Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: stucco

Through Charlemagne, the mission base here became a bishop's see in 804. The Bishop was granted market, minting and customs rights by King Otto III in 989. He held the secular power in the Harzgau and thus over the inhabitants of Halberstadt. The first cathedral was consecrated in 992. By 1068, there was already an emerging merchant class, under which the city began to emancipate itself from control by the bishop's see around about 1105. In 1146, possibly the first Jews arrived in Halberstadt coming from Halle. In 1189 Jews persecuted during the Third Crusade reached the city. In 1261, the first episcopal letter of protection is documented for them. Henry the Lion destroyed the city, cathedral and cathedral castle in 1179 in the course of a feud by setting a major fire. In 1199 the construction of the city wall is mentioned for the first time, which lasted until 1236. Between 1236 and 1239, the construction of the new cathedral began. In 1241, a town hall for the city is mentioned for the first time; moreover, the city already had its own seal at this time. In 1343 the Jews were attacked by the Counts of Mansfeld and Regenstein and fled, a decade later the new so-called "Judendorf" became the first closed Jewish settlement in the city. The Liebfrauenkirche is one of the three main churches in Halberstadt, along with the cathedral and the Martinikirche. It is located west of the cathedral. It is one of the few surviving four-tower basilicas from the Romanesque period. In 1005, Bishop Arnulf founded a collegiate monastery, which became of national importance by the end of the 15th century. According to recent research, the oldest preserved parts of the church, the basements of the west facade, date from after 1089. The three-aisled pillar basilica was (re)built almost throughout the 12th century. The baptistery was added around 1170. The portal of the church and the western towers with rhombic roofs date from the 13th century. In 1661 the church was redesigned in the Baroque style, the medieval paintings were whitewashed in accordance with the Protestant simplicity. Also in the 17th century, the stone rood screen from 1230 was removed and replaced by a cast iron one. During the Seven Years' War and the period of occupation under Napoleon, the Church briefly served as a prison, ammunition production site and weapons store. The choir barriers, dating from around 1200/1210, feature unique stucco figures of the 12 apostles, Mary and Christ in almost life-size full relief. The brick barriers are 2.15 m high and are surmounted by wooden arcades. The north and south barriers each have stucco figures 1.14 m to 1.20 m high in the seven blind arcades. In the center of the southern part of the chancel is a scene of Mary with Child surrounded by six apostles. The head of Jesus has been lost. These figures do not show the usual strict symbolic restraint of the 12th century, but are characterized by real physicality, harmonious movements and natural, relaxed sitting.

Through Charlemagne, the mission base here became a bishop's see in 804. The Bishop was granted market, minting and customs rights by King Otto III in 989. He held the secular power in the Harzgau and thus over the inhabitants of Halberstadt. The first cathedral was consecrated in 992. By 1068, there was already an emerging merchant class, under which the city began to emancipate itself from control by the bishop's see around about 1105. In 1146, possibly the first Jews arrived in Halberstadt coming from Halle. In 1189 Jews persecuted during the Third Crusade reached the city. In 1261, the first episcopal letter of protection is documented for them. Henry the Lion destroyed the city, cathedral and cathedral castle in 1179 in the course of a feud by setting a major fire. In 1199 the construction of the city wall is mentioned for the first time, which lasted until 1236. Between 1236 and 1239, the construction of the new cathedral began. In 1241, a town hall for the city is mentioned for the first time; moreover, the city already had its own seal at this time. In 1343 the Jews were attacked by the Counts of Mansfeld and Regenstein and fled, a decade later the new so-called "Judendorf" became the first closed Jewish settlement in the city. The Liebfrauenkirche is one of the three main churches in Halberstadt, along with the cathedral and the Martinikirche. It is located west of the cathedral. It is one of the few surviving four-tower basilicas from the Romanesque period. In 1005, Bishop Arnulf founded a collegiate monastery, which became of national importance by the end of the 15th century. According to recent research, the oldest preserved parts of the church, the basements of the west facade, date from after 1089. The three-aisled pillar basilica was (re)built almost throughout the 12th century. The baptistery was added around 1170. The portal of the church and the western towers with rhombic roofs date from the 13th century. In 1661 the church was redesigned in the Baroque style, the medieval paintings were whitewashed in accordance with the Protestant simplicity. Also in the 17th century, the stone rood screen from 1230 was removed and replaced by a cast iron one. During the Seven Years' War and the period of occupation under Napoleon, the Church briefly served as a prison, ammunition production site and weapons store. The choir barriers, dating from around 1200/1210, feature unique stucco figures of the 12 apostles, Mary and Christ in almost life-size full relief. The brick barriers are 2.15 m high and are surmounted by wooden arcades. The north and south barriers each have stucco figures 1.14 m to 1.20 m high in the seven blind arcades. In the center of the southern part of the chancel is a scene of Mary with Child surrounded by six apostles. The head of Jesus has been lost. These figures do not show the usual strict symbolic restraint of the 12th century, but are characterized by real physicality, harmonious movements and natural, relaxed sitting. Mary is strictly frontal, while the apostles turn to each other in conversation.

