Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Baptismal font

With more than 500.000 inhabitants Hannover is the capital and largest city of the German state of Lower Saxony. Hannover was founded in medieval times on the east bank of the River Leine. It was a small village of ferrymen and fishermen. It became a comparatively large town in the 13th century, receiving town privileges in 1241, owing to its position at natural crossroads It was connected to the Hanseatic city of Bremen by the Leine and was situated north-west of the Harz mountains so that east-west traffic passed through it. Between 1714 and 1837 three kings of Great Britain were concurrently also Electoral Princes of Hanover. As an important railway and road junction and production centre, Hannover was a major target for strategic bombing during WW II. More than 90% of the city centre was destroyed in a total of 88 bombing raids. So today Hannover lacks it´s medieval heart. Originally the Museum of "Kunst und Wissenschaft" (art and science) inaugurated in 1856 in the presence of George V of Hanover. After the annexation of Hanover by Prussia, the museum was integrated into the Provincial Museum, as it was called from 1869. The museum ran out of space for its art collections, prompting the construction of the current building in 1902. Extensive renovations and modernisations were carried out in the interior from 1995 to 2000, reopening on 13 May 2000 as part of Expo 2000. Today the museum comprises the state gallery (Landesgalerie), featuring paintings and sculptures from the Middle Ages to the 20th century, and departments of archaeology, natural history and ethnology. Baptismal font, Burgdorf, early 13th c The surrounding frieze shows the creation of Adam and Eve, paradise and the expulsion from it Detail: The Creation of Eve

With more than 500.000 inhabitants Hannover is the capital and largest city of the German state of Lower Saxony. Hannover was founded in medieval times on the east bank of the River Leine. It was a small village of ferrymen and fishermen. It became a comparatively large town in the 13th century, receiving town privileges in 1241, owing to its position at natural crossroads It was connected to the Hanseatic city of Bremen by the Leine and was situated north-west of the Harz mountains so that east-west traffic passed through it. Between 1714 and 1837 three kings of Great Britain were concurrently also Electoral Princes of Hanover. As an important railway and road junction and production centre, Hannover was a major target for strategic bombing during WW II. More than 90% of the city centre was destroyed in a total of 88 bombing raids. So today Hannover lacks it´s medieval heart. Originally the Museum of "Kunst und Wissenschaft" (art and science) inaugurated in 1856 in the presence of George V of Hanover. After the annexation of Hanover by Prussia, the museum was integrated into the Provincial Museum, as it was called from 1869. The museum ran out of space for its art collections, prompting the construction of the current building in 1902. Extensive renovations and modernisations were carried out in the interior from 1995 to 2000, reopening on 13 May 2000 as part of Expo 2000. Today the museum comprises the state gallery (Landesgalerie), featuring paintings and sculptures from the Middle Ages to the 20th century, and departments of archaeology, natural history and ethnology. Baptismal font, Burgdorf, early 13th c The surrounding frieze shows the creation of Adam and Eve, paradise and the expulsion from it

In the course of the German eastward expansion settlers settled near an existing Slavic settlement. A village with a surrounding wall was created. In 1255 the "new" settlement of Kolberg received the town charter according to the "Lübsches Stadtrecht". In 1277 Kolberg became part of the Cammin Abbey, the bishop's secular domain. Kolberg probably belonged to the Hanseatic League and remained in this association until 1610. In this heyday of the town, salt production, salt trade and fishing were the main sources of income of Kolberg and brought great prosperity. In 1442, there was a conflict between the Bishop of Cammin and Kolberg, as a result of which the Bishop besieged the town, but Kolberg successfully repelled the attack. From 1530 the Reformation was introduced in Kolberg, and in 1534 the Catholic institutions in the town were abolished by a decision of the town council. In the 17th century, Kolberg depopulated due to the plague and the Thirty Years' War with its effects. In 1627 imperial troops occupied the town and fortified it. In 1631 Swedish troops conquered Kolberg after a five-month siege. Kolberg came to Brandenburg-Prussia with the Peace of Westphalia in 1648, but was not given up by the Kingdom of Sweden until 1653. The Kołobrzeg Cathedral ("Bazylika konkatedralna Wniebowzięcia Najświętszej Maryi Panny") was started around 1300. It was completed in the first stage in 1321 and had the form of a three-nave hall church. After that, the presbytery, two aisles and the tower were gradually built. After the Reformation in Pomerania, the church became Protestant in 1531. At the beginning of the 18th century, the cathedral was in very poor condition. Multiple sieges and enemy shelling and fires had severely damaged it. It was not until the end of the 19th century that the cathedral finally underwent extensive restoration. In March 1945, the church was severely damaged during the capture of Kolberg by Soviet troops. The vault of the nave collapsed, the entire church burned out. Until the 1960s, the Museum of Polish Arms used the half-destroyed church to display military objects. The reconstruction of the church began after the ruins were transferred to the Catholic Church in 1974. The baptismal font was cast in bronze by local craftsman Jan Alart in 1355. The font is supported by figures of four lions. On the side of it are 26 relief scenes from the life of Christ arranged in two horizontal rows. A Latin inscription surrounds the baptismal font: (translated:) "In the year of our Lord 1355 made by Jan Alart".

