Frauenkirche - Munich
Roof and Nave Crucifix in the Frauenkirche
The Devil's Footprint!After just over a 3 hour drive we made it to our hotel just outside Munich this afternoon. It has been a lovely day, although the only disadvantage was that I had the sun in my eyes all the way. This was made even more difficult by the fact that Eloi our son gets very upset when I wear sunglasses so I had to squint and bear it!
This evening we went into Munich itself. In our attempt to get as close to the center as possible we had to negotiate a number of dead ends and pedestrian only areas. It reminded me of our visit to Montmartre in Paris a few years back, when being too lazy to walk up the hill, we drove up instead - much to the bewilderment of the crowds of people who had to move out of the way for us!
This is the first time we have been to Munich and at first glance and in the dark it does seem a rather beautiful place. Being late and cold we did not have time to see much but we did go to the cozy Marienplatz, although we just missed the famous carillon on the Rathaus by 5 mins. However it looks like a good place to welcome in the New Year so we may see it strike midnight tomorrow.
Not far from Marienplatz is the Frauenkirche, whose onion shaped copper domes dominate the skyline. Originally this was just a parish church but now is the seat of an Archbishop. One of the most famous incumbents was of course Archbishop Joseph Ratzinger whose bronze effigy stands proudly on one of the pillars in the entrance to the nave. The redbrick Gothic exterior is pretty spare but I was taken aback once inside. I was expecting it to be the same as any other Gothic church or cathedral akin to those in France and indeed in England with much stonework to be in evidence. However I was forgetting that I was once more in Bavaria where like its neighboring Austria its churches are very often whitewashed. The effect was compounded even further as when we entered Mass was being said and the Gold vestments of the priest seemed to sparkle in the white space, just as brightly as the lights and decorations of the Christmas trees behind the high altar.
The architect of Fraunkirche, Jerg von Halspach, is said to have made a pact with the Devil. In order to get enough money to complete the church, he had to construct it without one single visible window. When the Devil came to inspect the finished building, he saw the huge Gothic windows from a distance and thought he'd got the builders soul. Once inside, he was led to a certain point from which not one window could be seen, since all were hidden by pillars! Stamping his foot in rage, the Devil stormed off, leaving his black hoofed footprint in the pavement by the entrance hall. Rebuilding following war damage has meant the trick no longer quite works, but the footprint is still there!
This evening we went into Munich itself. In our attempt to get as close to the center as possible we had to negotiate a number of dead ends and pedestrian only areas. It reminded me of our visit to Montmartre in Paris a few years back, when being too lazy to walk up the hill, we drove up instead - much to the bewilderment of the crowds of people who had to move out of the way for us!
This is the first time we have been to Munich and at first glance and in the dark it does seem a rather beautiful place. Being late and cold we did not have time to see much but we did go to the cozy Marienplatz, although we just missed the famous carillon on the Rathaus by 5 mins. However it looks like a good place to welcome in the New Year so we may see it strike midnight tomorrow.
Not far from Marienplatz is the Frauenkirche, whose onion shaped copper domes dominate the skyline. Originally this was just a parish church but now is the seat of an Archbishop. One of the most famous incumbents was of course Archbishop Joseph Ratzinger whose bronze effigy stands proudly on one of the pillars in the entrance to the nave. The redbrick Gothic exterior is pretty spare but I was taken aback once inside. I was expecting it to be the same as any other Gothic church or cathedral akin to those in France and indeed in England with much stonework to be in evidence. However I was forgetting that I was once more in Bavaria where like its neighboring Austria its churches are very often whitewashed. The effect was compounded even further as when we entered Mass was being said and the Gold vestments of the priest seemed to sparkle in the white space, just as brightly as the lights and decorations of the Christmas trees behind the high altar.
The architect of Fraunkirche, Jerg von Halspach, is said to have made a pact with the Devil. In order to get enough money to complete the church, he had to construct it without one single visible window. When the Devil came to inspect the finished building, he saw the huge Gothic windows from a distance and thought he'd got the builders soul. Once inside, he was led to a certain point from which not one window could be seen, since all were hidden by pillars! Stamping his foot in rage, the Devil stormed off, leaving his black hoofed footprint in the pavement by the entrance hall. Rebuilding following war damage has meant the trick no longer quite works, but the footprint is still there!
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