Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Gandersheim

The abbey in Gandersheim was founded by Liudolf of Saxony, progenitor of the Ottonian dynasty in 852. the abbey was founded as a house of secular canonesses, unmarried daughters of the high nobility, and the first three abesses were daughters of Liudolf and his wife Oda. The first church on this place got consecrated here before 900. The abbey existed upto 1810, though since 1568 the canonesses were lutherian. During the 10th century the "first female german poet", better "the first female artist using german language to create poetry" has lived here as a canoness: Hrosvita of Gandersheim. Even after more than 1000 years, Hrosvita is still very well remembered by Amazon: www.amazon.de/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=hrotsvit+von+gander... Gandersheim received the market and tax rights in 990 from Empress Theophanu, wife of late Otto II, mother of Otto III, another very important woman of the time. Theophanu´s daughter Adelheid I and two of her granddaughters were abbesses here. Luidolf brought relics from a pilgrimage to Rome to Gandersheim, so the church is still "St.Anastasius and St. Innocent". Meanwhile it is used by the by the Evangelical-Lutheran parish of Gandersheim. As the abbey here was a former house of secular canonesses, of whom at least most came out of the high nobility, it is no wonder - that the boss depicts a lady. A very friendly lady wearing a crown over a veil. Blue eyes wide open she faces the visitor below her. The vaults of the side chapel are gothic, so her name may be - Ermegardis of Schwalenberg, abess here 1357/58. Or Lutgard III of Hammerstein, abess 1359/1402. Or Sophia III, Duchess of Brunswick-Lüneburg , abess 1402/12. Or.... The list of noble abesses is really long.

The abbey in Gandersheim was founded by Liudolf of Saxony, progenitor of the Ottonian dynasty in 852. the abbey was founded as a house of secular canonesses, unmarried daughters of the high nobility, and the first three abesses were daughters of Liudolf and his wife Oda. The first church on this place got consecrated here before 900. The abbey existed upto 1810, though since 1568 the canonesses were lutherian. During the 10th century the "first female german poet", better "the first female artist using german language to create poetry" has lived here as a canoness: Hrosvita of Gandersheim. Even after more than 1000 years, Hrosvita is still very well remembered by Amazon: www.amazon.de/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=hrotsvit+von+gander... Gandersheim received the market and tax rights in 990 from Empress Theophanu, wife of late Otto II, mother of Otto III, another very important woman of the time. Theophanu´s daughter Adelheid I and two of her granddaughters were abbesses here. Luidolf brought relics from a pilgrimage to Rome to Gandersheim, so the church is still "St.Anastasius and St. Innocent". Meanwhile it is used by the by the Evangelical-Lutheran parish of Gandersheim. The hall-crypt under the elevated choir is for sure the oldest part of the church. This crypt may date back to one of the earlier architectural structures here. The first church here, that was funded by Liudolf of Saxony, got consecrated already in 881. Facing east. You´ll see the table in the nave again - on the next photo. This part of "St. Anastasius and St. Innocent" is not only the oldest, but during winter time as well the coldest.

The abbey in Gandersheim was founded by Liudolf of Saxony, progenitor of the Ottonian dynasty in 852. the abbey was founded as a house of secular canonesses, unmarried daughters of the high nobility, and the first three abesses were daughters of Liudolf and his wife Oda. The first church on this place got consecrated here before 900. The abbey existed upto 1810, though since 1568 the canonesses were lutherian. During the 10th century the "first female german poet", better "the first female artist using german language to create poetry" has lived here as a canoness: Hrosvita of Gandersheim. Even after more than 1000 years, Hrosvita is still very well remembered by Amazon: www.amazon.de/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=hrotsvit+von+gander... Gandersheim received the market and tax rights in 990 from Empress Theophanu, wife of late Otto II, mother of Otto III, another very important woman of the time. Theophanu´s daughter Adelheid I and two of her granddaughters were abbesses here. Luidolf brought relics from a pilgrimage to Rome to Gandersheim, so the church is still "St.Anastasius and St. Innocent". Meanwhile it is used by the by the Evangelical-Lutheran parish of Gandersheim. The rib of a whale is displayed in a gothic side chapel on the left side. As a whale (or at least a "great fish") plays an important role in the "Book of Jonah", whalebones were often shown in medieval churches. Here are some other churches, where you can see whalebones. Magdeburg (Germany): www.flickr.com/photos/martin-m-miles/4795593117/ Cologne (Germany): www.flickr.com/photos/roland-rossner/2786317321/ Herford (Germany): www.flickr.com/photos/martin-m-miles/4765219389/ Rieupeyroux (France): www.flickr.com/photos/lionfranc37/5340136898/in/contacts/ 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 I am sure, there must even be a story about the old chain, connected to the huge rib, but - sofar - I have no clue about.

The abbey in Gandersheim was founded by Liudolf of Saxony, progenitor of the Ottonian dynasty in 852. the abbey was founded as a house of secular canonesses, unmarried daughters of the high nobility, and the first three abesses were daughters of Liudolf and his wife Oda. The first church on this place got consecrated here before 900. The abbey existed upto 1810, though since 1568 the canonesses were lutherian. During the 10th century the "first female german poet", better "the first female artist using german language to create poetry" has lived here as a canoness: Hrosvita of Gandersheim. Even after more than 1000 years, Hrosvita is still very well remembered by Amazon: www.amazon.de/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=hrotsvit+von+gander... Gandersheim received the market and tax rights in 990 from Empress Theophanu, wife of late Otto II, mother of Otto III, another very important woman of the time. Theophanu´s daughter Adelheid I was abbess here 1039. Luidolf brought relics from a pilgrimage to Rome to Gandersheim, so the church is still "St.Anastasius and St. Innocent". Meanwhile it is used by the by the Evangelical-Lutheran parish of Gandersheim. Standing in the nave, facing east to the choir. Now the "blueprint" of the romanesque basilica is clearly visible. The restauration of the church, during the 19th and the 20th century has been sensible. Even the new wooden benches fit perfectly. The nave still has a flat wooden roof. The vaults in the back are under the crossing.

The abbey in Gandersheim was founded by Liudolf of Saxony, progenitor of the Ottonian dynasty in 852. the abbey was founded as a house of secular canonesses, unmarried daughters of the high nobility, and the first three abesses were daughters of Liudolf and his wife Oda. The first church on this place got consecrated here before 900. The abbey existed upto 1810, though since 1568 the canonesses were lutherian. During the 10th century the "first female german poet" has lived here as a canoness: Hrosvita of Gandersheim. Hrosvita, who called herself the "clamor validus Gandeshemensis" ("The loud voice from Gandersheim") wrote a poem titled "Passio sancti Gongolfi matyris", about Saint Gangolph, whom I had met in Lautenbach: www.flickr.com/photos/martin-m-miles/5502529863/ Even after more than 1000 years, Hrosvita is still very well remembered. Even by Amazon: www.amazon.de/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=hrotsvit+von+gander... Gandersheim received the market and tax rights in 990 from Theophanu, wife of late Otto II, mother of Otto III, another very important woman of the time. The immense westwork, constructed between 1100 and 1169, when the church got consecrated. There was a narthex in front of the westwork, that was dismanteled within the 19th century.

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.