Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Gregor VII

Theologian Manegold of Lautenbach, a celebrity of his time, lived here in the 11th. century. During the Investiture Controversy, Manegold sided strongly with Pope Gregory VII. Emperor Henry IV was so annoyed about this, that he sent an army, to destroy the monastery and churches. That ended the monastery 1084. About 50 years later Augustinian Canons settled here - and rebuilt the church, reusing a lot of old material. This frieze over a lintel of a now walled side-entrance, is probably one of the parts, that were reused. The three arches are pretty delicate, even the capitals of the pillars are nicely done, - but the carvings inside the arches are pretty archaic. Under the left arch is a lion, that actually does look a bit like a poodle. The rear part of the lion, including one leg got lost. The head of the lion looks a bit "human". Under the middle arch, a rather small man fighting a lion. He is "riding" the lion - and trying to open the lion´s mouth. This may be Samson. Under the right arch is probably as well a lion, but there are so many parts missing, that it is hard to say, what this really shows. I had been here before. So now I just add a few shots, that I did not had taken before . More photos of the Collégiale Saint Gangolph are in the set www.flickr.com/photos/martin-m-miles/sets/72157626442170032/

Manegold of Lautenbach, a celebrity of his time, lived here in the 11th. century. During the Investiture Controversy, Manegold sided strongly with Pope Gregory VII. Emperor Henry IV was so annoyed about this, that he sent an army, to destroy the monastery and churches. About 50 years later Augustinian Canons settled here - and rebuilt the church, reusing a lot of old material, so some of the carvings seen here, may orginate from the older church. Many changes took place in and around the building (now the parish church) over the time, but some parts seem seem still unchanged. On the other corner of the transept, next to the gutter, is a shepherd and his ram. The shepherd is obviously watching a oncoming weather-change. Behind them the fastening of a modern antenna - and on the head of the ram -sits a little bird. I am sure, that Sonja as an ornithologist, can identify the species.

Maybe Irish monks founded a monastery here within the 8th century. That is what legends say. Later theologian Manegold de Lautenbach, a celebrity of his time, lived here. During the Investiture Controversy, Manegold sided strongly with Pope Gregory VII. Emperor Henry IV was so annoyed about this, that he sent an army to Lautenbach, to destroy monastery and churches. That ended the monastery ijn 1084. About 50 years later Augustinian Canons settled here - and rebuilt the church, reusing a lot of old material. Many more changes took place in and around the building (now the parish church) over the time, but the ground floor of the westwork seen here, seems still unchanged. Pretty complete and very surprising is the narthex in the middle.

Theologian Manegold of Lautenbach, a celebrity of his time, lived here in the 11th. century. During the Investiture Controversy, Manegold sided strongly with Pope Gregory VII. Emperor Henry IV was so annoyed about this, that he sent an army, to destroy the monastery and churches. That ended the monastery 1084. About 50 years later Augustinian Canons settled here - and rebuilt the church, reusing a lot of old material. Many changes took place in and around the building (now the parish church) over the time, but the ground floor of the westwork seen here, seems still unchanged. One of the two thin monolithic pillars inside the narthex of the collegiate church. Note the complex ribbed vault formed by bow-shaped segments from red and white sandstones.

