UTRECHT
and Its
CATHEDRAL
A notable tomb in black and white marble is that of Admiral van Gent (1676), and another is that of Bishop Georges d'Egmont (1549). In the vault beneath the edifice were buried the viscera of Conrad II. and Henry V., who died at Utrecht, and whose remains, with this exception, were transported to Speyer.
A fine Gothic cloister connects the cathedral with the university. This has, in recent years, undergone restoration of a most practical and devoted kind. It is a marvel of modern architectural work.
St. Peter's is another ancient Roman Catholic church now devoted to Protestant uses.
St. John's also comes under this category. It is a fine example of a small Gothic church of the variety which was best known only in Holland and Belgium; much more severe than the French species, but interesting withal.
Within the walls of this last are two tombs quite worthy of attention and remark. The one against the western wall is that of a cardinal who died in the fifteenth century, and the {342}other is that of Balthazar Frederick of Stoech. The latter, though dating only from the eighteenth century, is charmingly sculptured, and has two superb figures of weeping children done in marble.
The Roman Catholic church of St. Catherine is a Gothic edifice of the third ogival period, and was restored in 1880 at the expense of a devout Catholic of the city, named Van den Brink.
The walls are decorated in a polychromatic scheme, which is not beautiful, though undeniably striking. The jube, by Mengelberg of Utrecht, is distinctly good.
Utrecht possesses in the Aartsbisschoppelyk Museum an establishment unique among the museums of the world. Particularly it shows all branches of religious art, and is of great importance to all who study the art and architecture of the Netherlands.
Of the secular establishments one remarks the university which adjoins the cathedral. It dates from 1636, and has to-day five faculties.
In the palace, constructed for Louis Bonaparte during the Napoleonic overflow, is a magnificent library of 110,000 volumes and 1,500 MSS.{343}
The ancient academy, the arch-episcopal palace, the Palais de Justice, the Stadt Huis, the Paushuizen (Prefecture), the mint, with a rich numismatic collection, and the Association of Arts and Sciences complete the list of the city's notable monuments.
Leyden
With Leyden the Rhine may be said to take its leave of ancient civilization, though it only joins the briny waters of the North Sea at Katwyck, a dozen kilometres distant, after having formed a natural frontier for nearly eleven hundred kilometres, from its Alpine cradle in the canton of Grisons.
Anciently Leyden was the Lugdunum Batavorum of the Romans, and, according to the old-time historians, was the most ancient city of Holland. Later its name became Leithen, from which its present nomenclature is evolved.
Its great importance came with the thirteenth century and endured until the Spanish wars.
The city was besieged by the Spaniards in 1574, and delivered therefrom by the Prince of Orange in the year following.{344}
To-day the plan of Leyden forms a regular pentagon, with long streets and boulevards, all characteristically Dutch, with old-time and modern houses alike built with queer gabled roofs, giving quite a mediæval aspect to an otherwise lively and up-to-date little city.
The city is traversed from east to west by the Oud Rijn, which throws out many arms and branches and gives to the place a most Venetian appearance.
One distinctive feature of the topographical aspect of Leyden, and one which is universal in most of the cities of Holland, are the canals which cross and recross the principal streets. All is plus propres, as the French have it, and the tree-bordered, cobblestoned quays are not the least of the town's attractions for the stranger.
Unquestionably the chief architectural treasure of Leyden is the Stadt Huis. It is of the style which may best be called Dutch, and is a reconstruction of 1597.
In front of the Stadt Huis are a pair of gaudily coloured stone lions, which have looked down for a matter of three hundred years on the Pilgrim Fathers, some of whom had gathered and settled here previous to going{345} to the New World, on Oliver Goldsmith, on Boswell, on Evelyn, and on many other Englishmen who attended the famous university here.
One learns that these lions were once properly coloured beasts,—at least of the conventional tone of stone sculptured animals, and that they were only recently painted a gaudy vermilion, which apparently is not a very durable colour, as in these days they seem to shed and don their coats with surprising frequency.
The chief ecclesiastical monuments of Leyden are the church of St. Peter, of the thirteenth to sixteenth century, a vast Latin cross of not very good Gothic; and St. Pancras, of the thirteenth century, built, curiously enough, on the ground-plan of a St. Andrew's cross.
St. Peter's was built in 1221, but in 1512 its great tower fell and was replaced by the present one, which rises high above the rest of the fabric.
In truth, there is not much of interest to be derived from a contemplation of the church except the memory of the great names of those interred therein, which form a veritable category of those who became famous in matters{346} ecclesiastic, artistic, and scientific, in Holland's roll of fame.
Near St. Peter's is a thirteenth-century edifice now used as a prison. In olden times it served as the residence of the Counts of Holland, the name "Gravenstein" on the ancient structure signifying "the house of the count."
