The main cathedrals and temples of Munich. Cathedral of the Virgin Mary in Munich (Frauenkirche) Munich Frauenkirche

12.10.2020

Along with the world-famous Oktoberfest (Oktoberfest) - the largest folk festival in the world and Marienplatz (Marienplatz) - the central square of Munich, this city also has the famous Cathedral of the Holy Virgin. This is one of the most popular attractions in the Bavarian capital. It is about him that our story will go today.

They built the Cathedral of the Holy Virgin, better known as the Frauenkirche, from 1468 to 1525. The length of this brick structure is 109 m, width - 40 m. And its height, excluding the famous towers, is 37 m. In refutation of the old legend that the towers vary greatly in height, in reality they are almost the same. The height of the south is 98.45 m, and the north is 98.57 m. There are a great many interesting images of the Cathedral of the Holy Virgin on postcards and souvenirs. Often, such drawings are based on the plot of those same twin towers, which have long turned into a kind of symbol of the Bavarian capital. “My favorite asparagus” (asparagus, pr. ed.), as the Bavarian elector Max III Joseph called them.

Tragic incident

They say that the decision to build the cathedral was made after one tragic incident. In place of the Frauenkirche, there used to be a much more modest church in size. On holidays, so many people crowded into it that, not designed for an ever-growing crowd of parishioners, it literally burst at the seams. Once, when especially many believers gathered in the temple, shouts of “Fire!” were heard. People rushed to the only exit from the church, resulting in a terrible stampede. As a result, many people were hurt. Someone's sides were badly beaten, someone's feet were trampled. And one very young girl, as if the first beauty of the city, was crushed to death. It is clear that this incident could not remain without consequences. And the voices about the need for a new, more spacious church were getting louder. And soon the collection of funds necessary for the construction began.

Interestingly, today the Cathedral of the Holy Mother of God no longer gives the impression of that imposing building, which it no doubt was before. And the thing is that it is surrounded on all sides by modern buildings. By the way, buildings in Munich are still not allowed to be built higher than the Frauenkirche! So the church turned out to be squeezed, as it were, in a ring, and today it is not possible to cover it completely with a glance. However, the famous poppy domes are visible from afar. Under one of them, on the floor of the attic, there is a heavy wooden beam, with which one interesting story is connected.

At one time, this beam was part of the ceiling structure. But when the tower was ready, a master carpenter named von Stranbing took it and pulled it out. He did this with one single purpose - to prove to everyone what an unsurpassed specialist he really was. At the same time, he allegedly declared that now no one can say where she lay. And so far no one has been able to do this.

Around the temple of God, the wind almost always walks. Sometimes his impulses rip off caps and hats from gaping tourists, and, as if mocking people, roll them along the pavement. Why only guests of the Bavarian capital, you ask? Yes, because the inhabitants of Munich are well aware of this nasty feature of the surroundings of the church. And therefore, in a timely manner, they hold hats with their hands. They also know an old legend connected with mini-whirlwinds that suddenly swoop down on the visitors of the cathedral...

Storm and Devil

The construction of the Frauenkirche was nearing completion when the news of it reached the ears of the lord of the underworld.

What! Another church in Munich! roared the horned one, and in a fury kicked with his hoof the imp who had brought him the bad news. “They are there already at least a dime a dozen!”

When the devil became aware that the new temple was dedicated to the Holy Virgin Mary, there was no end to his curses. The unclean one was very much afraid that the influx of sinners into the hellish chambers after the commissioning of the new church would begin to inexorably decline. He just couldn't let that happen. However, remembering his previous defeats in this kind of "trial" with the heavenly powers, Satan decided to enlist support. He acquired the necessary assistant in the face of the northern storm wind. We agreed that the devil would break into the still unconsecrated church and begin to destroy it from the inside. And the storm will have to deal with the facade of the building. When the devil flew under the arches of the Frauenkirche, he stopped in bewilderment under the church organ. He was confused by the fact that he did not see a single window in the new temple. In joy, the devil stamped his foot so hard that a deep mark was left on the stone floor!