Manegold of Lautenbach, a celebrity of his time, lived here in the 11th. century. During the Investiture Controversy, Manegold sided strongly with Pope Gregory VII. Emperor Henry IV was so annoyed about this, that he sent an army to Lautenbach, to destroy the monastery and churches. About 50 years later Augustinian Canons settled here - and rebuilt the church, reusing a lot of old material. Many changes took place in and around the building (now the parish church) over the time, but the ground floor of the westwork seen here, seems still unchanged. Having seen the delicate structure of the narthex with slim pillars -and fine capitals, both friezes are kind of shocking. The naiv style of these carvings differs totally from the others. These friezes may have been part of the church destroyed 1086 - and be reused here. As you see, this frieze consists out of three frames, of which two are nearly identical - and one is rather large. I will start from inside. Robert Will does not mention the first two "frames", so there is no help from "Alsace romane", Éditions Zodiaque. There are two men. Wrestling. The anatomy of the two bodies is strange, maybe even bumbling.. It is not clear, why these men are wrestling. I do not know, what "to wrestle" did mean within the 11th century. I can imagine, that wrestling was not a "knightly" form of fighting. Sofar I have seen fighting men, wearing armours and having weapons of any kind. Some even on horses. Here the men, that look like twins are naked. Obviously the wrestling takes place "outside", as there are leafs around the heads. Or - are these naked men not wrestling at all? Are they kissing each other? That would of course add some very different flavour! Please note, that the two profiles of the wrestlers form one "full" face. An idea, that Picasso had later as well. This "frame" is very cryptic. The strangest is, that next to this - is the same frame again. So if there is someone, who knows, what this could mean - write a comment please.

Manegold of Lautenbach, a celebrity of his time, lived here in the 11th. century. During the Investiture Controversy, Manegold sided strongly with Pope Gregory VII. Emperor Henry IV was so annoyed about this, that he sent an army to Lautenbach, to destroy the monastery and churches. That ended the monastery 1084. About 50 years later Augustinian Canons settled here - and rebuilt the church, reusing a lot of old material. Many changes took place in and around the building (now the parish church) over the time, but the ground floor of the westwork seen here, seems still unchanged. Having seen the delicate structure of the narthex with slim pillars -and fine capitals, the friezes (left and right of the entrance) are kind of shocking. The naiv style of these carvings differs totally from the others. These carvings may have been part of the church destroyed 1086 - and be reused here. I am not really sure about the theme, I will follow Robert Will´s interpretation (from "Alsace romane", Éditions Zodiaque), though in some details I doubt that. He sees the whole frieze under the theme of adultery. This is the fourth (and last) third "frame" of the left frieze. This "frame" is very cryptic. From left a man, on his knees on the back of a foul-legged animal, trying to open it´s snout. The snake, that bit into the clothing if the raging husband, runs diagonal from the left top corner, crossing over a smaller person laying on the ground. Over this person, between the husband head and the tail of the snake is a huge area, that seems to be a cloud. Robert Will sees the body of a child (under the snake) and the naked seducer riding the beast and opening the it´s snout. The three "frames" before seemed so structured compared to this chaotic one. Maybe this is about an emotional rage, but - maybe it means something totally different. Robert Will has some doubts as well, but he connects the theme of "adultery" to the vita of St. Gangolph, authored by Hrotsvitha of Gandersheim around 960. She wrote, that St. Gangolph was cheated by his wife - and after that got killed by her seducer, who according to Hrotsvitha, was a priest.

Manegold of Lautenbach, a celebrity of his time, lived here in the 11th. century. During the Investiture Controversy, Manegold sided strongly with Pope Gregory VII. Emperor Henry IV was so annoyed about this, that he sent an army, to destroy the monastery and churches. About 50 years later Augustinian Canons settled here - and rebuilt the church, reusing a lot of old material, so some of the carvings seen here, may orginate from the older church. Many changes took place in and around the building (now the parish church) over the time, but some parts seem seem still unchanged. High up on a corner of the transept, next to the gutter, is a small pride of (friendly looking) lions. Loitering there since about 800 years

Manegold of Lautenbach, a celebrity of his time, lived here in the 11th. century. During the Investiture Controversy, Manegold sided strongly with Pope Gregory VII. Emperor Henry IV was so annoyed about this, that he sent an army to Lautenbach, to destroy the monastery and churches. About 50 years later Augustinian Canons settled here - and rebuilt the church, reusing a lot of old material. Many changes took place in and around the building (now the parish church) over the time, but the ground floor of the westwork seen here, seems still unchanged. Having seen the delicate structure of the narthex with slim pillars -and fine capitals, both friezes are kind of shocking. The naiv style of these carvings differs totally from the others. These friezes may have been part of the church destroyed 1086 - and be reused here. This carving is not integrated in the friezes, but placed on the right corner just outside the narthex. See the position here: www.flickr.com/photos/martin-m-miles/5501571819/ Compared to the friezes, showing two ways leading into hell, this carving depicts a very different situation. The opposite! A couple, nicely dressed, belts around their bodies, face the onlooker. The couple is standing - see the foliage around - in the middle of a Garden, which is the "Garden of Eden". He hands over an apple to her. The fruit is not forbidden any longer, as this is the end of time. Robert Will (in "Alsace romane", Éditions Zodiaque) cites, that similar scenes are found in some illuminated manuscripts.