Through Charlemagne, the mission base here became a bishop's see in 804. The Bishop was granted market, minting and customs rights by King Otto III in 989. He held the secular power in the Harzgau and thus over the inhabitants of Halberstadt. The first cathedral was consecrated in 992. By 1068, there was already an emerging merchant class, under which the city began to emancipate itself from control by the bishop's see around about 1105. In 1146, possibly the first Jews arrived in Halberstadt coming from Halle. In 1189 Jews persecuted during the Third Crusade reached the city. In 1261, the first episcopal letter of protection is documented for them. Henry the Lion destroyed the city, cathedral and cathedral castle in 1179 in the course of a feud by setting a major fire. In 1199 the construction of the city wall is mentioned for the first time, which lasted until 1236. Between 1236 and 1239, the construction of the new cathedral began. In 1241, a town hall for the city is mentioned for the first time; moreover, the city already had its own seal at this time. In 1343 the Jews were attacked by the Counts of Mansfeld and Regenstein and fled, a decade later the new so-called "Judendorf" became the first closed Jewish settlement in the city. The Liebfrauenkirche is one of the three main churches in Halberstadt, along with the cathedral and the Martinikirche. It is located west of the cathedral. It is one of the few surviving four-tower basilicas from the Romanesque period. In 1005, Bishop Arnulf founded a collegiate monastery, which became of national importance by the end of the 15th century. According to recent research, the oldest preserved parts of the church, the basements of the west facade, date from after 1089. The three-aisled pillar basilica was (re)built almost throughout the 12th century. The baptistery was added around 1170. The portal of the church and the western towers with rhombic roofs date from the 13th century. In 1661 the church was redesigned in the Baroque style, the medieval paintings were whitewashed in accordance with the Protestant simplicity. Also in the 17th century, the stone rood screen from 1230 was removed and replaced by a cast iron one. During the Seven Years' War and the period of occupation under Napoleon, the Church briefly served as a prison, ammunition production site and weapons store. The choir barriers, dating from around 1200/1210, feature unique stucco figures of the 12 apostles, Mary and Christ in almost life-size full relief. The brick barriers are 2.15 m high and are surmounted by wooden arcades. The north and south barriers each have stucco figures 1.14 m to 1.20 m high in the seven blind arcades. In the center of the southern part of the chancel is a scene of Mary with Child surrounded by six apostles. The head of Jesus has been lost. These figures do not show the usual strict symbolic restraint of the 12th century, but are characterized by real physicality, harmonious movements and natural, relaxed sitting. Mary is strictly frontal, while the apostles turn to each other in conversation.

