed. The celebration was attended by Emperor Wilhelm I. The design of Cologne Cathedral was based quite closely on that of Amiens Cathedral. As it is a Gothic cathedral, the plan is in the shape of a Latin Cross with two aisles on either side. The window surface area is about 10.000m², About 1.500m² of these are medieval. The "Saint Agnes window" was created around 1330. Sant Agnes holdig a lamb and a palm branch, a symbol of her martyrdom. The second window lancet is a new partial reconstruction, decorated with an ornamental pattern.

The foundation stone of the Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom) was laid on 15 August 1248. The eastern arm was completed and got consecrated in 1322. In 1473 the works came to a halt, leaving the south tower complete up to the belfry level and crowned with a huge crane for the next 400 years. After the original plans for the façade had been found in Darmstadt and Paris 1814/1816 it was decided to complete the cathedral. Two thirds of the costs were raised by civic efforts, while the remaining costs were covered by the Prussian state. The state saw this as a way to improve its relations with the large number of Catholic subjects it had gained in 1815, when the Catholic Rhineland was added to the Protestant Prussian Kingdom. In 1842 Frederick William IV of Prussia and Johannes von Geissel, later archbishop of Cologne, laid the foundation stone for the completion. In 1880, 632 years after construction had begun, the Cologne Cathedral was completed. The celebration was attended by Emperor Wilhelm I. The design of Cologne Cathedral was based quite closely on that of Amiens Cathedral. As it is a Gothic cathedral, the plan is in the shape of a Latin Cross with two aisles on either side. The window surface area is about 10.000m², About 1.500m² of these are medieval. The "Jakobus Fenster" (St. Jaques, St, James) was created 1230/1240. This is a detail from that window, depicting legends of the saint´s life. In the center Jakobus is interrogated by King Herod. On the left Jakobus baptizes a henchman. To the right Jakobus and the baptised henchman are beheaded. St. Jaques (Jakobus, James) wears a necklace with a "coquille Saint Jacques".

The foundation stone of the Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom) was laid on 15 August 1248. The eastern arm was completed and got consecrated in 1322. In 1473 the works came to a halt, leaving the south tower complete up to the belfry level and crowned with a huge crane for the next 400 years. After the original plans for the façade had been found in Darmstadt and Paris 1814/1816 it was decided to complete the cathedral. Two thirds of the costs were raised by civic efforts, while the remaining costs were covered by the Prussian state. The state saw this as a way to improve its relations with the large number of Catholic subjects it had gained in 1815, when the Catholic Rhineland was added to the Protestant Prussian Kingdom. In 1842 Frederick William IV of Prussia and Johannes von Geissel, later archbishop of Cologne, laid the foundation stone for the completion. In 1880, 632 years after construction had begun, the Cologne Cathedral was completed. The celebration was attended by Emperor Wilhelm I. The design of Cologne Cathedral was based quite closely on that of Amiens Cathedral. As it is a Gothic cathedral, the plan is in the shape of a Latin Cross with two aisles on either side. The window surface area is about 10.000m², About 1.500m² of these are medieval. One of the windows, named the "Alleiheiligenfenster"("All Saints Window"), was created around 1330. The window illustrates the heavenly hierarchy. Above a starry sky rise nine arcades. The lowermost arcade features angels accompanying souls to heaven. Moving upwards, the next seven arcades feature angels alternating with female martyrs, male martyrs, confessors, kings, bishops, prophets, and popes respectively, each of whom can be identified by their attributes and garments. In the uppermost arcade, apostles alternate with seraphim. At the very top, the crowned Christ and crowned Mary sit enthroned.

The foundation stone of the Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom) was laid on 15 August 1248. The eastern arm was completed and got consecrated in 1322. In 1473 the works came to a halt, leaving the south tower complete up to the belfry level and crowned with a huge crane for the next 400 years. After the original plans for the façade had been found in Darmstadt and Paris 1814/1816 it was decided to complete the cathedral. Two thirds of the costs were raised by civic efforts, while the remaining costs were covered by the Prussian state. The state saw this as a way to improve its relations with the large number of Catholic subjects it had gained in 1815, when the Catholic Rhineland was added to the Protestant Prussian Kingdom. In 1842 Frederick William IV of Prussia and Johannes von Geissel, later archbishop of Cologne, laid the foundation stone for the completion. In 1880, 632 years after construction had begun, the Cologne Cathedral was completed. The celebration was attended by Emperor Wilhelm I. The design of Cologne Cathedral was based quite closely on that of Amiens Cathedral. As it is a Gothic cathedral, the plan is in the shape of a Latin Cross with two aisles on either side. The window surface area is about 10.000m², About 1.500m² of these are medieval. One of the windows, named the "Dreikönigenfenster"("The Magi window"), was created around 1330. Depicted here is the Adoration of the Magi. The eldest king kneels in front of the Virgin and Child holding out a goblet filled with gold coins while the other two kings stand to the right and left of the image. There are many images of the Magi here, as Rainald von Dassel, who was Archbishop of Cologne and a close adviser the Hohenstaufen emperor Frederick Barbarossa, brought the bones of the Three Magi with him to Cologne in 1164 as loot from Milan and as a gift of Barbarossa. The relics are in a golden shrine in the Cologne Cathedral. ------------- www.koelner-dom.de/index.php?id=home&L=1

