Page 340 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Germany

338  WESTERN GERM AN Y INTRODUCING WESTERN GERM AN Y  339

Romanesque Architecture Tower at the
intersection of the
Western Germany boasts some of the most interesting nave and transept
examples of Romanesque architecture in the whole Cross-vaulting
of Europe. Charlemagne’s famous chapel in Aachen (or cross-
ribbed vaulting)
was erected as early as the Carolingian period. The
cathedral in Trier and the church of St Maria im Kapitol
in Cologne are among the most outstanding creations
of early-Romanesque architecture of the Frankish
dynasty. In the 12th century, the most important
German centres of art were Cologne and the towns The portal of the Dom in Trier has a
of the central Rhineland, with three magnificent magnificent tympanum, depicting Christ
with the Virgin Mary and St Peter.
cathedrals in Speyer, Mainz and Worms, and the
monastery in Maria Laach, preserved to this day. Romanesque
Cathedrals
Cathedrals of the type
Aachen Cathedral is one of a complex
of buildings built under the rule of shown here were built with
Charlemagne in about 800 AD, It inspired a basilica-type internal
Romanesque architecture across Europe. arrangement, including
a transept and presbytery,
and a double choir usually
Twin western towers ending in a semicircular
apse. The Dom in Speyer has
a massive twin-towered west
front, as shown here. The
Gallery other pair of towers rises
above the above the presbytery, and
vestibule the intersection of the nave
The front elevation of the and transept has a lower,
St Gotthard-Kapelle in Mainz has broad fifth tower.
upper galleries with arcades decorated
with friezes. This is a common feature
of Romanesque architecture.
Romanesque Capitals
Romanesque churches in the Rhine Valley
feature exquisite stone sculptures. The
capitals, with their extraordinary variety of
form, ranging from simple blocks to fine
Twin eastern figurative or animal-decorated compositions,
The system of vaults towers
also acts as support. are of particular interest.

Water-leaf capital of a Simplified
bonded column Corinthian capital

The northern portal Lavishly decorated
of the Dom in Worms main portal
is framed by an offset
architrave and flanked by The St Gotthard-Kapelle in Mainz, next to the
pairs of columns, as are the The monastery in Maria Laach has Dom, was the archbishop’s personal chapel for private Cushion (or block or Zoömorphic
portals of many other many capitals with intricate decorations, prayer. It is comparable to similar private buildings in cube) capital (animal-decorated) capital
Romanesque cathedrals. such as these carvings with human faces. secular palaces.

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Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Feature template “UK” LAYER
(SourceReport v1.3)
Date 18th October 2012
Size 125mm x 217mm