West façade of the cathedral, viewed from Rue Mercière

A close-up of the west façade's central portal in the above picture

The Cathedral of our Lady of Strasbourg (French: Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-Strasbourg, German: Liebfrauenmünster zu Straßburg) is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Strasbourg, France. Although considerable parts of it are still in Romanesque architecture, it is widely considered to be among the finest examples of high, or late, Gothic architecture. Erwin von Steinbach is credited for major contributions from 1277 to his death in 1318. St. ... The former main church pc. ... City flag City coat of arms Location Coordinates Time Zone CET (GMT +1) Administration Country France Region Alsace Department Bas-Rhin (67) Intercommunality Urban Community of Strasbourg Mayor Fabienne Keller  (UMP) City Statistics Land area¹ 78. ... Events August: Canute the Great invades England. ... Events Battle of Grotnik, which ended the hussite movement in Poland Eric of Pomerania, King of Sweden, Denmark and Norway is declared deposed in Sweden. ... While determining the worlds tallest structure has generally been straightforward, the definition of the worlds tallest building or the worlds tallest tower is less clear. ... Download high resolution version (1129x3043, 1169 KB)This is a file from the Wikimedia Commons, a repository of free content hosted by the Wikimedia Foundation. ... Download high resolution version (1129x3043, 1169 KB)This is a file from the Wikimedia Commons, a repository of free content hosted by the Wikimedia Foundation. ... West façade of the Notre-Dame de Strasbourg Cathedral A facade (or façade) is the exterior of a building – especially the front, but also sometimes the sides and rear. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... A cathedral is a religious building for worship, specifically of a denomination with an episcopal hierarchy, such as the Roman Catholic, Anglican and some Lutheran churches, which serves as a bishops seat, and thus as the central church of a diocese. ... City flag City coat of arms Location Coordinates Time Zone CET (GMT +1) Administration Country France Region Alsace Department Bas-Rhin (67) Intercommunality Urban Community of Strasbourg Mayor Fabienne Keller  (UMP) City Statistics Land area¹ 78. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Interior of Cologne Cathedral Gothic architecture is a style of architecture, particularly associated with cathedrals and other churches, which flourished in Europe during the high and late medieval period. ... West façade of the cathedral The Cathédrale Notre-Dame (German: , English Our Ladys Cathedral) is a Roman-Catholic cathedral in Strasbourg, France. ...

At 142 metres, it was the world's tallest building from 1625 to 1847. It remained the tallest church in the world until 1880, when it was surpassed firstly by Cologne Cathedral and then the 161 metre Ulm Münster. Today it is the fourth-tallest church in the world. For many millennia the record holder for worlds tallest structure was clearly defined (see table below. ... The Cologne Cathedral (German: Kölner Dom, official name: ) is one of the best-known architectural monuments in Germany and has been Colognes most famous landmark since its completion in the late 19th century. ... Ulm Münster is a Lutheran cathedral and the tallest church in the world, its steeple measuring 161. ... From the year 1311 until the advent of the skyscraper, Christian churches were among the tallest buildings in the world. ...

Described by Victor Hugo as a "gigantic and delicate marvel",^[1] the cathedral's splendour is visible far across the plains of Alsace and can be seen from as far off as the Vosges mountains or the Black Forest on the other side of the Rhine. Victor-Marie Hugo (pronounced in French) (26 February 1802 — 22 May 1885) was a French poet, novelist, playwright, essayist, visual artist, statesman, human rights campaigner, and perhaps the most influential exponent of the Romantic movement in France. ... (New région flag) (Region logo) Location Administration Capital Strasbourg Regional President Adrien Zeller (UMP) (since 1996) Departments Bas-Rhin Haut-Rhin Arrondissements 13 Cantons 75 Communes 903 Statistics Land area1 8,280 km² Population (Ranked 14th)  - January 1, 2006 est. ... The Vosges mountains are range of mountains in central-western Europe, stretching along the west side of the Rhine valley in a NNE direction, from Basel to Mainz, for a distance of 250 km (150 miles). ... A map of Germany, showing the Black Forest in red. ... The Rhine (Dutch: ; French: ; German: ; Italian: ; Romansh: ) is one of the longest and most important rivers in Europe at 1,320 kilometres (820 miles), with an average discharge of more than 2,000 cubic meters per second. ...