The church of St. Pancras is an ogival edifice built in 1280. It has no remarkably artistic attributes, and its chief interest consists in the fact that it contains the tomb of Van der Werf, the courageous burgomaster, who, in 1574, so heroically defended the city. He was born at Leyden in 1529 and died in 1604.
Leyden may be called the learned city of Holland. In recognition of having withstood a siege by the Spaniards of 131 days, the city was given the choice between exemption from taxation or the foundation of a university, and chose the latter.
The city is the birthplace of many men famous in Dutch art, among them Lucas de Leyde, Rembrandt, Gerard Dow, G. Metsu, J. van Goyen.
Here also was born the celebrated anabaptist known as John of Leyden.
THE END.
Chronological Tables and Diagrams
AIX-LA-CHAPELLE
| Charlemagne died at Aix-la-Chapelle, 814 Charlemagne's original chapel founded, VIIIth century Damaged by fire, 1146, 1234, 1236, 1656 Choir begun, 1353 Choir completed, XIVth century Minorite church, XIVth to XVth century |
ANDERNACH
| Foundation of primitive church, Xth century St. Genevieve, XIIIth century Coloured bas-relief of portal, XVIth century Lahnstein tomb, 1541 |
ARNHEIM
| City gave adherence to "Union of Utrecht," 1579 Taken by the French, 1672 Taken by the Prussians, 1813 Groote Kerk founded, 1452 Main portions of Groote Kerk, XIVth and XVth centuries St. Walburge, XIVth century Monument of Duke of Guelderland, XVIth century Maison du Diable (restored 1830), XVIth century |
BACHARACH AND BINGEN
| Protestant temple, Bacharach, XIIth century Château of Archbishops of Mayence at Asmanhausen, XIIIth century "Mouse Tower," XIIIth century |
BASEL
| Councils of the Church held here, 1061 and 1431 Cathedral founded by Henry II., 1010 Cathedral dedicated, 1019 Bridge crossing the Rhine, 1220 Council-chamber, 1431-44 Baptismal font, 1465 North tower (66 metres), 1500 University founded by bull of Pius II., XVIth century |
BONN
| Primitive church founded by the mother of Constantine, 319 Present cathedral choir and crypt, 1157 Main fabric, XIIth and XIIIth centuries The Electors of Cologne came to reside at Bonn, 1268 |
BOPPART
| Hauptkirche built, 1200 (?) Carmeliterkirche built, XVIth century Boppart made a ville impériale, XIVth century |
CLÈVES
| Sacked by the Normans, IXth century |
COBLENZ
| St. Castor founded by Louis the Pious, 836 Lower ranges of towers, XIth century Reconciliation of Henry IV. with his sons, 1105 St. Bernard preached Crusades here, XIIth century Bridge crossing the Moselle, 1344 |
COLMAR
| St. Martin's foundations, XIIIth century St. Martin's choir, 1315 Virgin of the Roses, XVth century Dominican Convent of Unterlinden, 1232 |
COLOGNE
| Romanesque cathedral destroyed by fire, 1248 Foundation-stone of new cathedral laid, 1248 Charter mentioning St. Trond, 1257 Choir consecrated, 1322 Work stagnated, XVth and XVIth centuries Work again undertaken, XVIIth century Renaissance details added to choir, XVIIIth century |
| Napoleon transferred archbishopric to Aix, XIXth century See reëstablished at Cologne, 1821 Restoration begun and choir reopened, 1842 Reliques of the "Three Kings" first brought from Milan, 1164 Tapestries in choir, XVth century Glass in Chapel of the Three Kings, XVth century Organ-case, 1572 Candelabra of choir, 1770 Nave consecrated, 1848 Wall between nave and choir broken out, 1863 Spires of towers added, 1870 Spires completed, 1880 Petrarch visited Cologne, 1331 Marie de Medici died at Cologne, 1642 |
| St. Maria in Capitolia (diagram)
St. Maria in Capitolia |
St. Cunibert's (diagram)
St. Cunibert's |
| St. Maria in Capitolia (nave), XIth century St. Maria in Capitolia (apses), XIIth century St. Pantaleon, 980 Apostles' Church, XIth century St. Gérêon's (primitive church), Vth century Jews driven from Cologne, 1425 Protestants driven from Cologne, 1618 Abbey of Altenburg (glass), 1270-1300 Abbey of Altenburg (choir), 1255 |
|
St. Martin's (diagram)
St. Martin's |
Church of the Apostles (diagram)
Church of the Apostles |
| St. Gérêon's (diagram)