The area around Lübeck, today a large city with a population of more than 200,000, had been settled by Slavs since the 7th century. Slavs had a settlement north of the present city called "Liubice", which was razed by the pagan Rani tribe in 1128. 15 years later Adolf II, Count of Schauenburg and Holstein, founded the modern town as a German settlement on the river island of Bucu. He built a new castle, first mentioned as existing in 1147. Adolf II had to cede the castle to the Duke of Saxony, Henry the Lion, in 1158. After Henry's fall from power in 1181, the town became an Imperial city. Emperor Barbarossa ordained that the city should have a ruling council of 20 members. With the council dominated by merchants, trade interests shaped Lübeck's politics for centuries. In the 14th century, Lübeck became the "Queen of the Hanseatic League", being by far the largest and most powerful member of that medieval trade organization. In 1375, Emperor Charles IV named Lübeck one of the five "Glories of the Empire", a title shared with Venice, Rome, Pisa, and Florence. Conflicts about trading privileges resulted in fighting between Lübeck (with the Hanseatic League) and Denmark and Norway – with varying outcome. While Lübeck and the Hanseatic League prevailed in conflicts in 1435 and 1512, Lübeck lost when it became involved in a civil war that raged in Denmark from 1534 to 1536. From then on Lübeck's power slowly declined. The city remained neutral in the Thirty Years' War, but the devastation from the decades-long war and the new transatlantic orientation of European trade caused the Hanseatic League – and thus Lübeck with it – to decline in importance. However, Lübeck still remained an important trading town on the Baltic Sea. In 1160 Henry the Lion moved the bishopric of Oldenburg to Lübeck and endowed a cathedral chapter. In 1163 a wooden church was built, however, at the beginning of the 13th century, it was no longer sufficient to meet the representative demands of the self-confident burghers. St. Marien was built 1250 - 1350. It has always been a symbol of the power and prosperity of the Hanseatic city. It situated at the highest point of the island that forms the old town. Gothic cathedrals in France and Flanders made of natural stone were the models for the new construction of Lübeck's three-nave basilica. St. Marien epitomizes North German "Brick Gothic" and set the standard for many churches in the Baltic region. The church embodied the towering style of Gothic architecture using brick. The incentive for the City Council to undertake such an enormous project was rooted in the bitter dispute with the Lübeck bishopric. As a symbol of the long-distance merchants' desire for freedom and the secular power of the city, which had been free of the Empire since 1226, the church building in the immediate vicinity of Lübeck's city hall and the market square was intended to clearly and uncatchably surpass in size the city's bishop's church, Lübeck Cathedral. The bronze baptismal font was cast in one piece. The reliefs were cast at the same time and not riveted on later. This is the masterly work of Hans Apengeter (~ 1300 - 1351), who lived and had a workshop in Lübeck in 1344. "Apengeter" or "Apengiesser" was the professional title for craftsmen who performed such metalwork. Here a detail.

