Worms Cathedral is a church located in Germany, in the city of Worms. It was built in honor of St. Peter in the Romanesque style in the XII century. The architecture of the cathedral, its history and unusual facts will be described in this essay.
Church History
The cathedral was erected at the end of the 12th century on the site of the demolished basilica of the 11th century, made in the Romanesque style, when the main religion of Germany was Catholicism. It is located on a hill, which is the highest point in the city. Previously, there were settlements of the Romans and Celts in these places, since people were protected from floods on the hill.
Approximately in the VI century, the first church was built in this place, which, in fact, is the predecessor of the Worms Cathedral. The lower tiers of the towers of this basilica became the basis of the Church of Worms. The cathedral is a building in the Romanesque classical style with Gothic elements.
Building a church
St. Peter's Cathedral in Worms began to be built on the initiative of Bishop Burchard I. But large-scale work began only during the administration of the diocese by Bishop Burchard II. However, the construction of the cathedral took a long time and was completed in 1181.under Bishop Conrad II. The church was built on donations and on the funds of the diocese. However, funding was constantly lacking, and at that time construction technologies were limited, which explains the duration of the construction of the Worms Cathedral: from 1130 to 1181.
Church architecture
As mentioned earlier, the church in Worms is a mixture of two styles, classical Romanesque and Gothic. The eastern part of the Cathedral of Worms with the choir (upper gallery of an open type) and the transverse naves (an elongated part of the room that looks like a ship), as well as the tower, were built in the first place. Later, side and central naves were added.
The façade of the church and the tower in the western part were built at the very end. Immediately after the completion of construction in 1181, the cathedral in Worms (Germany) was consecrated. However, in fact the church was completed and expanded later. The construction was completed in 1234.
The entrance to the cathedral is located on the south side of the building, it is decorated with a majestic stone portal, which is made in the Gothic style. It was created in the 15th century. All the stories depicted on the portal are taken from the Gospel and the Bible.
The chapel erected in honor of St. Nicholas adjoins it, it is his figure that adorns it. The saint is depicted holding a boat in his hand, as you know, he is considered the patron saint of sailors and sailors.
Interior decoration
At that time, Catholicism was the main religion in Germany. This is displayed in the interior of the cathedral. The main shrine of the church is consideredan altar that was created by the famous baroque master I. B altazar Neumann.
In the crypt (covered secret underground passage) of the cathedral, right under the altar, there are 8 tombstones of the first bishops of the church. The temple impresses not only with its skillfully executed stucco and scale, but also with the organ, which was installed in the middle of the 20th century.
It's amazing that in the Middle Ages the architects managed to build such a majestic cathedral. The scale of the building inside is literally mesmerizing. The interior decoration delights, it has its own unusual and unique style. Statues of saints and baroque stucco work perfectly with the massive columns that support the vault of the cathedral. The vaults themselves resemble the naves of the temple, visually repeating them. The statues and decorative elements are gilded, and when the rays of the sun penetrate the inside of the cathedral, falling on the gilding, they illuminate the church with their radiance.
In the western part of the cathedral there are stained glass windows that delight in the variety of glass colors. These mosaic windows are made in classical and gothic style. Surprising is the fact that all the elements of interior decoration are perfectly combined with each other, despite the fact that they are made in different styles.
The church belongs to the diocese of Mainz, being one of the three imperial cathedrals. Once in Worms and seeing its sights, you should definitely visit this temple. It is truly unique in its history and architecture. Every year it is visited by tens of thousands of tourists.
When you see the cathedral, you will be amazed by its beauty and monumentality. Its majesty is immediately noticeable, this temple, in addition to all its amazing characteristics, has an extraordinary energy. Seeing him, you will remember for a lifetime, because it is simply impossible to forget such beauty.