St. Gérêon's | Crypt, St. Gérêon's (diagram)
Crypt, St. Gérêon's |
CONSTANCE
| City founded by Emperor Constance, 297 Ville impériale, Xth century Peace between Barbarossa and Lombardy, 1183 Cathedral founded, XIth century Bishop Salomon occupied the see, 891-919 St. Stephen's enlarged by Bishop Salomon, 900 Further embellished by Bishop Conrad of Altdorf, 935 Renovated by Bishop Theodoric, 1047-51 Council-chamber built, 1388 Roof of nave and aisles (in wood), 1600 Council concerning the three popes, 1414-18 Council condemning John Huss, 1414 John Huss burned alive, 1415 Reconstructed by Bishop Otto III., 1428 Consecrated to the Lutherites, 1522-48 Organ and case (restored 1819 and 1839), 1583 Catholicism reëstablished at Constance, 1550 |
DORTMUND
| St. Mary's, XIIth century St. Reinhold's nave and transepts, XIIIth century St. Reinhold's choir, XVth century Pfarrkirche, XIVth century |
EMMERICH
St. Martin's Xth century
ESSEN
| Romanesque details of cathedral, 874 Crypt, transept, and choir foundation, XIth century Seven-branched candlestick, 1003 Gothic additions, XIVth century |
FRANKFORT
| First historical mention, 794 Juden Gasse, 1662 Cathedral completed, XIVth century Tomb of Emperor Gunther of Schwarzburg, 1349 Tomb of Knight of Sachsenhausen, 1371 Late Gothic western tower (163 feet), 1415-1509 Tomb of Consul Hirde, 1518 St. Leonard's, XIIIth century St. Catherine's XVIIth century St. Paul's, 1833 |
FREIBURG
| City founded by Berthold III., 1118 Cathedral founded by the same, 1122 Nave and restored choir, XIIIth century Cathedral finally completed, 1513 Benedictine Convent of Taennenbach, XIIth century Cloister of parish church, XIVth century |
GODESBERG
| Given to Archbishop of Cologne, 1210 Chapel of St. Michal, XIIIth century Château of archbishops pillaged, 1593 |
HEIDELBERG
| Conrad of Hohenstaufen, first Count Palatinate, 1148 Heidelberg made capital of the Palatinate, 1228 St. Esprit's, XIVth to XVth century House of the Chevalier zum Ritter, 1492 University of Heidelberg founded, 1386 Luther at the University, 1515 Heidelberg invaded by Tilly, 1622 Library of University given to Pope Leo XIth, 1622 St. Peter's sacked by Mélac, 1693 Library of the Palatine sent from Rome to Paris, 1795 Library returned to Heidelberg, 1815 Castle built by the Elector, Robert I., XIVth century Additions by Otto Henry, 1556-59 Later additions by Frederick IV., XVIth century Castle ravaged by Spaniards, 1622 Again rebuilt and dismembered by lightning, 1764 Great tuns, 1535, 1728, 1751 |
LAACH
| Abbey founded by Henry II., 1093 Pillaged by revolutionists, XVIIIth century |
LEYDEN
| St. Pancras, 1280 St. Peter's, XIIIth to XVIth century St. Peter's tower fell, 1512 Old Palace of Counts of Holland (1280), XIIIth century Tomb of Van der Werf in St. Pancras, XVIth century City besieged by Spaniards, 1574 Stadt Huis, 1597 |
LIÈGE
| St. Jean, Xth century St. Jean, choir added, XIIIth century St. Jean, tower added, XIIIth century St. Jean, cloister, XIVth century St. Martin founded, 962 Bishopric founded by Héraclius, 968 Ste. Croix founded by Bishop Notger, 979 Ste. Croix, choir added, 1175 Ste. Croix, Stations of the Cross, XVth century St. Jacques's founded by Bishop Baudry II., 1014 St. Jacques's Romanesque tower, XIIth century St. Jacques's rebuilt, 1513-38 St. Jacques's organ buffet, 1673 St. Barthélemy's font, 1112 Fête Dieu ordained by Urbain IV., 1246 St. Lambert's destroyed, 1801 |
LIMBURG
| Primitive church, 909 Cathedral of St. George, XIIth century Baptismal fonts, XIIth century Baldaquin of Pyx, XVth century Tomb of Daniel of Mutersbach, 1475 |
MANNHEIM
| City founded, 765 Elector Frederick built his château, XVIIth century City walls built, 1606 |
MAYENCE
| Bishops of the Frankish kingdom convoked by Dagobert, 636 Bishop Sigibert built the city walls, 718 Council met here on order of Charlemagne, 813 Archbishop Willigis built the cathedral and St. Stephen's, 975-1011{358} Cathedral completed under Archbishop Bardon, 1037 Pope Leo IX. held a council here, 1049 Cathedral burned, 1087 Philip of Suabia crowned here, 1198 Transept and western choir rebuilt, XIIth century Chapter-house, XIIth century Cathedral newly consecrated, 1239 Cloisters, XIIIth century Chapels, XIIIth and XIVth centuries Western end of roof took fire, 1793 Napoleon ordered it restored, 1803 Remains of Frastrada (d. 794) removed thither, 1552 Fountain in Speise-Markt, XVIth century |