Through Charlemagne, the mission base here became a bishop's see in 804. The Bishop was granted market, minting and customs rights by King Otto III in 989. He held the secular power in the Harzgau and thus over the inhabitants of Halberstadt. The first cathedral was consecrated in 992. By 1068, there was already an emerging merchant class, under which the city began to emancipate itself from control by the bishop's see around about 1105. In 1146, possibly the first Jews arrived in Halberstadt coming from Halle. In 1189 Jews persecuted during the Third Crusade reached the city. In 1261, the first episcopal letter of protection is documented for them. Henry the Lion destroyed the city, cathedral and cathedral castle in 1179 in the course of a feud by setting a major fire. In 1199 the construction of the city wall is mentioned for the first time, which lasted until 1236. Between 1236 and 1239, the construction of the new cathedral began. In 1241, a town hall for the city is mentioned for the first time; moreover, the city already had its own seal at this time. In 1343 the Jews were attacked by the Counts of Mansfeld and Regenstein and fled, a decade later the new so-called "Judendorf" became the first closed Jewish settlement in the city. The Liebfrauenkirche is one of the three main churches in Halberstadt, along with the cathedral and the Martinikirche. It is located west of the cathedral. It is one of the few surviving four-tower basilicas from the Romanesque period. In 1005, Bishop Arnulf founded a collegiate monastery, which became of national importance by the end of the 15th century. According to recent research, the oldest preserved parts of the church, the basements of the west facade, date from after 1089. The three-aisled pillar basilica was (re)built almost throughout the 12th century. The baptistery was added around 1170. The portal of the church and the western towers with rhombic roofs date from the 13th century. In 1661 the church was redesigned in the Baroque style, the medieval paintings were whitewashed in accordance with the Protestant simplicity. Also in the 17th century, the stone rood screen from 1230 was removed and replaced by a cast iron one. During the Seven Years' War and the period of occupation under Napoleon, the Church briefly served as a prison, ammunition production site and weapons store. The choir barriers, dating from around 1200/1210, feature unique stucco figures of the 12 apostles, Mary and Christ in almost life-size full relief. The brick barriers are 2.15 m high and are surmounted by wooden arcades. The north and south barriers each have stucco figures 1.14 m to 1.20 m high in the seven blind arcades. In the center of the southern part of the chancel is a scene of Mary with Child surrounded by six apostles. The head of Jesus has been lost. These figures do not show the usual strict symbolic restraint of the 12th century, but are characterized by real physicality, harmonious movements and natural, relaxed sitting. Mary is strictly frontal, while the apostles turn to each other in conversation.

Kloster Weltenburg (Weltenburg Abbey) is the oldest abbey in Bavaria, founded about 620 by iro-scottish monks. The abbey is situated on the banks of the Danube, just west of the "Danube Gorge" (aka "Weltenburg Narrows" - "Donaudurchbruch"). Saint Rupert may have consecrated a church here, dedicated to St. George around 700. In 1050 Benedictian monks founded a brewery here, that is still existing (though the abbey got secularised in 1803 and refounded some decades later). The brewery claims, to be the oldest monastery brewery in the world today, even older than the brewery in Weihenstephan. There are not many traces from the early times. During the wars of the 16th/17th century, the abbey was looted a couple of times. Most of the building seen here were erected within the first half of the 18th century in the Baroque style. At that time the abbey was wealthy again and could effort to have the best artists here to work. The famed Asam-Brothers Cosmas Damian and Egid Quirin, acclaimed celebreties of the Baroque time in Bavaria, having an showcase-chapel in Munich, did the interior design of the St. Georg church. This is a jewel for all aficionados of the Baroque style. Here is the large fresco under the oval dome. The fresco was probably done by Egid Quirin Asam, while his brother Cosmas Damian Asam created the stucco around it. Accordingly they added two portaits, one in fresco, one in stucco. I´ll upload a closeup next.

With a population of about 10.000 Soest was the most important town in Westphalia within the 11th and 12th century. The "Soester Stadtrecht" ("Soest city law") is the oldest city law, documented in German territory. Soest was one of the most important Hanseatic cities in medieval times. During the "Soester Fehde" ("Soest Feud") it liberated itself from the Bishop of Cologne, who controlled Westphalia. During and after the Thirty Years' War, Soest suffered a tremendous loss population and influence. At the lowest point in 1756, it had only 3,600 citizens. Soest has still a couple of wonderful medieval, Romanesque churches, built with the regional greenish sandstone. The "Hohnekirche" (officially "St. Maria zur Höhe") is one of them. The church was built in its present form from 1180 and is one of the oldest hall churches in Westphalia. It replaced an older church here. The apse of the northern aisle is not semicircular but somehow shifted to the left. It is named "Katharinenchor", as the frescoes on the side walls theme around the legend of St. Katherina ("Catherine of Alexandria"). The paintings were hidden for centuries under a coat of paint, before they were reopened and restored in 1869. On the ceiling: Jesus crowns his mother Mary the Queen of Heaven, flanked by Katharina and Maria Magdalena. All have halos from very prominent gold stucco.