Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Kunigunde

The first (carolingian) church here is named "Haito Muenster", as Bishop Haito ( as well abbot of the important Reichenau Abbey) had comissioned it. It was completed around 825. The foundations of these structure were reused, when the so called "Heinrich Muenster" was built just after 1000, sponsored and named after Emperor Heinrich II (Henry II) of the Ottonian dynasty. Already in 1019 this church got consecrated. The Muenster seen today is the third large church, erected 1180 - 1220/30. The late romanesque church had five towers, that all got destroyed (with most vaultings) in 1356 during the worst earthquake ever recorded in Central Europe. Modern seismologists estimate a magnitude of 7.1. The rebuilding of the Muenster was led by Johannes Parler, who at the same time was employed for building the Freiburg Muenster. So there are a lot of parallels between these two Muensters, only 70 kms apart. About 1500 the Muenster was finally completed in a combination of late romanesque and gothic style. The restauration process started about 400 years later. Pollution caused a lot of damage and meanwhile many of the carvings outside the church have been replaced by copies. So many of the details seen on the shots may be - copies. Looking east to the choir. Some art historians have compared the structure of the side walls with the CLUNY III. The interior differs surprisingly from the Freiburg Muenster. The Protestant Reformation in Switzerland differed from that one in Germany, as the Swiss Reformators (Huldrych Zwingli, John Calvin, Johannes Oekolampad..) had a way more radical approach, than their Lutherian collegues. During the 9th of February 1529 a group of about 200 people forced their way into this (at that time still catholic) church and in a kind of frenzy destroyed all reachable crucifixes, statues and altars, just everything what was connected to "idolatry" in their thinking. The same afternoon the iconoclasm extended to many other churches in Basel as well. I wonder, why the the fast and furious iconoclasts did not destroy the many works, done by the stone carvers in and outside the church. Obviously only "holy" objects had to burn. Here is one of the many capitals around the choir, unfortunately the light is a bit dim around the choir, so the photo is blurry (sorry!). This capital is one of the many parallels to Freiburg, as like in the Freiburg Muenster, here is Alexander the Great going up to heaven in a basket, powered by two griffins. Alexander controls the griffins by holding up two roasted puppies on sticks. The Alexander-theme is not "extremely" rare, but twice within 70kms cannot be just accidently.

Florentina was established in Roman times as a settlement for veteran soldiers. The name had changed already, when young Charlemagne conquered the town in 774. It became part of the Duchy of Tuscany, with Lucca as capital. Around 1000 Margrave Hugo chose Florence as residency instead of Lucca. After the death of Matilda of Tuscany (1115), the Florentines formed a republic was ruled by a council. The town prospered, despite a constant fight between the different factions and noble families. In the 15th century, Florence was among the largest and wealthiest cities in Europe. This was, when the Medici family entered the political scene. As a dynasty of art loving, power hungry bankers, they made Florence the birthplace of the Renaissance. There are is legend about St. Miniato. He was an Armenian prince, who either came to Florence serving in the Roman Army or had come to Italy on a pilgrimage and lived as a hermit here... Anyway Emperor Decius, persecuting Christians, sentenced him to death. Wondrously he survived furnace and lapidation and even a lion in the amphitheater refused to devour him. Finally he was beheaded near the Arno river. But, being a kephalophor (like Saint Denis, Saint Sever, Saint Gohard, Saint Élophe..) Miniato picked up his head and carried it away. He crossed the Arno and walked uphill to die finally in his hermitage. A small convent developed on the spot later. In 783 Charlemagne endowed property to the convent. Emperor Otto II confirmed "privileges" in 971, but times got tough. Already in 1013 Bishop Alibrando (aka "Hildebrand") replaced the "ruined church", endowed by the Emperor Henry II (aka "Saint Henry") and his wife Cunigunde (aka "Saint Cunigunde"). 5 years later Alibrando consecrated the "Basilica di San Miniato al Monte". Most of today´s church got remodeled and altered in the 11th and 12th century. The nave ends at a freestanding chapel ("Cappella del Crocefisso"). The arches open to a very large (and dark) crypt, that dates back to the Alibrando-church. The choir above the crypt is raised. Very unusual is the pavement of the nave´s floor. It looks like a carpet runs down to the chapel. The light here is very poor. There are "slot machines" everywhere. For a coin, you may get 1 minute of light, but only in a certain area... I was just too slow, to take a photo from this pov with an illuminated choir-mosaic at the other end of the church.