An Islamist plot to bomb the building was prevented in 2000 by German police.^[2] The Strasbourg cathedral bombing plot was a plan to blow up a cathedral in Strasbourg, France by members of Al-Qaida. ...

History

Previous buildings on the site

The site of the Strasbourg cathedral was used for several successive religious buildings, starting from the Roman occupation (when a Roman sanctuary occupied the site) up to the building that is there today. Gaul in the Roman Empire Roman Gaul consisted of an area of provincial rule in what would become modern day France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and western Germany. ... Ajax prepares to violate the sanctuary of Athena by abducting Cassandra by force: red-figure vase, c. ...

It is known that a cathedral was erected by the bishop Saint Arbogast of the Strasbourg diocese at the end of the seventh century, on the base of a temple dedicated to the Virgin Mary, but nothing remains of it today. Notre-Dame de Strasbourg, seat of the archbishop of Strasbourg The Archbishopric of Strasbourg (French: ; German: ; Latin: ) is a Roman Catholic diocese at Strasbourg, Alsace, and is as immediate bishopric a direct subject to the Holy See in Rome, not to the Catholic Church in France. ... Our Lady redirects here. ...

In the eighth century, the first cathedral was replaced by a more important building that would be completed under the reign of Charlemagne. Bishop Remigius von Straßburg (also known as Rémi) wished to be buried in the crypt, according to his will dated 778. It was certainly in this building that the Oaths of Strasbourg were pronounced in 842. Excavations carried out recently reveal that this Carolingian cathedral had three naves and three apses. A poem described this cathedral decorated with gold and precious stones by the bishop Ratho (also Ratald or Rathold). The basilica caught fire on multiple occasions, in 873, 1002, and 1007. A portrait of Charlemagne by Albrecht Dürer that was painted several centuries after Charlemagnes death. ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Events Charlemagne fights the Moors in Spain. ... Text of the Oaths The Oaths of Strasbourg (Modern French: les serments de Strasbourg, Modern German: die Straßburger Eide) is the name by which we know the pledges of allegiance taken in 842 by Louis the German, son of Louis the Pious, and ruler of the eastern Frankish kingdom... Events Oaths of Strasbourg — alliance of Louis the German and Charles the Bald against emperor Lothar — sworn and recorded in vernacular languages. ... Also see: France in the Middle Ages. ... Links to full descriptions of the elements of a Gothic floorplan are also found at the entry Cathedral diagram. ... This article is about an architectural feature; for the astronomical term see apsis. ...

In 1015, bishop Werner von Habsburg laid the first stone of a new cathedral on the ruins of the Carolingian basilica. He then constructed a cathedral in the Romanesque style of architecture. That cathedral burned to the ground in 1176 because at that time the naves were covered with a wooden framework. Events August: Canute the Great invades England. ... Werner I, Bishop of Strasbourg (Born between 978 and 980, died 1028-10-28). ... Also see: France in the Middle Ages. ... St. ... Romanesque St. ... Events May 22 - Murder attempt by the Hashshashin on Saladin near Aleppo Raynald of Chatillon released from prison in Aleppo May 29 - Frederick Barbarossa is defeated in the Battle of Legnano by the Lombard League leading to the pactum Anagninum (the Agreement of Anagni) September 17 - Seljuk Turks defeat Manuel...

After that disaster, bishop Heinrich von Hasenburg decided to construct a new cathedral, to be more beautiful than that of Basel, which was just being finished. Construction of the new cathedral began on the foundations of the preceding structure, and did not end until centuries later. Basel (British English traditionally: Basle and more recently Basel , German: , French: , Italian: ) is Switzerlands third most populous city (166,563 inhabitants (2004); 690,000 inhabitants in the metropolitan area stretching across the immediate cantonal and national boundaries made Basel Switzerlands second-largest urban area as of 2003). ...

