Ulm Cathedral in Germany

The famous Ulm Cathedral is best known as the highest in the world. However, its exclusivity is not limited to this. The history of this structure includes building a length of several centuries.

Status of the Cathedral

The medieval Ulm Cathedral was founded in 1377. It was conceived as a Catholic church, but when the Reformation began in Europe, the structure passed to the Lutherans. The main construction was completed in 1382, when the building was consecrated. It was from that time in him that the services are continuously running.

The church is called a cathedral, but in fact it is not. A similar status is given to the building if it has a bishop's residence. But in the case of Ulm, the local high priest lives in Stuttgart. This contradiction arose in the Middle Ages. Nevertheless, the Ulm cathedral is still called precisely because of the colossal dimensions that amaze the imagination.

Reason for construction

It is interesting that the Ulm Cathedral was built, because inside the city walls there was no working church. The only temple was outside the defenses.

This meant that during the siege the inhabitants could not enter the church. Such cases were not rare, because medieval Germany often became a theater of military operations. For example, in 1376 Ulm was besieged by the Czech king Charles IV, who at the same time was also the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire.

To avoid such situations, when surrounded citizens could not pray in the proper place, and the Ulm Cathedral was erected in Germany. In addition, the inhabitants of the city often clashed with the nearest monastery of Reinehau. It was he who belonged to the church located on the land.

Despite the fact that there were only ten thousand people living in Ulm in the XIV century, a successful fund-raising campaign was organized to build a new cathedral. As mentioned above, the bookmark occurred in 1377.

Initial project

Since the construction was grandiose, it was decided to implement it in two stages. The first architect of the cathedral was Heinrich Parler. He became the author of the project, according to which it was planned to build a church with two identical naves, as well as several towers. However, Parler managed to build only the lower part of the structure. This was the future Ulm Cathedral. The history of its construction differs in duration and numerous delays. So, for example, for the first 150 years from the moment of the bookmark 6 architects have been replaced by the cathedral. Someone refused to build because of the complexity of the project. Others simply died of old age, and did not wait for the completion of the work.

The difficult fate of the cathedral

Because of the change of architects, the original plan of the structure also changed. He had a third nave. Also in the 16th century it was decided to erect a high tower, which was to become a bell tower. It is this part of the cathedral that is the highest, reaching 161 meters.

The construction of the temple was hampered by religious wars that began in Germany in modern times. Many residents of the country were dissatisfied with the Catholic Church and its orders. The theologian Martin Luther, whose surname is today called one of the trends in Protestantism, expressed this mood. The conflict turned into bloody wars, the most famous being the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648).

Because of a lack of money and a tense situation in the country for more than three hundred years, the Ulm Cathedral remained unfinished. The height of its tower in the XVI century reached 100 meters.

Completion of construction

The second, the final stage of construction began in 1844. Measures have been taken to strengthen the load-bearing structures. The side naves could not withstand the weight of the whole structure, because from the very beginning they were not designed for such a burden. Nevertheless, the preparatory work was carried out successfully, and in 1880 the construction of the western tower began.

It lasted another ten years. In 1890, at the highest spire was installed a cross, which is located there and now. This symbolic ceremony meant the end of many years of construction. Thus was built the Ulm Cathedral. The architecture of the building refers to the Gothic style. He got the church since the Middle Ages, when such aesthetics were common in Western Europe. In the XIX century it was already a rudiment, but it was this exceptionality that helped the cathedral to acquire its own internationally recognizable image.

In 1890, Germany was already united around the Prussian kingdom. The opening of a huge church has become a national holiday. The Ulm cathedral, the description of which is in every guide to Germany, and now the desired place for tourists.

Characteristics of the Cathedral

Before it was installed benches and other elements of the interior, the building could accommodate about twenty thousand people. The length of the cathedral is 123 meters, width - 49 meters. The structure consists of three naves: one central and two side. The main part of the temple has a height of 41 meters. Two side naves are half the size.

The artists responsible for decorating the cathedral left behind numerous paintings on biblical motifs. The main composition is the scene depicting the creation of the world. There are also stories from the Gospel, for example, the Passion of Christ.

The columns, which are the foundation of the whole building, are decorated with bas-reliefs of saints and apostles. There are various sculptures inside the naves. The general attention of visitors is attracted by the statue of Christ, which was created in the XV century.

Thus, in the Ulm Cathedral, the efforts of many generations joined together. Here there are testimonies and monuments of different epochs - from the distant Middle Ages to the present.