The foundation stone of the Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom) was laid on 15 August 1248. The eastern arm was completed and got consecrated in 1322. In 1473 the works came to a halt, leaving the south tower complete up to the belfry level and crowned with a huge crane for the next 400 years. After the original plans for the façade had been found in Darmstadt and Paris 1814/1816 it was decided to complete the cathedral. Two thirds of the costs were raised by civic efforts, while the remaining costs were covered by the Prussian state. The state saw this as a way to improve its relations with the large number of Catholic subjects it had gained in 1815, when the Catholic Rhineland was added to the Protestant Prussian Kingdom. In 1842 Frederick William IV of Prussia and Johannes von Geissel, later archbishop of Cologne, laid the foundation stone for the completion. In 1880, 632 years after construction had begun, the Cologne Cathedral was completed. The celebration was attended by Emperor Wilhelm I. The design of Cologne Cathedral was based quite closely on that of Amiens Cathedral. As it is a Gothic cathedral, the plan is in the shape of a Latin Cross with two aisles on either side. The window surface area is about 10.000m², About 1.500m² of these are medieval. One of the windows, named the "Later Bible window"(see prev upload for "Earlier Bible window") was created in 1280. It was originally not produced for the Cologne Cathedral but for Cologne´s Dominican Church. It was donated by famous Albertus Magnus and the archbishop of Cologne, Siegfried of Westerburg. During the period of secularization this church got demolished - and the "Later Bible window" came into the possession of the cathedral. Here is a detail - actually the same as just seen at the "Earlier Bible window": Seen on the left ("Old Testament") is the "Visit of the Queen of Sheba" to King Solomon. Seen on the right ("New Testament") is "The Adoration of the Magi". ------------- www.koelner-dom.de/index.php?id=home&L=1

The foundation stone of the Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom) was laid on 15 August 1248. The eastern arm was completed and got consecrated in 1322. In 1473 the works came to a halt, leaving the south tower complete up to the belfry level and crowned with a huge crane for the next 400 years. After the original plans for the façade had been found in Darmstadt and Paris 1814/1816 it was decided to complete the cathedral. Two thirds of the costs were raised by civic efforts, while the remaining costs were covered by the Prussian state. The state saw this as a way to improve its relations with the large number of Catholic subjects it had gained in 1815, when the Catholic Rhineland was added to the Protestant Prussian Kingdom. In 1842 Frederick William IV of Prussia and Johannes von Geissel, later archbishop of Cologne, laid the foundation stone for the completion. In 1880, 632 years after construction had begun, the Cologne Cathedral was completed. The celebration was attended by Emperor Wilhelm I. The design of Cologne Cathedral was based quite closely on that of Amiens Cathedral. As it is a Gothic cathedral, the plan is in the shape of a Latin Cross with two aisles on either side. The window surface area is about 10.000m², About 1.500m² of these are medieval. The oldest - from 1260 - is named "Aelteres Bibelfenster" ("Earlier Bible window"). It is the axial window, the highest ranking window in the cathedral. Here are details of that window. Seen on the left ("Old Testament") is the "Visit of the Queen of Sheba" to King Solomon. Seen on the right ("New Testament") is "The Adoration of the Magi". ------------- www.koelner-dom.de/index.php?id=home&L=1

The foundation stone of the Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom) was laid on 15 August 1248. The eastern arm was completed and got consecrated in 1322. In 1473 the works came to a halt, leaving the south tower complete up to the belfry level and crowned with a huge crane for the next 400 years. After the original plans for the façade had been found in Darmstadt and Paris 1814/1816 it was decided to complete the cathedral. Two thirds of the costs were raised by civic efforts, while the remaining costs were covered by the Prussian state. The state saw this as a way to improve its relations with the large number of Catholic subjects it had gained in 1815, when the Catholic Rhineland was added to the Protestant Prussian Kingdom. In 1842 Frederick William IV of Prussia and Johannes von Geissel, later archbishop of Cologne, laid the foundation stone for the completion. In 1880, 632 years after construction had begun, the Cologne Cathedral was completed. The celebration was attended by Emperor Wilhelm I. At 157,38 meters tall, it was the tallest building in the world for some years.