These clumsy forgot to make windows in the new church,” the unclean man laughed. What kind of believer would pray here?

Having said this, the devil fell through the ground. What was his surprise when, on the day of the opening of the Cathedral of the Holy Mother of God, people poured there in droves. It was only then that the impure thought of looking at the new church from the outside. And to his great anger, he discovered that the windows of the building were in abundance. However, the devil was unable to change anything. For the Frauenkirche had already been consecrated by that time. But the storm, unlike Satan, cannot calm down to this day. Therefore, it is almost always windy around the building.

Teufelstreet

By the way, a warning sign is fixed on the right outer wall of the temple. Despite the fact that the paint on it has almost completely faded and peeled off, becoming like dragon scales, the inscription is still legible. Its text reads as follows: “Attention! During a storm and snowfall, the surroundings of the cathedral are a dangerous zone. This means that during bad weather, pieces of cladding may fall off the walls and roof of the building. But one cannot but agree that in the light of the legend told above, the inscription on the tablet acquires a slightly different meaning.

But how could it happen that the unclean, being inside the church, did not see the windows there? Everything is very simple. The central hall of the cathedral is "cut through" by two rows of octagonal columns. There are 22 of them in total. It is due to their arrangement that the side windows of the church are not visible to visitors stopping under the church organ. Today, however, one window - directly opposite the main entrance - is still visible. But from 1620 to 1858. it was hidden behind a crossbar. And that place in the church where the unclean man stamped his foot... has been preserved! And it is called Teufelstritt or "damn trail". Strange as it may seem, today many people come to the cathedral solely to see it with their own eyes.

On a gray marble slab framed by a yellow square, a footprint is actually visible. True, the foot shod in a boot of about 46 sizes! The footprint is clearly of man-made origin. And it’s hard to disagree with this, even if we imagine that the cracks radiating from it in all directions and sealed with something like concrete came from contact with the floor of the devil’s claws.

Frauenkirche Cathedral is the symbol of Munich. It stands near Marienplatz. In 2004, the city held a referendum in which it was forbidden to build buildings in Munich higher than the Frauenkirche Cathedral, whose height is 99 meters. The Frauenkirche is closely associated with the Wittelsbach dynasty, who wanted to build a majestic family crypt in it. The construction of the cathedral began in 1468 […]

Is a symbol Munich. He stands close to Marienplatz. In 2004, the city held a referendum in which it was forbidden to build buildings in Munich higher than the Frauenkirche Cathedral, whose height is 99 meters.

Frauenkirche Cathedral is closely associated with the dynasty Wittelsbach who wanted to build a majestic family crypt in it. The construction of the cathedral began in 1468. It was then that the duke Sigismund and bishop Johannes Tulbeck the first stone was solemnly laid. In 1494 the cathedral was partially built and consecrated. However, construction continued on. And only in 1525 unique domes were completed on the towers of the temple. The Frauenkirche Cathedral is an example to follow for all the temple buildings in Bavaria.

After the completion of construction, the cathedral could simultaneously receive up to 20,000 parishioners, although at that time there were only 13,000 people in the city. The roof of the majestic building is supported by 22 columns. They then create the illusion of a limited space, although in fact, benches have been installed in the interior of the cathedral today, which can accommodate 4,000 parishioners of Munich.

Frauenplatz 12, 80331 Munich, Germany
Take the subway to Marienplatz‎

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The address: Germany, Munich
Start of construction: 1468
Completion of construction: 1525
Architect: Jörg von Halsbach
Height: 100 m
Coordinates: 48°08"18.9"N 11°34"24.5"E

Content:

Short description

Not far from Munich's Marienplatz is the main cathedral of the capital of Bavaria - Frauenkirche. The official name of the tallest cathedral in Munich is the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Surprisingly, in 2004, at a meeting of the city authorities, a rather controversial bill was passed, according to which in an ultra-modern city, famous for its research institutes and museums, it is forbidden to erect buildings that would be higher than the Frauenkirche.

