Late Birth

As a young man, I spent a year in Paris in 1962. Following our art teacher, I became acquainted with Gothic cathedral architecture, with which France took over the leadership role in European church construction during the 11th century.

At the time, I could not suspect what great a role medieval architecture would occupy in my life after retirement.

After settling near Cologne, the problem was right in front of me. The pivotal point was the year 1248 - the laying of the cornerstone of Cologne Cathedral's choir, which is not only by local patriots considered to have been the introduction of Gothic architecture in Germany.

 

 

Thus, the use of this new style was lagging behind that of France, its country of origin, by a century.

 

What is interesting in this context: the last major Romanesque building in Cologne, the Church of St. Kunibert, was completed in 1247.

 

On the other hand, work started on the Gothic choir of the Cologne Minorite Church three years before 1248.

 

Decades earlier other great churches, generally classified as "Gothic" were built.

 

However, Magdeburg Cathedral was not accepted as such by many purists, because of the "Romanesque choir".

 

 

Magdeburg Cathedral (started 1209)

 

The Liebfrauenkirche in Trier, as a centrally planned building, was not generally accepted as "Gothic".

 

 

Liebfrauenkirche Trier (started 1230)

 

Only the beautiful Elisabeth Church in Marburg found general approval as a Gothic building.

 

Elisabeth Church  Marburg (started 1135)