The valley of the Rhine seen from the 14th floor of a hotel in Lahnstein. Schloss Stolzenfels (Castle Stolzenfels) is seen in the backdrop. In the 13th century the castle protected a toll station. Destroyed in 1689, during the Nine Years' War, the ruin was used as a quarry during the 18th century. In 1823, the ruin was given as a gift to Frederick William IV of Prussia. In 1822, the Rhineland had become a province of Prussia. Frederick William, who had traveled along the Rhine, had been fascinated by the beauty and romance of the valley. So Frederick William had the castle rebuilt as a Gothic Revival palace.

The Rhine, seen from the hotel in Bingen. On the slope to the right Burg Ehrenfels, vinyards all around. On an little island the Maeuseturm (Mousetower). Similar to Kaub (about 20km downriver) this once was a toll-station, as just north of the Maeuseturm the "Binger Loch", a dangerous shallow blocked the channel. This rocky shallow was blasted with dynamite in the 19th century. The Maeuseturm was used as a beacon upto the 1970s. A tower existed here in early medieval times. This tower got destroyed during the Nine Years' War (1689). Since the Congress of Vienna, the small island was part of Prussia. In 1856 (Rhine romanticism!) Frederick William IV of Prussia (Friedrich Wilhelm IV) had the tower rebuilt in neo-Gothic style. A legend tells, that inside the medieval tower Archbishop Hatto II of Trier (+ 980), who had showed his his heartlessness when the pious population died from hunger, was was eaten up by mice. The right banks of the Rhine with Burg Ehrenfels belong to the state of Hesse, while the island and the left banks belong to the state of Rhineland-Palatinate.

Founded by the Romans around 30 BC as "Augusta Treverorum", Trier claims, just like Xanten, Cologne, Worms, Speyer... to be the oldest existing German city. Trier, the center of a diocese already within the 3rd century, was destroyed by the Alemanni (275), rebuilt under Constantine the Great, who resided in "Augusta Treverorum". The Konstantinbasilika ("Basilica of Constantine", "Aula Palatina") was built by Constantine the Great around 310 and at that time was part of a larger repräsentativ palace complex. The Aula fell into ruins, but got fortified and used as a residence for the Bishops during the Middle Ages. Within the 17th century Archbishop Lothar von Metternich had his posh Baroque palace built just next to the Aula and even incorporated it into this palace. When Prussia´s political influence flooded the Rhineland, Friedrich Wilhelm IV ("Frederick William IV of Prussia") ordered the building to be restored to its original Roman state. In 1856, after the reconstruction, the structure became a Protestant church - and is that ever since under the name of "Kirche zum Erloeser". During WWII the building burned down. It got repaired in the 1950s using modern techniques and materials.

Founded by the Romans around 30 BC as "Augusta Treverorum", Trier claims, just like Xanten, Cologne, Worms, Speyer... to be the oldest existing German city. Trier, the center of a diocese already within the 3rd century, was destroyed by the Alemanni (275), rebuilt under Constantine the Great, who resided in "Augusta Treverorum". The Konstantinbasilika ("Basilica of Constantine", "Aula Palatina") was built by Constantine the Great around 310 and at that time was part of a larger repräsentativ palace complex. The Aula fell into ruins, but got fortified and used as a residence for the Bishops during the Middle Ages. Within the 17th century Archbishop Lothar von Metternich had a Baroque palace built just next to the Aula and even incorporated it into this palace. When Prussia´s political influence flooded the Rhineland, Friedrich Wilhelm IV ("Frederick William IV of Prussia") ordered the building to be restored to its original Roman state. As Prussia was a rather Protestant shaped power, the structure became a Protestant church ("Kirche zum Erloeser") in 1856, after the reconstruction. During WWII the building burned down. It got repaired in the 1950s using modern techniques and materials. The dimensions of this building are impressive: 67 meters long, 27 meters wide, 33 meters high. When Constantine the Great received his advisers and visitors here, all the walls were covered by white marble. The throne was probably placed in the center of the apse.

Founded by the Romans around 30 BC as "Augusta Treverorum", Trier claims, just like Xanten, Cologne, Worms, Speyer... to be the oldest existing German city. Trier, the center of a diocese already within the 3rd century, was destroyed by the Alemanni (275), rebuilt under Constantine the Great, who resided in "Augusta Treverorum". The Konstantinbasilika ("Basilica of Constantine", "Aula Palatina") was built by Constantine the Great around 310 and at that time was part of a larger repräsentativ palace complex. The Aula fell into ruins, but got fortified and used as a residence for the Bishops during the Middle Ages. Within the 17th century Archbishop Lothar von Metternich had his posh (pink!) Baroque palace erected just next to the Aula and even incorporated it into this palace. When Prussia´s political influence flooded the Rhineland, Friedrich Wilhelm IV ("Frederick William IV of Prussia") ordered the building to be restored to its original Roman state. In 1856, after the reconstruction, the structure became a Protestant church - and is that ever since under the name of "Kirche zum Erloeser". During WWII the building burned down. It got repaired in the 1950s using modern techniques and materials.