| Cathedral, Mayence (diagram)
Cathedral, Mayence | Gothard Chapel, Mayence (diagram)
Gothard Chapel, Mayence |
METZ
| City attacked by the Huns, Vth century Original foundation of Église St. Pierre, VIIth century Reconstructed, Xth and XVth centuries St. Stephen's (cathedral), XIIIth century Glass of clerestory of St. Stephen's, XVIth century St. Martin's, XIIIth century St. Vincent's, XIIIth century Montmorenci captured the city, 1552 Abbey of St. Arnulphe destroyed, XVIth century Citadel built, 1556-62 |
MÜNCHEN-GLADBACH
| Abbey church, XIIIth century Stadt Kirche, XIVth century |
NEUSS
| City ravaged by Attila, 451 Chapter of Nobles founded, 825 By the Normans, IXth century Primitive church founded, IXth century Collegiate church destroyed, 1199 Under patronage of Archbishop of Cologne, 1206 St. Quirinus founded, 1209 Choir-stalls, St. Quirinus, XIVth century Cupola frescoes, St. Quirinus, XIXth century |
SCHAFFHAUSEN
| Abbey founded by Count Nellenburg, 1052 Cathedral, XIIth century Convent of St. Hilaire at Sackingen, VIth century |
| Schaffhausen Cathedral (diagram)
Schaffhausen | Speyer Cathedral (diagram
Speyer |
SPEYER
| Foundation of cathedral laid, 1030 Practically completed, 1060 Destroyed by fire, 1159 Rebuilt, 1170 Other fires, 1189-1450 Cloister built, 1437 Burned in the religious wars, XVIth century Restored, XVIIIth century Nave restored by Bishop August, 1772 Later restorations, 1823 |
STOLZENFELS
| Castle founded by Arnold of Trèves, XIIIth century Nearly destroyed by the French, 1688 Given to the Prince Royal of Prussia, 1825 |
STRASBURG
| Primitive church founded by Clovis, 504 Destroyed by fire, 873 Pillaged and fired anew by Duke Hermann, 1002 Present cathedral begun, 1277 Great portal begun by Ervin von Steinbach, 1277 Ervin von Steinbach died, 1318 First Strasburg clock, 1352 Second Strasburg clock, 1571-74 Second Strasburg clock restored, 1669 and 1732 Second Strasburg clock ceased its functions, 1790 Present Strasburg clock inaugurated, 1842 Choir, St. Bartholomew's, 1308-45 "Danse des Morts" (St. Bartholomew's), XVth century Maison de l'Oeuvre Notre Dame, 1581 Episcopal palace built by Cardinal de Rohan, 1741 Height of spire of cathedrals: Strasburg, 440 feet; Cologne, 482 feet; Rouen, 458 feet; Paris, 200 feet |
TRÈVES
| Primitive church founded, 327 See became an archbishopric, XIIth century Archbishops removed to Coblenz, XIVth century Holy robe of Trèves brought from Holy Land, IVth century Tomb of Cardinal Ivo, XIIth century Notre Dame built, 1227-43 |
UTRECHT
| Primitive church founded by Dagobert, 630 City devastated, VIIth century City rebuilt by Clothaire IV., 718 Enlarged by Bishop Baldric of Clèves, 934 Adrien Florizoon of Utrecht became Pope Adrien VI., 1522 See made an archbishopric, 1559 Religious reform advocated by Prince of Orange, 1577 States General sat at Utrecht, 1579 Cathedral of St. Martin rebuilt from primitive church, 1024 Cathedral of St. Martin again rebuilt, 1257 Tower, 1331-82 Nave damaged, 1674 |
WORMS
| Concordat between Pope Calixtus II. and Henry V., 1122 Diet of Worms declared Luther a heretic, 1321 Cathedral begun by Bishop Bouchard, 996 Later additions and rebuilding since, 1185 City besieged but cathedral unharmed, 1689 St. Martin, XIIth century Notre Dame, XIIIth to XIVth century Synagogue, XIth century Jewish colony at Worms, 550 B. c. Abbey of Lorsch founded, 767-774 Primitive church founded at Lorsch, 285 Lorsch incorporated with Archbishopric of Mayence, 1232 Abbey rebuilt, 1100 |
XANTEN
| Captured by the French, 1672 Collegiate church of St. Victor, XIIth century Chancel screen, 1501 Monument to Cornelius de Pauw, XVIIIth century |
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