Construction of the cathedral (1176–1439)

The construction began with the quire and the north transept in a Romanesque style. But in 1225, a team coming from Chartres revolutionized the construction by contributing a gothic architecture style. In order to find money to finish the nave, the Church resorted to Indulgences in 1253.The money was kept by the Oeuvre Notre-Dame, which also hired architects and stone workers. The choir stalls in the quire of Bristol Cathedral, Bristol, England The choir stalls at Buxheim Priory, by Ignaz Waibl See also: Choir (disambiguation) A quire (sometimes referred to as a choir) is an area of a church or cathedral, usually in the western part of the chancel between the... Cathedral ground plan. ... // The Teutonic Order is expelled from Transylvania. ... Chartres is a town and commune of France, préfecture (capital) of the Eure-et-Loir département. ... Interior of Cologne Cathedral Gothic architecture is a style of architecture, particularly associated with cathedrals and other churches, which flourished in Europe during the high and late medieval period. ... In Latin Catholic theology, an indulgence is the remission granted by the Church of the temporal punishment due to sins already forgiven by God. ... For broader historical context, see 1250s and 13th century. ...

Sandstone from the Vosges used in construction gives the cathedral its characteristic pink hue. Red sandstone interior of Lower Antelope Canyon, Arizona, worn smooth due to erosion by flash flooding over millions of years Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-size mineral or rock grains. ... Vosges is a French department, named after the Vosges mountain range. ...

Like the city of Strasbourg, the cathedral connects Münster-German and French cultural influences, while the eastern structures, e.g. the choir and south portal, still have very Romanesque features. For other places with the same or similar names, and other uses of the word, see Munster (disambiguation) Münster is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Above all, the famous west front, decorated with thousands of figures, is a masterpiece of the Gothic era. The tower is one of the first to rely substantially on craftsmanship, with the final appearance being one with a high degree of linearity captured in stone. While previous façades were certainly drawn prior to construction, Strasbourg has one of the earliest façades whose construction is inconceivable without prior drawing. Strasbourg and Cologne Cathedral together represent some of the earliest uses of architectural drawing. The work of Professor Robert O. Bork of the University of Iowa suggests that the design of the Strasbourg facade, while seeming almost random in its complexity, can be constructed using a series of rotated octagons. Interior of Cologne Cathedral Gothic architecture is a style of architecture, particularly associated with cathedrals and other churches, which flourished in Europe during the high and late medieval period. ... The Cologne Cathedral (German: Kölner Dom, official name: ) is one of the best-known architectural monuments in Germany and has been Colognes most famous landmark since its completion in the late 19th century. ... The University of Iowa -- or Iowa for short -- is a major national research university located on a 1,900-acre campus in Iowa City, Iowa, USA, on the banks of the Iowa River in East Central Iowa. ...

The north tower, completed in 1439, was the World's tallest building from 1625 (when the spire of St Olav Tallinn burnt down) until 1874 (when the tower of St. Nikolai's Church in Hamburg was completed). The planned south tower was never built and as a result, with its characteristic asymmetrical form, the Strasbourg cathedral is now the premier landmark of Alsace. One can see 30 kilometers from the observation level, which provides a view of the Rhine banks from the Vosges all the way to the Black Forest. Events Battle of Grotnik, which ended the hussite movement in Poland Eric of Pomerania, King of Sweden, Denmark and Norway is declared deposed in Sweden. ... St. ... Year 1874 (MDCCCLXXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link with display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... St. ... (New région flag) (Region logo) Location Administration Capital Strasbourg Regional President Adrien Zeller (UMP) (since 1996) Departments Bas-Rhin Haut-Rhin Arrondissements 13 Cantons 75 Communes 903 Statistics Land area1 8,280 km² Population (Ranked 14th)  - January 1, 2006 est. ... The Rhine (Dutch: ; French: ; German: ; Italian: ; Romansh: ) is one of the longest and most important rivers in Europe at 1,320 kilometres (820 miles), with an average discharge of more than 2,000 cubic meters per second. ... The Vosges mountains are range of mountains in central-western Europe, stretching along the west side of the Rhine valley in a NNE direction, from Basel to Mainz, for a distance of 250 km (150 miles). ... A map of Germany, showing the Black Forest in red. ...

