Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: octogon

Darlowo (Rügenwalde) was a trading point already in the 11th century, prorected by a fortress named Dirlow. The town, that evolved was destroyed in 1283 during a local war- It got rebuilt and received its city rights (Lübsches Stadtrecht) in 1312. The town passed to the Duchy of Pomerania in 1347 and over the years Dukes constructed a Ducal Castle on a nearby island and chose it as their seat. In 1412 Rügenwalde (Darlowo) became part of the Hanseatic League and had its own trade fleet, larger than in other surrounding towns. Boats and ships owned by local merchants travelled as far as Normandy and Spain. At the end of the 14th century a couple of St. Gertrudis hospitals were founded in Pomerania. This was among them. It was built in 1406 dedicated to the care of the poor, the sick and travelers. St. Gertrude's Church is a late Gothic central building. There are actually four such buildings in Pomerania. I had seen St. Gertrude's Chapel in Koszalin (Köslin) before.

Slavic Ranen lived on the island of Ruegen and the mainland opposite the island. They were independent heathens up to the middle of the 12th century, and so maybe the last non-Christian people in Central Europe. In 1168 Danish King Valdemar I defeated the Ranen and destroyed "Jaromarsburg" their main sanctuary. After the Danish victory, the Slavic princes became feudatories of the Danish crown and accepted the Christian faith. They founded Strale, which prospered because of the rich herring stocks in the waters, many merchants settled here who saw this as their basis for trade. Already in 1234 Slavic Prince Wizlaw I granted the village the town charter (Lübsches Stadtrecht). Stralsund now became an important trading town in the Baltic region, mainly due to settlers from Westphalia. The German settlers clearly outnumbered the Slavic population already around 1300. From 1325 on Stralsund belonged to Pomerania-Wolgast. In the 14th century, it was the most important Hanseatic city in the southern Baltic region after Lübeck. The 15th century was Stralsund's heyday. Long-distance trade was the most important economic factor. Around 1450, 350 merchants were involved in such trade. In 1488, 50 skippers founded the "St. Marienbruderschaft der Schiffer", the forerunner of the still existing "Stralsund Schiffercompagnie". As early as 1525, the majority of Stralsund's citizens converted to the Protestant faith. After the Thirty Years' War Stralsund belonged to the Kingdom of Sweden for almost 200 years. In 1815 Stralsund came to Prussia. - Located next to Marienkirche is the octagonal Appolonia Chapel. It was built in 1416 as an atonement for three priests who were burned at the stake by the Stralsunders in the "Papenbrand thom Sunde" (= Burning of priests in Stralsund). When church taxes were reduced in the course of a economical deterioration, the archdeacon of the time carried out an example of punishment. He had several houses and huts burnt down outside the city gates, and several Stralsunders died in the confusion. That unleashed the people´s anger and the priests were burned on the "Neuer Markt" next to the Marienkirche by angry citizens.

Slavic Ranen lived on the island of Ruegen and the mainland opposite the island. They were independent heathens up to the middle of the 12th century, and so maybe the last non-Christian people in Central Europe. In 1168 Danish King Valdemar I defeated the Ranen and destroyed "Jaromarsburg" their main sanctuary. After the Danish victory, the Slavic princes became feudatories of the Danish crown and accepted the Christian faith. They founded Strale, which prospered because of the rich herring stocks in the waters, many merchants settled here who saw this as their basis for trade. Already in 1234 Slavic Prince Wizlaw I granted the village the town charter (Lübsches Stadtrecht). Stralsund now became an important trading town in the Baltic region, mainly due to settlers from Westphalia. The German settlers clearly outnumbered the Slavic population already around 1300. From 1325 on Stralsund belonged to Pomerania-Wolgast. In the 14th century, it was the most important Hanseatic city in the southern Baltic region after Lübeck. The 15th century was Stralsund's heyday. Long-distance trade was the most important economic factor. Around 1450, 350 merchants were involved in such trade. In 1488, 50 skippers founded the "St. Marienbruderschaft der Schiffer", the forerunner of the still existing "Stralsund Schiffercompagnie". As early as 1525, the majority of Stralsund's citizens converted to the Protestant faith. After the Thirty Years' War Stralsund belonged to the Kingdom of Sweden for almost 200 years. In 1815 Stralsund came to Prussia. - Located next to Marienkirche is the octagonal Appolonia Chapel. It was built in 1416 as an atonement for three priests who were burned at the stake by the Stralsunders in the "Papenbrand thom Sunde" (= Burning of priests in Stralsund). When church taxes were reduced in the course of a economical deterioration, the archdeacon of the time carried out an example of punishment. He had several houses and huts burnt down outside the city gates, and several Stralsunders died in the confusion. That unleashed the people´s anger and the priests were burned on the "Neuer Markt" next to the Marienkirche by angry citizens.