Cathedral from a bird's eye view

The height of the cathedral, built in the Gothic style, is "only" 99 meters. Naturally, this figure cannot be called small, but it limits the construction of huge skyscrapers and office buildings in the city. What is the reason for such an attitude of the authorities towards the Frauenkirche, what is so unusual in this cathedral? It's no secret that many travel agencies call the Frauenkirche the symbol of Munich and recommend all visitors to the city to visit this attraction without fail. Naturally, the Frauenkirche can certainly interest historians, connoisseurs of architectural and cultural monuments. Its long history and close relationship with the legendary Witttelsbach dynasty, which once ruled Bavaria for 700 years, certainly deserves attention.

Many guides living in Munich, telling their tour groups about the Frauenkirche, quite often speak of the cathedral with a certain amount of skepticism. The thing is that the majestic cathedral, which is the tallest building in Munich, does not cause delight among the natives of the city. The Wittelsbach family is “guilty” in this state of affairs, which, by the way, are very respected in Bavaria, and the last descendant from this dynasty still lives at the expense of the state in the luxurious Nymphenburg Palace.

View of the Cathedral from the New Town Hall

It was the founders of this dynasty who made the Frauenkirche a cathedral for the powerful, and by and large, turned it into a kind of family crypt. True, this is already a story, which should be discussed a little below.

Frauenkirche Cathedral - history

As mentioned above, the Wittelsbach dynasty wanted to create a cathedral in which they could turn to God, and where they would find eternal rest. The first stone in the construction of the cathedral, which was decided to be erected in the Gothic style, was laid in 1468. The project of the building was developed by the then famous architect Jorg von Halspach, who owns the words that the building in the capital of Bavaria "was built in the style of uncompromising Gothic, where there is nothing superfluous."

Frauenkirche Cathedral was built of brick already by 1494. During the solemn opening ceremony, the consecration of the temple took place. In fairness, it should be noted that in 1494 the cathedral was not fully completed: its main architectural details - the domes on the towers, were completed in 1525. Since the middle of the 16th century, the Frauenkirche Cathedral could be called a secular cathedral, ordinary Munich people rarely looked into it. As you know, the church should not obey the politicians and the government of the country, and the Frauenkirche has become a kind of symbol, known in Bavaria under the name: "the union of the throne and the altar."

View of the towers of the cathedral

After the first consecration, the cathedral could accommodate more than 20 thousand people. When the towers were erected, the capacity of the Frauenkirche fell to 12,000 people. Already after the Second World War, no more than 4 thousand people can listen to sermons in the temple. All places, as in many Catholic churches, are seated. It is worth noting that during the offensive of the Allied forces on Munich, the Frauenkirche Cathedral was damaged. However, the damage done cannot be called significant. All interior decoration items, tombs and valuable relics were not damaged. The restoration of the Frauenkirche after the Second World War took place in record time. And how could it be otherwise in the case of the temple, which is called "the union of the throne and the altar"? He has remained so to this day.

Frauenkirche Cathedral - architecture

Not a single modern architect will be able to say that the facades of the cathedral do not cause admiration for the Gothic style. Majesty, strict lines and, one might even say, some kind of chilling beauty, can be seen in every detail of the building. Despite the facade of the building, the interior of the temple disappoints many tourists. “This temple is somehow miserable”, “It is not cozy and cold here”, “Probably, we were not in a Catholic church”, - such words are quite often uttered by many guests of Munich, who for the first time crossed the threshold of the symbol of the capital of Bavaria, the Frauenkirche Cathedral.

Facade of the cathedral

As mentioned above, even the indigenous inhabitants of the city do not favor this main attraction with their attention. The austerity of the interior decoration, the arrogant attitude of the clergy towards the faithful, cannot attract the flock to the walls of the cathedral. During Sunday services on benches designed for 4,000 people, it will be difficult to count 80 parishioners. During evening services, the Frauenkirche is practically empty: only 10-15 elderly women listen to prayers ascending to God. They come here only because they live in an orphanage located near the cathedral.