The area around Lübeck, today a large city with a population of more than 200,000, had been settled by Slavs since the 7th century. Slavs had a settlement north of the present city called "Liubice", which was razed by the pagan Rani tribe in 1128. 15 years later Adolf II, Count of Schauenburg and Holstein, founded the modern town as a German settlement on the river island of Bucu. He built a new castle, first mentioned as existing in 1147. Adolf II had to cede the castle to the Duke of Saxony, Henry the Lion, in 1158. After Henry's fall from power in 1181, the town became an Imperial city. Emperor Barbarossa ordained that the city should have a ruling council of 20 members. With the council dominated by merchants, trade interests shaped Lübeck's politics for centuries. In the 14th century, Lübeck became the "Queen of the Hanseatic League", being by far the largest and most powerful member of that medieval trade organization. In 1375, Emperor Charles IV named Lübeck one of the five "Glories of the Empire", a title shared with Venice, Rome, Pisa, and Florence. Conflicts about trading privileges resulted in fighting between Lübeck (with the Hanseatic League) and Denmark and Norway – with varying outcome. While Lübeck and the Hanseatic League prevailed in conflicts in 1435 and 1512, Lübeck lost when it became involved in a civil war that raged in Denmark from 1534 to 1536. From then on Lübeck's power slowly declined. The city remained neutral in the Thirty Years' War, but the devastation from the decades-long war and the new transatlantic orientation of European trade caused the Hanseatic League – and thus Lübeck with it – to decline in importance. However, Lübeck still remained an important trading town on the Baltic Sea. In 1160 Henry the Lion moved the bishopric of Oldenburg to Lübeck and endowed a cathedral chapter. In 1163 a wooden church was built, however, at the beginning of the 13th century, it was no longer sufficient to meet the representative demands of the self-confident burghers. St. Marien was built 1250 - 1350. It has always been a symbol of the power and prosperity of the Hanseatic city. It situated at the highest point of the island that forms the old town. Gothic cathedrals in France and Flanders made of natural stone were the models for the new construction of Lübeck's three-nave basilica. St. Marien epitomizes North German "Brick Gothic" and set the standard for many churches in the Baltic region. The church embodied the towering style of Gothic architecture using brick. The incentive for the City Council to undertake such an enormous project was rooted in the bitter dispute with the Lübeck bishopric. As a symbol of the long-distance merchants' desire for freedom and the secular power of the city, which had been free of the Empire since 1226, the church building in the immediate vicinity of Lübeck's city hall and the market square was intended to clearly and uncatchably surpass in size the city's bishop's church, Lübeck Cathedral. The bronze baptismal font was cast in one piece. The reliefs were cast at the same time and not riveted on later. This is the masterly work of Hans Apengeter (~ 1300 - 1351), who lived and had a workshop in Lübeck in 1344. "Apengeter" or "Apengiesser" was the professional title for craftsmen who performed such metalwork

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 city with such a history has -of course- many museums. One is the "Museum Schnütgen", devoted to medieval art. In 1906, the collection of Alexander Schnütgen, a theologian and passionate art collector, was donated to the city. Since 1956, the museum has occupied the Romanesque church of St. Cäcilien (1130-1160), that was once part of a monastery founded in 881. An annex was added in the 1950s, but even now only about 10% of all artefacts can be displayed as of course the collection has expanded since Schnütgen´s donation. www.museum-schnuetgen.de/Info Baptismal font (12th. century) from the Meuse valley. This one is similar to the fonts I saw in Northern France (eg. Laon).

The Dom (= Cathedral) in Wetzlar is not really a cathedral, as it was never seat of a bishop. The construction began in 1230 and the church is is still unfinished (see the tower). Because of its long period of construction, the church combines Romanesque, Gothic and even Baroque architecture. When it was built, it replaced an older Romanesque church from the 12th century of which some parts got integrated in the new church. The Wetzlar-Dom has been used as a simultaneum by both Roman Catholics and Protestants since the 16th century. The Romanesque baptismal font may have been used already in the preceding church.

The Collegiate Church of St. Bartholomew, was part of a convent, founded outside the city walls of Liège. The building process started in the 11th century. The church got enlarged, altered and modified over the centuries. Inside the Collégiale Saint-Barthélemy, now a parish church, is this baptismal font, a medieval masterpiece and icon of the "mosan art", a Romanesque style, that developed around the Meuse valley. The center was the Bishopric of Liège, but it spread to Aachen (= Aix-la-Chapelle), Maastricht and even Cologne. The font was commissioned around 1107 by Abbé Hellin for the church of Notre-Dame-aux-Fonts, the baptistery of Liege at that time. It was completed by 1118 and is attributed to Renier de Huy, mentioned in a Liège chronicle as "Reinerus aurifaber". This church was destroyed during the French Revolution. At that time the font was hidden. When it was finally moved into the Collegiate Church of St. Bartholomew, it was incomplete. The cover and two of the 12 supporting oxen were lost. During the early 12th century the area around the Meuse Valley was known for its metalworks. The technique "Reinerus aurifaber" used here is known as lost-wax casting. The complete font was sculpted in wax first. Two moulds (inner and outer) from refractory clay then cover the wax-model completeley, before hot bronze is poured between the two moulds. The wax melts - and get replaced by the bronze that cools down and hardens.