During World War II, the stained glass was removed from the Strasbourg Cathedral and stored it in a salt mine near Heilbronn, Germany. After the war, it was returned to the cathedral by the Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives section of the United States military. View of the Heilbronn centre of town toward the Wartberg. ...

Astronomical clock

Main article: Strasbourg astronomical clock

The cathedral's south transept houses an 18-metre astronomical clock, one of the largest in the world. Its first forerunner was the so-called Dreikönigsuhr ("three-king clock") of 1352-1354, located at the opposite wall from where today's clock is. Then starting in 1547 a new clock was built by Christian Herlin, and others, but the construction was interrupted when the Cathedral was handled over to the Roman Catholic Church. Construction was resumed in 1571 by Conrad Dasypodius and the Habrecht brothers, and this clock was astronomically much more involved. It also had paintings by the Swiss painter Tobias Stimmer. That clock functioned into the late 18th Century and can be seen today in the Strasbourg Museum of Decorative Art. The Strasbourg astronomical clock is located in the cathedral of the French city of Strasbourg. ... Cathedral ground plan. ... Prague astronomical clock Astronomical clock in Lund Cathedral An astronomical clock is a clock with special mechanisms and dials to display the relative positions of the sun, moon, zodiacal constellations, and sometimes major planets. ... House zum Ritter Portrait of Jacob Schwytzer and his wife Elsbeth Lochmann Tobias Stimmer (* 7 April[1] 1539 in Schaffhausen; † 4 January[2] 1584 in Strasbourg) was a Swiss painter and drawer. ...

The clock existing today originated in 1838-1843 (the clock has 1838-1842, but the celestial globe was only finished on June 24, 1843) and was built by Jean Baptiste Schwilgué in Dasypodius' clock case, and with roughly the same functions, but equipped with completely new mechanics. Schwilgué made a number of preliminary studies years before, such as a design of the computus mechanism (Easter computation) in 1816, and built a prototype in 1821. This mechanism, whose whereabouts are now unknown, could compute Easter following the complex Gregorian rule.

The astronomical part is unusually accurate; it indicates leap years, equinoxes, and much more astronomical data. Thus it was already much more a complex calculating machine than a bare clock. Often the complicated functioning of the Strasbourg Clock made specialized mathematical knowledge necessary (not just technical knowledge). A leap year (or intercalary year) is a year containing an extra day (or, in case of lunisolar calendars, an extra month) in order to keep the calendar year synchronised with the astronomical or seasonal year. ... Illumination of the Earth by the Sun on the day of equinox, (ignoring twilight). ... A calculating machine is a machine designed to come up with calculations (i. ...

A mathematical marvel, the clock was able to determine the computus (date of Easter in the Christian calendar) at a time when computers did not yet exist. Computus (Latin for computation) is the calculation of the date of Easter in the Christian calendar. ...

