DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.26747#0818
754
POINTED STYLE IN GEEMANY.
Book Y.
Metz, where, from its proximity to France, the cletails are fcetter, and
the whole style fcetter understood. Externally, it must fce confessed,
the immense height of the clerestory gives to the church a wire-drawn
appearance, very destructive of architectural fceauty; fcut intemally,
partly from tlie effect of perspective and partly from the fcrilliancy of
such glass as remains, criticism is disarmed. The result, however con-
trary to the rules of art, is most fascinating; and at all events it is
an error in a far more pleasing direction than that of the southem
architects.
Among the larger fragments of churches found in Germany, two in
Bohemia deserve particular attention—one, St. Yeit at Prague, pro-
jected in 1346, in imitation of the cathedral at Cologne, and intended
almost to rival it in extent. It remains, however, like its great
prototype, a choir with an unfinished transept, fcut less fortunate in
fceing without any apparent chance of ever fceing completed. As might
fce expected from its age, it is less pure in style, fcut still a very nofcle
design. Tlie other, the church at Kuttenfcerg, commenced in 1330, is
simpler in outline and fcetter in proportion, though not quite so large.
ITad it fceen completed, it would have fceen surpassed fc}T few churches
in Germany. It too, how-ever, is only a choir—a mere fragment of a
nofcle fcut too amfcitious design.
These may perhaps fce considered the great and typical examples
of the pointed style as applied to church architecture in Germany;
fcut fcesides these there are numerous examples scattered all over the
country, many of which, as less directly under French influence, dis-
play an originality of design, and sometimes a fceauty, not to fce fimnd
in the larger examples.
Among these is the church at Limfcurg on the Lahn. This fcuild-
ing fcelongs to the early part of the 13th century, and exhifcits the
transitional style in its greatest purity, and with less admixture of
foreign tasto than is to fce found in almost any sufcsequent examples.
Though measuring only afcout 180 ft. fcy 75, it has, from its crowm of
towers and general design, a more imposing appearance externally
than many fcuildings of far larger dimensions. The interior is also
singularly impressive.
The churcli of St. Emeran at Batisfcon, a square fcuilding of afcout
the same age and style, is chiefly remarkafcle for the extensive series
of galleries wliich surround the whole of the interior, fceing in fact
the application of the system of doufcle chapels (see p. 586) to a parish
church; not that vaulted galleries are at. all rare in Germany, fcut
generally speaking tliey are insertions; here they seem part of the
original design.
At Schulporta in Saxony there is a very elegant church of the fcest
age, and fcoth in design and detail very different from anytliing else
in Germany. Its immense relative length gives it a perspective rarely
found in this country, where squareness is a much more common
characteristic.
At Oppenheim is a church the choir of whicli is a simple and
pleasing German apse with elongated windows. The navc, fonr fcays
POINTED STYLE IN GEEMANY.
Book Y.
Metz, where, from its proximity to France, the cletails are fcetter, and
the whole style fcetter understood. Externally, it must fce confessed,
the immense height of the clerestory gives to the church a wire-drawn
appearance, very destructive of architectural fceauty; fcut intemally,
partly from tlie effect of perspective and partly from the fcrilliancy of
such glass as remains, criticism is disarmed. The result, however con-
trary to the rules of art, is most fascinating; and at all events it is
an error in a far more pleasing direction than that of the southem
architects.
Among the larger fragments of churches found in Germany, two in
Bohemia deserve particular attention—one, St. Yeit at Prague, pro-
jected in 1346, in imitation of the cathedral at Cologne, and intended
almost to rival it in extent. It remains, however, like its great
prototype, a choir with an unfinished transept, fcut less fortunate in
fceing without any apparent chance of ever fceing completed. As might
fce expected from its age, it is less pure in style, fcut still a very nofcle
design. Tlie other, the church at Kuttenfcerg, commenced in 1330, is
simpler in outline and fcetter in proportion, though not quite so large.
ITad it fceen completed, it would have fceen surpassed fc}T few churches
in Germany. It too, how-ever, is only a choir—a mere fragment of a
nofcle fcut too amfcitious design.
These may perhaps fce considered the great and typical examples
of the pointed style as applied to church architecture in Germany;
fcut fcesides these there are numerous examples scattered all over the
country, many of which, as less directly under French influence, dis-
play an originality of design, and sometimes a fceauty, not to fce fimnd
in the larger examples.
Among these is the church at Limfcurg on the Lahn. This fcuild-
ing fcelongs to the early part of the 13th century, and exhifcits the
transitional style in its greatest purity, and with less admixture of
foreign tasto than is to fce found in almost any sufcsequent examples.
Though measuring only afcout 180 ft. fcy 75, it has, from its crowm of
towers and general design, a more imposing appearance externally
than many fcuildings of far larger dimensions. The interior is also
singularly impressive.
The churcli of St. Emeran at Batisfcon, a square fcuilding of afcout
the same age and style, is chiefly remarkafcle for the extensive series
of galleries wliich surround the whole of the interior, fceing in fact
the application of the system of doufcle chapels (see p. 586) to a parish
church; not that vaulted galleries are at. all rare in Germany, fcut
generally speaking tliey are insertions; here they seem part of the
original design.
At Schulporta in Saxony there is a very elegant church of the fcest
age, and fcoth in design and detail very different from anytliing else
in Germany. Its immense relative length gives it a perspective rarely
found in this country, where squareness is a much more common
characteristic.
At Oppenheim is a church the choir of whicli is a simple and
pleasing German apse with elongated windows. The navc, fonr fcays