Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Freiburg im Breisgau: The Minster


The Minster is the cathedral church of Freiburg and its most famous landmark. Although it has been the seat of the archbishop since 1827, the building has never been owned by the Church. It belongs to the people of Freiburg.

The present structure was begun by Berthold V, the Duke of Zaehringen, around the year 1200, being erected upon the foundation of an older 12th-century building. It is especially famous for its wealth of beautiful stained glass, its carvings, an altarpiece by Hans Baldung-Grien, and its amazing open-work spire completed around 1330. The late-Gothic choir was completed in the early 1500s.

During the night of 27 November 1944, the city was fire-bombed by more 441 RAF aircraft. Large sections of the old central city were destroyed by fire, more than 3000 civilians were killed and 10,000 injured, but the church was miraculously left intact.

Here are a few pictures (exterior and interior) of one of our favorite places on earth:
https://picasaweb.google.com/SteveDC505/Minster#

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