In medieval times the area around was fought for by different parties. In 1232 Konrad of Thuringia, brother in law of Saint Elisabeth, had a fortified complex built here, that dominated the entire middle valley of the Eder river. There were a castle and an ecclesiastical area. Immediately the city was built with a large marketplace. It was obviously planned to have a strong bastion and to take advantage of the favourable traffic conditions. The inhabitants of the new town were composed of the inhabitants of the surrounding villages and hamlets, who were resettled or voluntarily left their old homes. Frankenberg was soon surrounded by a mighty wall. Of the 25 towers and gates of the old town, only one still exists, the five city gates have disappeared. The Liebfrauenkirche was built in 1286 according to the model of St. Elizabeth's Church in Marburg, one of the very first churches erected in Germany in Gothic style. It is believed that the entire "Bauhütte" moved from Marburg to Frankenberg to work here at the request of Landgrave Henry I, the grandson of St. Elizabeth. In 1476, when a fire destroyed the entire town, the Liebfrauenkirche also burned out completely, which led to the loss of the precious original equipment. The church got rebuilt. After the Reformation, the church became a Protestant church. An iconoclasm started, under Landgrave Moritz (aka "Moritz der Gelehrte", "Maurice the Learned"), who, due to his Reformed confession, rigorously enforced the biblical prohibition of images. During this fury statues of saints and other Christian representations and artistic treasures were irretrievably lost in 1606. When the Liebfrauenkirche had been completed, Johannes von Cassel donated his fortune for the construction of a pilgrimage chapel in honor of the Virgin Mary. This chapel was designed by master builder Tyle von Frankenberg built 1370 to 1380 on the floor plan of an irregular octagon. The chapel was added on to the southern transept the church. The "Marienkapelle" is an early testimony of the high gothic and a unique construction. The ceiling with the uncommon vaults.

The island of Corsica is one of the 18 regions of France. It was colonized the Carthaginians, the Greeks, the Etruscans and the Romans. After the Roman empire collapsed, Corsica got invaded by the Vandals and the Ostrogoths. For a short while the island belonged to the Byzantine Empire, then the Franks granted the island to the Pope, in the early 11th century Pisa and Genoa together freed the island from the threat of Arab invasion. The island came under the influence of the Republic of Pisa, later it belonged to Genua for centuries. In 1755 after a long fight for independence from Genoa the independent Corsican Republic was proclaimed, but in 1769, when the island was conquered by France. As the areas near the coast over centuries have been threatened by attacks and raids of pirates many old hamlets and dwellings are wide inland, high in the mountains. So most of the old churches are in the mountains and some of them are hard to find. The ruins of the medieval pieve-church Santa Maria di Riscamone are located at the end of a long and winding dirt road. Archeologists could find the remains of a Roman dwellings up here. A first small church may have been erected on the site of the Roman settlement in the 5th century. It got enlarged and remoldeled over the centuries but the ruins of the former parish church, that still exist date to the 11th and 12th century. Just a few metres west to the church, the immense baptistery was erected in the 12th century. By now there are only ruins left, but it is still visible, that the baptistery was octogonal with a diameter of 11 metres. Within the ruins of the baptistery are two tympana (?), that According to Geneviève Moracchini-Mazel, late director of "Cahiers Corsica" and author of "Corse Romane", these carvings are older than the baptistery and may come from an earlier church here and got reused here. Adam and Eve, pretty weathered.