Easter had been defined at the First Council of Nicaea in A.D. 325 as "the Sunday that follows the fourteenth day of the moon that falls on March 21 or immediately after". (See also Easter controversy, Ecclesiastical new moon, and Paschal Full Moon.) Easter, the Sunday of the Resurrection, Pascha, or Resurrection Day, is the most important religious feast of the Christian liturgical year, observed at some point between late March and late April each year (early April to early May in Eastern Christianity), following the cycle of the moon. ... The First Council of Nicaea, held in Nicea in Bithynia (in present-day Turkey), convoked by the Roman Emperor Constantine I in 325, was the first ecumenical[1] conference of bishops of the Catholic Church, and most significantly resulted in the first uniform Christian doctrine, called the Nicene Creed. ... Events May 20 - First Council of Nicaea - first Ecumenical Council of the Christian Church: The Nicene Creed is formulated, the date of Easter is discussed. ... The Easter controversy was a series of controversies about the proper date to celebrate Easter. ... An ecclesiastical new moon is the first day of a schematic lunar month in a computus. ... The Paschal Full Moon roughly corresponds to the first full moon of Spring. ...

Today tourists see only the remarkably sculpted figurines of this clock, but behind this ensemble there is an exceptional mechanism that engages and that represents one of the most beautiful curiosities of the Cathedral.

The animated characters launch into movement at different hours of the day. One angel sounds the bell while a second turns over a sandglass. Different characters, representing the ages of life (from a child to an old man) parade in front of Death. Death, as a skeleton carrying a scythe, visiting Mort. ...

On the last level are the Apostles, passing in front of Christ. The clock shows much more than the official time; it also indicates solar time, the day of the week (each represented by a god of mythology), the month, the year, the sign of the zodiac, the phase of the moon and the position of several planets. All these automatons are put into operation at 12:30 PM. It has been suggested that this article be split into multiple articles. ...

According to legend, the creator of this clock had his eyes gouged out afterward, to prevent him from reproducing it. Similar legends are told for other clocks, such as the astronomical clock in Prague.

In the same room, there is a statue of a man resting his elbows on a balustrade (railing). According to legend this was a rival architect to the one who had built the pillar of angels, the architectural feat of the era, who contended that one single pillar could never support such a large vault, and he would wait to see the whole thing come crashing down.^[3] Stairs, staircase, stairway, flight of stairs are all names for a construction designed to bridge a large vertical distance by dividing it into smaller vertical distances, called steps. ... The Lierne vault of the Liebfrauenkirche, Mühlacker 1482. ...

There are several models of the Strasbourg clock, usually with simplified functions. One is in the Sydney Powerhouse Museum. See en:Powerhouse Museum and [3]. Powerhouse entry The Powerhouse Museum is Sydneys museum of science and technology. ...

From 1858 until 1989, the clock was taken care of by the Ungerer company. This company was founded in 1858 by two brothers who were Schwilgué's assistants. Since 1989, the clock is taken care of by Alfred Faullimmel and his son Ludovic, for the Strasbourg cathedral. Mr. Faullimmel had been employed by Ungerer between 1955 and 1989. Tomi Ungerer Werner Ungerer See also Unger Ungar This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...

In popular culture

The 1976 film Monsieur Klein, set in France in 1942, takes place largely in Paris but in one sequence, in the middle of the film, the protagonist visits his father in Strasbourg. The Cathedral can be seen out a window, and there is a brief shot inside the Cathedral of the astronomical clock's figurines moving about and striking the hour.^[4] Monsieur Klein () is a French 1976 film directed by Joseph Losey, with Alain Delon starring in the title role. ... 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1942 calendar). ...

The Dutch progressive rock band Focus dedicated a theme to the cathedral in their 1974 album Hamburger Concerto For the Swedish political music movement, see progg. ... Focus is a Dutch progressive rock band. ... 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ...

Gallery

Rose window from Strasbourg Cathedral Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (751x680, 234 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Stained glass Rose window Strasbourg Cathedral ...	Depiction of the adoration of the Magi on the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Strasbourg Image File history File links France_Strasbourg_Magi. ...	The main organ	Sculptures on the right portal of the facade
The romanesque choir	The astronomical clock, next to the "Pillar of the Angels" (on the left)	Depiction of the Coronation of the Virgin	The rear of the Cathedral seen from the platform underneath the tower
The Cathedral towering over the Kammerzell House (second from left) Maison Kammerzell seen by clear, neutral daylight The Maison Kammerzell (German: Haus Kammerzell, Alsatian: Kammerzellhüs) is one of the most famous buildings of Strasbourg and one of the most ornate and well preserved medieval civil housing buildings in late Gothic architecture in the areas formerly belonging to the Holy...	The Calvary Golgotha redirects here. ...	"Bespectacled emperor", 13th-century stained-glass window now in the Musée de l'Oeuvre Notre-Dame	A gargoyle A gargoyle adorning the Dornoch Cathedral in Dornoch, Scotland. ...
Memorial to fallen Americans

