Kathy planned a great birthday trip for me to St. Gallen in Switzerland. The origin of the town has to do with an Irish hermit by the name of Gallus. According to legend, he built a hermitage on the site of the current city, and he had the help of a bear to build it. In return, Gallus gave the bear a loaf of bread. Today, the icon of the city is a bear.
Sometime around the year 720, an Alemannian (Germanic) priest by the name of Othmar built an abbey on the site. Since the Frankish king, Charles the Hammer, made Othmar the custodian of the relics of Gallus, the abbey became a pilgrimage site, and the abbey grew rich. An important library was established where monks from England and Ireland came to copy manuscripts.
The Frankish king, Pippin the Short, imposed Benedictine rule on the monastery. When Pippin's grandson, Ludwig the Pious, became king, he held two synods in Aachen in 816 and 817 for establishing monasteries, and one result was an plan for an ideal monastery. This plan still exists in the library at St. Gallen, and it is the oldest existing architectural plan of the Middle Ages. (It has become known as the "Plan of St. Gall".)
The highlight for me was the World Heritage Site made up of the abbey church and library. The last reconstruction occurred between 1755 and 1768, when both were rebuilt in the baroque style. It was completed just before the Napoleonic wars resulted in the secularization of church property in 1798, when the monks were driven out. In 1846 the church and some of the monastery were made into a cathedral for the bishop of St. Gallen, but attempts to restore the monastery where abandoned in 1823 by Pope Pious VII.
Although the abbey was not entirely built on the Plan of St. Gall, there are enough similarities that UNESCO added it to its list of World Heritage Sites because it is "a perfect example of a great Carolingian monastery". Today, a monastery built exactly to the Plan of St. Gall is being constructed in Meßkirch using the tools and techniques of the middle-ages. (Volunteers are welcome, and I'm sorely tempted to help.)
I will always associate St. Gallen with beautiful woodwork. This view, taken from Wikipedia, is the view as you come into the library, where the beautiful woodwork was the first thing to catch my eye. The details are hard to make out from this photo, but there are wonderful carvings and sculptures in the woodwork. The second thing I noticed was that it is a working library, and the shelves are full of old books. In fact, the library contains many famous and important books and documents. The oldest Vulgate (all Latin) bible in the world is on display there. The oldest text in the Germanic dialect of Alemannic is preserved in a translation of the bible used to instruct the novices. Also, manuscript B of the Nibelungenlied is kept here.
Then I noticed the frescoes on the ceiling of the four great councils: The Council of Nicea in 325 (when it was agreed that Jesus was divine), the Council of Constantinople in 381 (when it was agreed that the Holy Spirit was divine), the Council of Ephesus in 431 (when it was agreed that Mary was the mother of God), and the Council of Chalcedon in 451 (when it was agreed that Jesus was truly human and not only divine).
The beautiful woodwork was also used in the church. This photo is an example of the craftsmanship in the monks' seats in the choir of the church. Each of the figures carved in the arms of the seats is unique.
The great woodwork was on display outdoors as well. There are many beautiful bay windows in the old part of town, and this picture is an example. The detail in the next picture is from another window.
.
.
Sometime around the year 720, an Alemannian (Germanic) priest by the name of Othmar built an abbey on the site. Since the Frankish king, Charles the Hammer, made Othmar the custodian of the relics of Gallus, the abbey became a pilgrimage site, and the abbey grew rich. An important library was established where monks from England and Ireland came to copy manuscripts.
The Frankish king, Pippin the Short, imposed Benedictine rule on the monastery. When Pippin's grandson, Ludwig the Pious, became king, he held two synods in Aachen in 816 and 817 for establishing monasteries, and one result was an plan for an ideal monastery. This plan still exists in the library at St. Gallen, and it is the oldest existing architectural plan of the Middle Ages. (It has become known as the "Plan of St. Gall".)
The highlight for me was the World Heritage Site made up of the abbey church and library. The last reconstruction occurred between 1755 and 1768, when both were rebuilt in the baroque style. It was completed just before the Napoleonic wars resulted in the secularization of church property in 1798, when the monks were driven out. In 1846 the church and some of the monastery were made into a cathedral for the bishop of St. Gallen, but attempts to restore the monastery where abandoned in 1823 by Pope Pious VII.
Although the abbey was not entirely built on the Plan of St. Gall, there are enough similarities that UNESCO added it to its list of World Heritage Sites because it is "a perfect example of a great Carolingian monastery". Today, a monastery built exactly to the Plan of St. Gall is being constructed in Meßkirch using the tools and techniques of the middle-ages. (Volunteers are welcome, and I'm sorely tempted to help.)
I will always associate St. Gallen with beautiful woodwork. This view, taken from Wikipedia, is the view as you come into the library, where the beautiful woodwork was the first thing to catch my eye. The details are hard to make out from this photo, but there are wonderful carvings and sculptures in the woodwork. The second thing I noticed was that it is a working library, and the shelves are full of old books. In fact, the library contains many famous and important books and documents. The oldest Vulgate (all Latin) bible in the world is on display there. The oldest text in the Germanic dialect of Alemannic is preserved in a translation of the bible used to instruct the novices. Also, manuscript B of the Nibelungenlied is kept here.
Then I noticed the frescoes on the ceiling of the four great councils: The Council of Nicea in 325 (when it was agreed that Jesus was divine), the Council of Constantinople in 381 (when it was agreed that the Holy Spirit was divine), the Council of Ephesus in 431 (when it was agreed that Mary was the mother of God), and the Council of Chalcedon in 451 (when it was agreed that Jesus was truly human and not only divine).
The beautiful woodwork was also used in the church. This photo is an example of the craftsmanship in the monks' seats in the choir of the church. Each of the figures carved in the arms of the seats is unique.
The great woodwork was on display outdoors as well. There are many beautiful bay windows in the old part of town, and this picture is an example. The detail in the next picture is from another window.
.
.
.
There were other great memories, such as the brewery and its restaurant, where we had a great meal. The textile industry played a very important role in the history of the city, and there is an impressive museum that we visited. It was a very relaxing way to spend my birthday.
1 comment:
Sounds like yet another great trip. Funny how breweries find their way into your excursions. :)
My travels have only included Pilot Point and Frisco Texas in addition to Little Elm. I've seen the inside of several school auditoriums and a gymnasium. All of which are fairly unoriginal in craftsmanship quality. The performances in locations mentioned are beyond fantastic from a parental view point. Kroger in Little Elm is delightful for me in a non-family related activity as I usually treat myself to a soy chai tea when leaving. :)
<3 Katie
Post a Comment