Manegold of Lautenbach, a celebrity of his time, lived here in the 11th. century. During the Investiture Controversy, Manegold sided strongly with Pope Gregory VII. Emperor Henry IV was so annoyed about this, that he sent an army, to destroy the monastery and churches. About 50 years later Augustinian Canons settled here - and rebuilt the church, reusing a lot of old material, so some of the carvings seen here, may orginate from the older church. Many changes took place in and around the building (now the parish church) over the time, but some parts seem seem still unchanged. This gargoyle is for sure not reused from the older structure. This gargoyle was carved, after the choir was added to the church around 1235. The cone-shaped "Jewish hat" makes very clear, that the person seen here, is a jew. To wear such hats was enforced in many places in medieval times, in order to distinguish Jews from others. Here is another example of a "jewish hat", taken in Lemgo, Germany. www.flickr.com/photos/martin-m-miles/4338575468/

Theologian Manegold of Lautenbach, a celebrity of his time, lived here in the 11th. century. During the Investiture Controversy, Manegold sided strongly with Pope Gregory VII. Emperor Henry IV was so annoyed about this, that he sent an army, to destroy the monastery and churches. That ended the monastery 1084. About 50 years later Augustinian Canons settled here - and rebuilt the church, reusing a lot of old material. I had been here before. So now I just add a few shots, that I did not had taken before . Standing on the stairs, that lead up to the organ loft. Two rows of romanesque pillars form the nave. Typical basilica style. The architectonical "rythm" of the pillars square-round-square-round is "rhenian". The "saxonian" rythm would be square-round-round-square. The organ loft was added later, the neo-classical pillars on the left, holding it, are from wood. More photos of the Collégiale Saint Gangolph are in the set www.flickr.com/photos/martin-m-miles/sets/72157626442170032/

Theologian Manegold of Lautenbach, a celebrity of his time, lived here in the 11th. century. During the Investiture Controversy, Manegold sided strongly with Pope Gregory VII. Emperor Henry IV was so annoyed about this, that he sent an army, to destroy the monastery and churches. That ended the monastery 1084. About 50 years later Augustinian Canons settled here - and rebuilt the church, reusing a lot of old material. I had been here before. So now I just add a few shots, that I did not had taken before . The last remaining part of the former cloister has a gothic vaulting. As the adjoining building is now used by the local government, the door to the right opens to the office of the mayor. Office hours can be found on the little framed plaque on the wall. More photos of the Collégiale Saint Gangolph are in the set www.flickr.com/photos/martin-m-miles/sets/72157626442170032/

Manegold of Lautenbach, a celebrity of his time, lived here in the 11th. century. During the Investiture Controversy, Manegold sided strongly with Pope Gregory VII. Emperor Henry IV was so annoyed about this, that he sent an army to Lautenbach, to destroy the monastery and churches. About 50 years later Augustinian Canons settled here - and rebuilt the church, reusing a lot of old material. Many changes took place in and around the building (now the parish church) over the time, but the ground floor of the westwork seen here, seems still unchanged. Having seen the delicate structure of the narthex with slim pillars -and fine capitals, both friezes are kind of shocking. The naiv style of these carvings differs totally from the others. These friezes may have been part of the church destroyed 1086 - and be reused here. Here is the right side of the "smiling-devil-frame", seen before. A pig is feeding here on that babylike body, symbolising the soul, that the devil is holding by the leg. On the left side a body (head upward) is given to a snake, on the right side a body (head downward) is given to a pig. Why did the carver choose a snake and a pig? Accidently? Just two snakes would have created a very nice, even symmetrical icon. The snake and the pig must have different "symbolic values" - in the evil system of hell. There must be sins, punished by being fed to snakes, and other sins, punished by being fed to pigs.