Florentina was established in Roman times as a settlement for veteran soldiers. The name had changed already, when young Charlemagne conquered the town in 774. It became part of the Duchy of Tuscany, with Lucca as capital. Around 1000 Margrave Hugo chose Florence as residency instead of Lucca. After the death of Matilda of Tuscany (1115), the Florentines formed a republic was ruled by a council. The town prospered, despite a constant fight between the different factions and noble families. In the 15th century, Florence was among the largest and wealthiest cities in Europe. This was, when the Medici family entered the political scene. As a dynasty of art loving, power hungry bankers, they made Florence the birthplace of the Renaissance. There are is legend about St. Miniato. He was an Armenian prince, who either came to Florence serving in the Roman Army or had come to Italy on a pilgrimage and lived as a hermit here... Anyway Emperor Decius, persecuting Christians, sentenced him to death. Wondrously he survived furnace and lapidation and even a lion in the amphitheater refused to devour him. Finally he was beheaded near the Arno river. But, being a kephalophor (like Saint Denis, Saint Sever, Saint Gohard, Saint Élophe..) Miniato picked up his head and carried it away. He crossed the Arno and walked uphill to die finally in his hermitage. A small convent developed on the spot later. In 783 Charlemagne endowed property to the convent. Emperor Otto II confirmed "privileges" in 971, but times got tough. Already in 1013 Bishop Alibrando (aka "Hildebrand") replaced the "ruined church", endowed by the Emperor Henry II (aka "Saint Henry") and his wife Cunigunde (aka "Saint Cunigunde"). 5 years later Alibrando consecrated the "Basilica di San Miniato al Monte". Most of today´s church got remodeled and altered in the 11th and 12th century. The façade was probably begun about 1090, the upper parts date from the 12th century. The mosaic (Christ flanked by the Virgin and St. Miniato) was completed within the 13th century.

Florentina was established in Roman times as a settlement for veteran soldiers. The name had changed already, when young Charlemagne conquered the town in 774. It became part of the Duchy of Tuscany, with Lucca as capital. Around 1000 Margrave Hugo chose Florence as residency instead of Lucca. After the death of Matilda of Tuscany (1115), the Florentines formed a republic was ruled by a council. The town prospered, despite a constant fight between the different factions and noble families. In the 15th century, Florence was among the largest and wealthiest cities in Europe. This was, when the Medici family entered the political scene. As a dynasty of art loving, power hungry bankers, they made Florence the birthplace of the Renaissance. There are is legend about St. Miniato. He was an Armenian prince, who either came to Florence serving in the Roman Army or had come to Italy on a pilgrimage and lived as a hermit here... Anyway Emperor Decius, persecuting Christians, sentenced him to death. Wondrously he survived furnace and lapidation and even a lion in the amphitheater refused to devour him. Finally he was beheaded near the Arno river. But, being a kephalophor (like Saint Denis, Saint Sever, Saint Gohard, Saint Élophe..) Miniato picked up his head and carried it away. He crossed the Arno and walked uphill to die finally in his hermitage. A small convent developed on the spot later. In 783 Charlemagne endowed property to the convent, when his wife Hildegard got buried here. Emperor Otto II confirmed "privileges" in 971, but times got tough. In 1013 Bishop Alibrando (aka "Hildebrand") replaced the "ruined church", endowed by the Emperor Henry II (aka "Saint Henry") and his wife Cunigunde (aka "Saint Cunigunde"). Only 5 years, after the construction had started, Bishop Alibrando consecrated the "Basilica di San Miniato al Monte" - seen here. www.sanminiatoalmonte.it