The Collegiate Church of St. Bartholomew, was part of a convent, founded outside the city walls of Liège. The building process started in the 11th century. The church got enlarged, altered and modified over the centuries. Inside the Collégiale Saint-Barthélemy, now a parish church, is this baptismal font, a medieval masterpiece and icon of the "mosan art", a Romanesque style, that developed around the Meuse valley. The center was the Bishopric of Liège, but it spread to Aachen (= Aix-la-Chapelle), Maastricht and even Cologne. The font was commissioned around 1107 by Abbé Hellin for the church of Notre-Dame-aux-Fonts, the baptistery of Liege at that time. It was completed by 1118 and is attributed to Renier de Huy, mentioned in a Liège chronicle as "Reinerus aurifaber". This church was destroyed during the French Revolution. At that time the font was hidden. When it was finally moved into the Collegiate Church of St. Bartholomew, it was incomplete. The cover and two of the 12 supporting oxen were lost. During the early 12th century the area around the Meuse Valley was known for its metalworks. The technique "Reinerus aurifaber" used here is known as lost-wax casting. The complete font was sculpted in wax first. Two moulds (inner and outer) from refractory clay then cover the wax-model completeley, before hot bronze is poured between the two moulds. The wax melts - and get replaced by the bronze that cools down and hardens.

The Collegiate Church of St. Bartholomew, was part of a convent, founded outside the city walls of Liège. The building process started in the 11th century. The church got enlarged, altered and modified over the centuries. Inside the Collégiale Saint-Barthélemy, now a parish church, is this baptismal font, a medieval masterpiece and icon of the "mosan art", a Romanesque style, that developed around the Meuse valley. The center was the Bishopric of Liège, but it spread to Aachen (= Aix-la-Chapelle), Maastricht and even Cologne. The font was commissioned around 1107 by Abbé Hellin for the church of Notre-Dame-aux-Fonts, the baptistery of Liege at that time. It was completed by 1118 and is attributed to Renier de Huy, mentioned in a Liège chronicle as "Reinerus aurifaber". This church was destroyed during the French Revolution. At that time the font was hidden. When it was finally moved into the Collegiate Church of St. Bartholomew, it was incomplete. The cover and two of the 12 supporting oxen were lost. During the early 12th century the area around the Meuse Valley was known for its metalworks. The technique "Reinerus aurifaber" used here is known as lost-wax casting. The complete font was sculpted in wax first. Two moulds (inner and outer) from refractory clay then cover the wax-model completeley, before hot bronze is poured between the two moulds. The wax melts - and get replaced by the bronze that cools down and hardens.

The Collegiate Church of St. Bartholomew, was part of a convent, founded outside the city walls of Liège. The building process started in the 11th century. The church got enlarged, altered and modified over the centuries. Inside the Collégiale Saint-Barthélemy, now a parish church, is this baptismal font, a medieval masterpiece and icon of the "mosan art", a Romanesque style, that developed around the Meuse valley. The center was the Bishopric of Liège, but it spread to Aachen (= Aix-la-Chapelle), Maastricht and even Cologne. The font was commissioned around 1107 by Abbé Hellin for the church of Notre-Dame-aux-Fonts, the baptistery of Liege at that time. It was completed by 1118 and is attributed to Renier de Huy, mentioned in a Liège chronicle as "Reinerus aurifaber".

The Collegiate Church of St. Bartholomew, was part of a convent, founded outside the city walls of Liège. The building process started in the 11th century. The church got enlarged, altered and modified over the centuries. When I tried to visit this church and see the baptismal font, a medieval masterpiece, I was not aware, that exactly that sunday in 2013 Belgium’s King Albert II passed the crown to Prince Philippe, who, since then is King Philippe I. As this was a National Day - the church was closed. Now I was lucky and could enter the church and could see the baptismal font, that is attributed to Renier de Huy.

The construction of the octogonal "Cremona Baptistery" next to the Cathedral started in 1167. At that time the cathedral was not completed. The baptistery measures 34 meters in height and 20.50 meters in diameter. During the time of the Renaissance some alterations were done. The octogonal baptismal font in the center of the baptistery was added within the 16th century. This much older font is displayed in the baptistery. It may have been used somehwere else.

...the most incredible piece in that church "Saint-Julien" was the cryptic baptistery. Probably way older than the church itself. Maybe dating back to the 9th century...