Manegold of Lautenbach, a celebrity of his time, lived here in the 11th. century. During the Investiture Controversy, Manegold sided strongly with Pope Gregory VII. Emperor Henry IV was so annoyed about this, that he sent an army to Lautenbach, to destroy the monastery and churches. About 50 years later Augustinian Canons settled here - and rebuilt the church, reusing a lot of old material. Many changes took place in and around the building (now the parish church) over the time, but the ground floor of the westwork seen here, seems still unchanged. Having seen the delicate structure of the narthex with slim pillars -and fine capitals, both friezes are kind of shocking. The naiv style of these carvings differs totally from the others. These friezes may have been part of the church destroyed 1086 - and be reused here. Here is the left side of the "smiling-devil-frame", seen before. A giant snake feeds on that babylike body, symbolising the soul, that the devil is holding by the right arm. The snake has a very strange head and snout, like biblical snakes often have. The carver tried to give the giant moving snake a three-dimensionality, but it does not really work. So - for a certain kind of sin - the souls are eaten up by a giant snake. This sin should depicted be on one of the two friezes.

Manegold of Lautenbach, a celebrity of his time, lived here in the 11th. century. During the Investiture Controversy, Manegold sided strongly with Pope Gregory VII. Emperor Henry IV was so annoyed about this, that he sent an army to Lautenbach, to destroy the monastery and churches. About 50 years later Augustinian Canons settled here - and rebuilt the church, reusing a lot of old material. Many changes took place in and around the building (now the parish church) over the time, but the ground floor of the westwork seen here, seems still unchanged. Having seen the delicate structure of the narthex with slim pillars -and fine capitals, both friezes are kind of shocking. The naiv style of these carvings differs totally from the others. These friezes may have been part of the church destroyed 1086 - and be reused here. The third "frame" of the right frieze is larger than the other two (nearly) identical ones. Here Robert Will does mention this carving in "Alsace romane", Éditions Zodiaque. There is a smiling (well combed) devil in the middle, a kind of "jack in the box", holding two (babylike) bodies (souls) and feeding them to two creatures of the underground (hell). I agree with Robert Will in this interpretation. So far, the interpretation is clear and easy. But is there a connection between the four wrestlers - and this smirking devil? Is there eventually even a connection between the devil and the frieze on the other side, where the contemplator was introduced into adultery? In case, the naked men do not wrestle, but kiss and hug, they are behaving like (heterosexual) couple on the left side. If there is a time bar in the friezes, then the smiling devil, marks the end of the kissing and hugging of both friezes. We will have a closer look on the sides of the devil.

Manegold of Lautenbach, a celebrity of his time, lived here in the 11th. century. During the Investiture Controversy, Manegold sided strongly with Pope Gregory VII. Emperor Henry IV was so annoyed about this, that he sent an army to destroy the monastery and churches. That ended the monastery 1084. About 50 years later Augustinian Canons settled here - and rebuilt the church, reusing a lot of old material. Many changes took place in and around the building (now the parish church) over the time, but the ground floor of the westwork seen here, seems still unchanged. Having seen the delicate structure of the narthex with slim pillars -and fine capitals, the friezes (left and right of the entrance) are kind of shocking. The naiv style of these carvings differs totally from the others. These carvings may have been part of the church destroyed 1086 - and be reused here. I am not really sure about the theme, I will follow Robert Will´s interpretation (from "Alsace romane", Éditions Zodiaque), though in some details I doubt that. He sees the whole frieze under the theme of adultery. This is the third "frame" of the left frieze. The husband (dressed) has found out about the (hugging and kissing of) the second "frame". The husband has obviously knocked her over, so she fell to the ground, holding up the baby. He is beating her up, or - worse - he has a stone in his hand. A snake (only the head is visible here) has bitten into his clothing. The (evil) snake may stand for - and fuel - the furious rage of the man. An emotional status which is connected to devils and hell.