The first (carolingian) church here is named "Haito Muenster", as Bishop Haito ( as well abbot of the important Reichenau Abbey) had comissioned it. It was completed around 825. The foundations of these structure were reused, when the so called "Heinrich Muenster" was built just after 1000, sponsored and named after Emperor Heinrich II (Henry II) of the Ottonian dynasty. Already in 1019 this church got consecrated. The Muenster seen today is the third large church, erected 1180 - 1220/30. The late romanesque church had five towers, that all got destroyed (with most vaultings) in 1356 during the worst earthquake ever recorded in Central Europe. Modern seismologists estimate a magnitude of 7.1. The rebuilding of the Muenster was led by Johannes Parler, who at the same time was employed for building the Freiburg Muenster. So there are a lot of parallels between these two Muensters, only 70 kms apart. About 1500 the Muenster was finally completed in a combination of late romanesque and gothic style. The restauration process started about 400 years later. Pollution caused a lot of damage and meanwhile many of the carvings outside the church have been replaced by copies. So many of the details seen on the shots may be - copies. Looking east to the choir. Some art historians have compared the structure of the side walls with the CLUNY III. The interior differs surprisingly from the Freiburg Muenster. The Protestant Reformation in Switzerland differed from that one in Germany, as the Swiss Reformators (Huldrych Zwingli, John Calvin, Johannes Oekolampad..) had a way more radical approach, than their Lutherian collegues. During the 9th of February 1529 a group of about 200 people forced their way into this (at that time still catholic) church and in a kind of frenzy destroyed all reachable crucifixes, statues and altars, just everything what was connected to "idolatry" in their thinking. The same afternoon the iconoclasm extended to many other churches in Basel as well. I wonder, why the the fast and furious iconoclasts did not destroy the many works, done by the stone carvers in and outside the church. Obviously only "holy" objects had to burn. Here is one of the many capitals around the choir. The head of a melancholic human - and conjoined twins. I have often seen a pair of lions sharing one head, this is the first pair of monkeys.

The first (carolingian) church here is named "Haito Muenster", as Bishop Haito ( as well abbot of the important Reichenau Abbey) had comissioned it. It was completed around 825. The foundations of these structure were reused, when the so called "Heinrich Muenster" was built just after 1000, sponsored and named after Emperor Heinrich II (Henry II) of the Ottonian dynasty. Already in 1019 this church got consecrated. The Muenster seen today is the third large church, erected 1180 - 1220/30. The late romanesque church had five towers, that all got destroyed (with most vaultings) in 1356 during the worst earthquake ever recorded in Central Europe. Modern seismologists estimate a magnitude of 7.1. The rebuilding of the Muenster was led by Johannes Parler, who at the same time was employed for building the Freiburg Muenster. So there are a lot of parallels between these two Muensters, only 70 kms apart. About 1500 the Muenster was finally completed in a combination of late romanesque and gothic style. The restauration process started about 400 years later. Pollution caused a lot of damage and meanwhile many of the carvings outside the church have been replaced by copies. So many of the details seen on the shots may be - copies. Just below the windows runs a long frieze all around the choir. Everybody loves grapes obviously. The rooster to the left, the gnome with a cap to the right and even the monkey in the center.

The first (carolingian) church here is named "Haito Muenster", as Bishop Haito ( as well abbot of the important Reichenau Abbey) had comissioned it. It was completed around 825. The foundations of these structure were reused, when the so called "Heinrich Muenster" was built just after 1000, sponsored and named after Emperor Heinrich II (Henry II) of the Ottonian dynasty. Already in 1019 this church got consecrated. The Muenster seen today is the third large church, erected 1180 - 1220/30. The late romanesque church had five towers, that all got destroyed (with most vaultings) in 1356 during the worst earthquake ever recorded in Central Europe. Modern seismologists estimate a magnitude of 7.1. The rebuilding of the Muenster was led by Johannes Parler, who at the same time was employed for building the Freiburg Muenster. So there are a lot of parallels between these two Muensters, only 70 kms apart. About 1500 the Muenster was finally completed in a combination of late romanesque and gothic style. The restauration process started about 400 years later. Pollution caused a lot of damage and meanwhile many of the carvings outside the church have been replaced by copies. So many of the details seen on the shots may be - copies. The (dressed!) monkey twins pose for the photographer - and they do smile! CHEEEESE!!