Legends

The Tempter

One legend says that the building rests on immense piles of oak sinking into the waters of an underground lake. A boat would roam around the lake, without anyone inside, though the noise of the oars could be heard nevertheless. According to the legend, the entry to the underground lake could be found in the cellar of a house just opposite the cathedral. It would have been walled up a few centuries ago. Look up Legend in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

The legend of the wind blowing around the cathedral is as follows: In olden days, the Devil flew over the ground, riding the wind. Thus he caught a glimpse of his portrait carved onto the cathedral: the Tempter, courting the foolish virgins (Matthew 25:1-13), in the guise of a seductive young man. It is true that his back opens up and toads and snakes come out of it, but none of the naïve girls notices that — nor do many tourists for that matter. Very flattered and curious, the Devil had the idea to enter to see whether there were other sculptures representing him on the inside of the cathedral. Taken captive inside the holy place, he could not come back out. The wind always waits in the square and still howls today from impatience on the places outside the cathedral. The Devil, furious, makes air currents from the bottom of the church to the height of the pillar of angels.

References

1. ^ "Prodige du gigantesque et du délicat". Translation from a note at TrekEarth.com.
2. ^ France Convicts Islamic Militants - CBS.com
3. ^ This section largely translated from fr:Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Strasbourg#L’horloge astronomique [1] and de:Astronomische Uhr#Straßburg [2].
4. ^ Losey, Joseph (director). (1976) Monsieur Klein. DVD released 2004, Home Vision Entertainment. Title 4, Chapter 12.

See also

View of Straßburg in 1493 showing the Münster

• The Ten Virgins
• Maison Kammerzell
• List of tallest churches
• Sabina von Steinbach

Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2510x1571, 291 KB) Summary View of Strasbourg (= Straßburg in France), woodcut from Hartmann Schedel’s Weltchronik (Nürnberg 1493), fol. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2510x1571, 291 KB) Summary View of Strasbourg (= Straßburg in France), woodcut from Hartmann Schedel’s Weltchronik (Nürnberg 1493), fol. ... 1493 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Three foolish virgins showing their sorrow at Magdeburg cathedral Three wise virgins showing their joy at Magdeburg cathedral Virgins at Notre Dame de Strasbourg The Ten Virgins is a Parable told by Jesus in the New Testament (Matthew 25:1-13). ... Maison Kammerzell seen by clear, neutral daylight The Maison Kammerzell (German: Haus Kammerzell, Alsatian: Kammerzellhüs) is one of the most famous buildings of Strasbourg and one of the most ornate and well preserved medieval civil housing buildings in late Gothic architecture in the areas formerly belonging to the Holy... From the year 1311 until the advent of the skyscraper, Christian churches were among the tallest buildings in the world. ... Sabina von Steinbach, legendary sculptor in the 13th century, who was responsible for the South Portal group of statuary in the Notre-Dame de Strasbourg, the Cathédrale Notre-Dame, (English Our Ladys Cathedral or Cathedral of Strasbourg), in Strasbourg, France. ...

External links

• Cathédrale de Strasbourg
• Oeuvre Notre-Dame
• Strasbourg cathedral
• The main organ, built in 1385, history and pictures
• Notre Dame Cathedral (original plans and contemporary photographs)

Coordinates: 48°34′54″N, 7°45′03″E Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... The Wikimedia Commons (also called Wikicommons) is a repository of free content images, sound and other multimedia files. ... Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...