Manegold of Lautenbach, a celebrity of his time, lived here in the 11th. century. During the Investiture Controversy, Manegold sided strongly with Pope Gregory VII. Emperor Henry IV was so annoyed about this, that he sent an army, to destroy the monastery and churches. That ended the monastery 1084. About 50 years later Augustinian Canons settled here - and rebuilt the church, reusing a lot of old material. Many changes took place in and around the building (now the parish church) over the time, but the ground floor of the westwork seen here, seems still unchanged. Having seen the delicate structure of the narthex with slim pillars -and fine capitals, the friezes (left and right of the entrance) are kind of shocking. The naiv style of these carvings differs totally from the others. These carvings may have been part of the church destroyed 1086 - and be reused here. I am not really sure about the theme, I will follow Robert Will´s interpretation (from "Alsace romane", Éditions Zodiaque), though in some details I doubt that. He sees the whole frieze under the theme of adultery. This is the second "frame" of the left frieze, you see the animal of the first "frame" to the right. The naked man and the dressed lady (now having the same size) are laying together, hugging and kissing. Unter the theme of adultery, the interaction between them may have gone further..

Manegold of Lautenbach, a celebrity of his time, lived here in the 11th. century. During the Investiture Controversy, Manegold sided strongly with Pope Gregory VII. Emperor Henry IV was so annoyed about this, that he sent an army, to destroy the monastery and churches. That ended the monastery 1084. About 50 years later Augustinian Canons settled here - and rebuilt the church, reusing a lot of old material. Many changes took place in and around the building (now the parish church) over the time, but the ground floor of the westwork seen here, seems still unchanged. Having seen the delicate structure of the narthex with slim pillars -and fine capitals, the friezes (left and right of the entrance) are kind of shocking. The naiv style of these carvings differs totally from the others. These carvings may have been part of the church destroyed 1086 - and be reused here. I am not really sure about the theme, I will follow Robert Will´s interpretation (from "Alsace romane", Éditions Zodiaque), though in some details I doubt that. He sees the whole frieze under the theme of adultery. Unfortunately I did not take a photo of the complete left frieze, to have an overview, but pierrepaul43 did a really good one: www.flickr.com/photos/13149473@N04/3577866581/ This is the first "frame" of the left frieze, starting to the right, as the frieze "reads" from inside outside Seen here from right to left is a (small) standing lady in a coat, holding a baby. The head of the lady is in a very strange position - and she seems to smile. Next is a sitting naked man, waving at her. Behind this man sits a four legged animal with a very human face, that could be an hare (ears!), further to the left, next to the animal´s ear - an oval object. Robert Will sees a man (naked) trying to seduce a woman, which is married (the kid!). The animal in the man´s back stands for "temptation" or "prurience". Will does not mention the oval to the left.

Theologian Manegold of Lautenbach, a celebrity of his time, lived here in the 11th. century. During the Investiture Controversy, Manegold sided strongly with Pope Gregory VII. Emperor Henry IV was so annoyed about this, that he sent an army, to destroy the monastery and churches. That ended the monastery 1084. About 50 years later Augustinian Canons settled here - and rebuilt the church, reusing a lot of old material. Having seen the delicate structure of the narthex with slim pillars -and fine capitals, the friezes (left and right of the entrance) are kind of shocking. The naiv style of these carvings differs totally from the others. These carvings may have been part of the church destroyed 1086 - and be reused here. I am not really sure about the theme, I will follow Robert Will´s interpretation (from "Alsace romane", Éditions Zodiaque), though in some details I doubt that. He sees the whole frieze under the theme of adultery. I had been here before. At that time, I took photos of a lot of details, but "forgot", to take a shot of the frieze in whole. So here is the left frieze. More detailed photos of the frieze are in the set www.flickr.com/photos/martin-m-miles/sets/72157626442170032/