The first (carolingian) church here is named "Haito Muenster", as Bishop Haito ( as well abbot of the important Reichenau Abbey) had comissioned it. It was completed around 825. The foundations of these structure were reused, when the so called "Heinrich Muenster" was built just after 1000, sponsored and named after Emperor Heinrich II (Henry II) of the Ottonian dynasty. Already in 1019 this church got consecrated. The Muenster seen today is the third large church, erected 1180 - 1220/30. The late romanesque church had five towers, that all got destroyed (with most vaultings) in 1356 during the worst earthquake ever recorded in Central Europe. Modern seismologists estimate a magnitude of 7.1. The rebuilding of the Muenster was led by Johannes Parler, who at the same time was employed for building the Freiburg Muenster. So there are a lot of parallels between these two Muensters, only 70 kms apart. About 1500 the Muenster was finally completed in a combination of late romanesque and gothic style. The restauration process started about 400 years later. Pollution caused a lot of damage and meanwhile many of the carvings outside the church have been replaced by copies. So many of the details seen on the shots may be - copies. A more detailed shot of the left elephant. This one does have (small) tusks - and so may be male. The trunk is pretty precise and now in a different position, proving the flexibility.

The first (carolingian) church here is named "Haito Muenster", as Bishop Haito ( as well abbot of the important Reichenau Abbey) had comissioned it. It was completed around 825. The foundations of these structure were reused, when the so called "Heinrich Muenster" was built just after 1000, sponsored and named after Emperor Heinrich II (Henry II) of the Ottonian dynasty. Already in 1019 this church got consecrated. The Muenster seen today is the third large church, erected 1180 - 1220/30. The late romanesque church had five towers, that all got destroyed (with most vaultings) in 1356 during the worst earthquake ever recorded in Central Europe. Modern seismologists estimate a magnitude of 7.1. The rebuilding of the Muenster was led by Johannes Parler, who at the same time was employed for building the Freiburg Muenster. So there are a lot of parallels between these two Muensters, only 70 kms apart. About 1500 the Muenster was finally completed in a combination of late romanesque and gothic style. The restauration process started about 400 years later. Pollution caused a lot of damage and meanwhile many of the carvings outside the church have been replaced by copies. So many of the details seen on the shots may be - copies. A more detailed shot of the right elephant. This one has no tusks - and so may be female. The trunk is pretty precise.

The first (carolingian) church here is named "Haito Muenster", as Bishop Haito ( as well abbot of the important Reichenau Abbey) had comissioned it. It was completed around 825. The foundations of these structure were reused, when the so called "Heinrich Muenster" was built just after 1000, sponsored and named after Emperor Heinrich II (Henry II) of the Ottonian dynasty. Already in 1019 this church got consecrated. The Muenster seen today is the third large church, erected 1180 - 1220/30. The late romanesque church had five towers, that all got destroyed (with most vaultings) in 1356 during the worst earthquake ever recorded in Central Europe. Modern seismologists estimate a magnitude of 7.1. The rebuilding of the Muenster was led by Johannes Parler, who at the same time was employed for building the Freiburg Muenster. So there are a lot of parallels between these two Muensters, only 70 kms apart. About 1500 the Muenster was finally completed in a combination of late romanesque and gothic style. The restauration process started about 400 years later. Pollution caused a lot of damage and meanwhile many of the carvings outside the church have been replaced by copies. So many of the details seen on the shots may be - copies. A pair of elephants hold the pillars, that flank the romanesque window. Like most medieval elephants these two seem the result of an artistic imagination, based on a faint rumour. Large ears, a trunk, strong legs to support the heavy weight. The left one even has tusks. Note the frieze, I´ll upload shots of that later..