The island of Corsica is one of the 18 regions of France. It was colonized the Carthaginians, the Greeks, the Etruscans and the Romans. After the Roman empire collapsed, Corsica got invaded by the Vandals and the Ostrogoths. For a short while the island belonged to the Byzantine Empire, then the Franks granted the island to the Pope, in the early 11th century Pisa and Genoa together freed the island from the threat of Arab invasion. The island came under the influence of the Republic of Pisa, later it belonged to Genua for centuries. In 1755 after a long fight for independence from Genoa the independent Corsican Republic was proclaimed, but in 1769, when the island was conquered by France. As the areas near the coast over centuries have been threatened by attacks and raids of pirates many old hamlets and dwellings are wide inland, high in the mountains. So most of the old churches are in the mountains and some of them are hard to find. The ruins of the medieval pieve-church Santa Maria di Riscamone are located at the end of a long and winding dirt road. Archeologists could find the remains of a Roman dwellings up here. A first small church may have been erected on the site of the Roman settlement in the 5th century. It got enlarged and remoldeled over the centuries but the ruins of the former parish church, that still exist date to the 11th and 12th century. Just a few metres west to the church, the immense baptistery was erected in the 12th century. By now there are only ruins left, but it is still visible, that the baptistery was octogonal with a diameter of 11 metres. Within the ruins of the baptistery are two tympana (?), that according to Geneviève Moracchini-Mazel, late director of "Cahiers Corsica" and author of "Corse Romane", these carvings are older than the baptistery and may come from an earlier church and got reused here. The evil snake is always a frightening symbol.

The island of Corsica is one of the 18 regions of France. It was colonized the Carthaginians, the Greeks, the Etruscans and the Romans. After the Roman empire collapsed, Corsica got invaded by the Vandals and the Ostrogoths. For a short while the island belonged to the Byzantine Empire, then the Franks granted the island to the Pope, in the early 11th century Pisa and Genoa together freed the island from the threat of Arab invasion. The island came under the influence of the Republic of Pisa, later it belonged to Genua for centuries. In 1755 after a long fight for independence from Genoa the independent Corsican Republic was proclaimed, but in 1769, when the island was conquered by France. As the areas near the coast over centuries have been threatened by attacks and raids of pirates many old hamlets and dwellings are wide inland, high in the mountains. So most of the old churches are in the mountains and some of them are hard to find. The ruins of the medieval pieve-church Santa Maria di Riscamone are located at the end of a long and winding dirt road. Archeologists could find the remains of a Roman dwellings up here. A first small church may have been erected on the site of the Roman settlement in the 5th century. It got enlarged and remoldeled over the centuries but the ruins of the former parish church, that still exist date to the 11th and 12th century. Just a few metres west to the church, the immense baptistery was erected in the 12th century. By now there are only ruins left, but it is still visible, that the baptistery was octogonal with a diameter of 11 metres.

The "Imperial Cathedral" was known as the "Royal Church of St. Mary at Aachen" during the Middle Ages. From 936 to 1531, the Aachen chapel was the church of coronation for 30 German kings and 12 queens. In 792 Charlemagne ("Charles the Great", "Karl der Grosse") began the construction of a palace here and part of the whole structure was this "Palatine Chapel". The center (and the oldest part) of the cathedral of today is this carolingian octogon, planned are realized by Odo of Metz, one of the first known architects, north of the Alps. Odo had seen obviously seen Byzantine churches. For sure he knew details of the Basilica of San Vitale of Ravenna, as San Vitale, that seems to be a model of this chapel. Pope Leo III consecrated the chappel in 805. Inside the octogon now, facing south. The architecture is a real hefty "power demonstration". In 805 this construction was probably near to a heavenly miracle. Some of the pillars seen here are "reused" roman pillars, that came from Cologne, other roman spolia were transported over the Alps from Rome. During the french occupation after the French Revolution the roman pillars ware taken out - and added to the collection of the Louvre, but about half of them returned in 1815, the rest got replaced by copies. Charlemagne was buried here in 814. In 1000 Emperor Otto III had Charlemagne's grave opened. Otto of Lomello, one of the courtiers, wrote, that Charlemagne was sitting in his grave and that the body showed no decay. Only the tip of Charlemagne´s nose was - gone. Otto replaced this tip with gold. 65 years later Frederick I Barbarossa opened the grave, to place the remains now in a sarcophagus, said to be the one in which Augustus Caesar was buried. The bones lay in this until 1215, when Frederick II had them put in a casket of gold and silver. And there they still are. I remember, that many years ago, visitors could walk the upper floor as well and see Charlemagne´s throne, made by marble from the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. Though it was not allowed, parents placed their kids on the throne - and took a photo. That it not possible any more. The cathedral has a very nice website - in German: www.aachendom.de/ Wikipedia has one in English: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aachen_Cathedral and French: fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cath%C3%A9drale_d%27Aix-la-Chapelle