The first (carolingian) church here is named "Haito Muenster", as Bishop Haito ( as well abbot of the important Reichenau Abbey) had comissioned it. It was completed around 825. The foundations of these structure were reused, when the so called "Heinrich Muenster" was built just after 1000, sponsored and named after Emperor Heinrich II (Henry II) of the Ottonian dynasty. Already in 1019 this church got consecrated. The Muenster seen today is the third large church, erected 1180 - 1220/30. The late romanesque church had five towers, that all got destroyed (with most vaultings) in 1356 during the worst earthquake ever recorded in Central Europe. Modern seismologists estimate a magnitude of 7.1. The rebuilding of the Muenster was led by Johannes Parler, who at the same time was employed for building the Freiburg Muenster. So there are a lot of parallels between these two Muensters, only 70 kms apart. About 1500 the Muenster was finally completed in a combination of late romanesque and gothic style. The restauration process started about 400 years later. Pollution caused a lot of damage and meanwhile many of the carvings outside the church have been replaced by copies. So many of the details seen on the shots may be - copies. Looking east to the choir. Some art historians have compared the structure of the side walls with the CLUNY III. The interior differs surprisingly from the Freiburg Muenster. The Protestant Reformation in Switzerland differed from that one in Germany, as the Swiss Reformators (Huldrych Zwingli, John Calvin, Johannes Oekolampad..) had a way more radical approach, than their Lutherian collegues. During the 9th of February 1529 a group of about 200 people forced their way into this (at that time still catholic) church and in a kind of frenzy destroyed all reachable crucifixes, statues and altars, just everything what was connected to "idolatry" in their thinking. The same afternoon the iconoclasm extended to many other churches in Basel as well. I wonder, why the the fast and furious iconoclasts did not destroy the many works, done by the stone carvers in and outside the church. Obviously only "holy" objects had to burn. This mermaid is another parallel to the Freiburg Muenster, as there as well is a breastfeeding mermaid. The baby holds a fish. The mermaid has legs, at least one (on the left) is visible. The artistic composition differs fairly from her Freiburg-sister, but like there the place of the carving is dim - and so the photo is blurry.

The first (carolingian) church here is named "Haito Muenster", as Bishop Haito ( as well abbot of the important Reichenau Abbey) had comissioned it. It was completed around 825. The foundations of these structure were reused, when the so called "Heinrich Muenster" was built just after 1000, sponsored and named after Emperor Heinrich II (Henry II) of the Ottonian dynasty. Already in 1019 this church got consecrated. The Muenster seen today is the third large church, erected 1180 - 1220/30. The late romanesque church had five towers, that all got destroyed (with most vaultings) in 1356 during the worst earthquake ever recorded in Central Europe. Modern seismologists estimate a magnitude of 7.1. The rebuilding of the Muenster was led by Johannes Parler, who at the same time was employed for building the Freiburg Muenster. So there are a lot of parallels between these two Muensters, only 70 kms apart. About 1500 the Muenster was finally completed in a combination of late romanesque and gothic style. The restauration process started about 400 years later. Pollution caused a lot of damage and meanwhile many of the carvings outside the church have been replaced by copies. So many of the details seen on the shots may be - copies. An athletically trained merman with bulgy eyes and a bleak smile.

The first (carolingian) church here is named "Haito Muenster", as Bishop Haito ( as well abbot of the important Reichenau Abbey) had comissioned it. It was completed around 825. The foundations of these structure were reused, when the so called "Heinrich Muenster" was built just after 1000, sponsored and named after Emperor Heinrich II (Henry II) of the Ottonian dynasty. Already in 1019 this church got consecrated. The Muenster seen today is the third large church, erected 1180 - 1220/30. The late romanesque church had five towers, that all got destroyed (with most vaultings) in 1356 during the worst earthquake ever recorded in Central Europe. Modern seismologists estimate a magnitude of 7.1. The rebuilding of the Muenster was led by Johannes Parler, who at the same time was employed for building the Freiburg Muenster. So there are a lot of parallels between these two Muensters, only 70 kms apart. About 1500 the Muenster was finally completed in a combination of late romanesque and gothic style. The restauration process started about 400 years later. Pollution caused a lot of damage and meanwhile many of the carvings outside the church have been replaced by copies. So many of the details seen on the shots may be - copies. The beefy merman, just seen on the previous shoot, is accompanied by this very strange mergoat.