The "Imperial Cathedral" was known as the "Royal Church of St. Mary at Aachen" during the Middle Ages. From 936 to 1531, the Aachen chapel was the church of coronation for 30 German kings and 12 queens. In 792 Charlemagne ("Charles the Great", "Karl der Grosse") began the construction of a palace here and part of the whole structure was this "Palatine Chapel". The center (and the oldest part) of the cathedral of today is this carolingian octogon, planned are realized by Odo of Metz, one of the first known architects, north of the Alps. Odo had seen obviously seen Byzantine churches. For sure he knew details of the Basilica of San Vitale of Ravenna, as San Vitale, that seems to be a model of this chapel. Pope Leo III consecrated the chappel in 805. The architecture of the octogon a real hefty "power demonstration". In 805 this construction was probably near to a heavenly miracle. Standing in the center - looking up. It is known, that under the dome was a mosaic or fresco showing a scene from the "Apocalypse of John". The 24 oldest kings give their crowns to Christ, who is surrounded by the symbols of the evangelists. The version we see today was done 1880/81. Yes, 1/8 of the octogon is uner renovation and hidden ander a plastic cover - and there is something hanging down. Click on the next photo to see, what it is. The cathedral has a very nice website - in German: www.aachendom.de/ Wikipedia has one in English: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aachen_Cathedral and French: fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cath%C3%A9drale_d%27Aix-la-Chapelle

The "Imperial Cathedral" was known as the "Royal Church of St. Mary at Aachen" during the Middle Ages. From 936 to 1531, the Aachen chapel was the church of coronation for 30 German kings and 12 queens. In 792 Charlemagne ("Charles the Great", "Karl der Grosse") began the construction of a palace here and part of the whole structure was this "Palatine Chapel". The center (and the oldest part) of the cathedral of today is this carolingian octogon, planned are realized by Odo of Metz, one of the first known architects, north of the Alps. Odo had seen obviously seen Byzantine churches. For sure he knew details of the Basilica of San Vitale of Ravenna, as San Vitale, that seems to be a model of this chapel. Pope Leo III consecrated the chappel in 805. Having entered the cathedral - and looking into the ground floor of the octogon through the arcades around. The cathedral has a very nice website - in German: www.aachendom.de/ Wikipedia has one in English: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aachen_Cathedral and French: fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cath%C3%A9drale_d%27Aix-la-Chapelle

The former abbey-church "Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul" was built in the 11th. century. The octogon is similar (but much smaller) to the Palatine Chapel Charlemagne had built in Aachen (Aix-la-Chapelle) 300 years before.

The construction of the octagonal "Battistero di San Giovanni in Corte" started in 1303. It is discussed whether there was a planning contribution from Nicola Pisano (Pisa Baptistry, + 1278), but there is no proof. The building was completed in 1361 by Cellino di Nese, who had actually worked in Pisa before. The baptistery is 40 metres high. The exterior is entirely covered with white and green marble. Once here was a lombard church, named "Santa Maria in Corte". It got demolished and replaced by the baptistery, leaving an addition to the name of the "Battistero di San Giovanni in Corte".

The Piazza del Duomo is lined by medieval buildings. The "Palazzo Pretorio" is to the right, next to the impressive campanile, stands the "Battistero di San Giovanni in Corte". The construction of the octagonal baptistery started in 1303. The building, completed in 1361, is 40 metres high. The exterior is entirely covered with white and green marble. Once here was a lombard church, named "Santa Maria in Corte". It got demolished and replaced by the baptistery, leaving an addition to the name of the "Battistero di San Giovanni in Corte".