Despite all of the above, it is from this cathedral that numerous broadcasts of services dedicated to the most significant Catholic holidays are conducted. The ceremonial of the Frauenkirche can be called an accountant, director, screenwriter and director. In addition, he arrogantly asserts that it is Frauenkirche Cathedral should be a role model for all Catholic churches. “The interior of the temple is not a circus venue, where everything should be decorated with bright colors. Mass, not clowning, it cannot be shortened, during it you need to sit and listen in complete silence, ”the ceremonial Anton Heckler once said in an interview. It was he who became the first minister of the Catholic Church, who scrupulously calculated on a personal computer the amount needed for the communion of parishioners. By the way, the officially registered parish of the Frauenkirche has less than 400 people.

Main entrance to the cathedral

The close connection of the Frauenkirche with power, which has lasted for more than 400 years, repels young people. Of the entire parish, there are less than 30 parishioners under the age of 18. It cannot be otherwise in the cathedral, where in front of the main altar there is a huge tombstone of King Ludwig of Bavaria, which completely covers the main place in the temple. In addition, the flag of Bavaria was installed over the tombstone: the banner almost completely hides the throne from the flock. At one time, Maximilian I decided to erect a strange-looking monument in the Frauenkirche Cathedral, which depicted skulls and knights ready for battle. This monument was supposed to symbolize the tomb of the Wittelsbachs. Maximilian I was one of those politicians who understood how beneficial it was to combine power and the church. He did not even hide his views, and erected a triumphal arch over the frightening dark monument. This arch in the Frauenkirche was supposed to show the faithful the close and inseparable connection between earthly and heavenly power.

After reading all of the above, many people who are brought to Munich may have the opinion that the Frauenkirche Cathedral does not deserve attention. However, this is not at all the case. After walking around the Marienplatz and visiting its many attractions and boutiques, the Frauenkirche is a must-see.

View of the south tower of the cathedral from Liebfrauenstraße

Firstly, you will not find such a sharp contrast anywhere else in the world, and secondly, it would be an unforgivable mistake not to capture the external facade of the cathedral, built in the “uncompromising Gothic” style, in a photo. Connoisseurs of music and choral singing will be especially interested in the acoustics of this unique, in its kind, architectural structure. Alas, it is not possible to listen to Bach's music there, the too fast pace of his works, the huge space of the room merges into a single rumble. In one of the interviews of the regent Frauenkirche, published in a Munich newspaper, it is said that "Bach in the cathedral hits hard on the ears." You can appreciate the beauty of choral singing or music only from the Mass of Wolfgang Mozart or the hymns ascended to God, dating back to the Gregorian era.

Due to the richness of its architecture, it has been called "Florence on the Elbe" in literature. Monuments of architecture in the Baroque style made the city famous throughout the world.

Third on the list of attractions

The Zwinger palace and park complex, the Marcolini Palace and the Japanese Palace, the Kreuzhirche Church - these are far from all the legendary Frauenkirche (St. Mary's Church) - the brightest of them.

It ranks third in the list of the main unique objects of Dresden and all of Germany. The main and largest Lutheran church of the city has an extraordinary and mysterious history, dating back to the 11th century, to the times when the Slavic people of Sobry (or the Lusatians - the West Slavic people, the Lusatian Serbs) lived on the territory of Dresden.

History of occurrence

On the site of the Frauenkirche church (Dresden), long before the foundation of the city itself, there was a small church of the same name. A century later, around 1142, there was a religious building built in the Romanesque style (a turret was added in the 15th century). By 1722, it was so dilapidated that it was not subject to reconstruction at all, which is why it was decided to demolish it. The magnificent cathedral, erected on the vacant site in 1726-1742 and designed for 3500 seats, is just one of those architectural monuments in the Baroque style that Dresden is famous for.

Frauenkirche - It was erected by order of August the Strong (1670-1733), King of Poland and Elector of Saxony (imperial prince). Initially, it was conceived as an object that was supposed to overshadow the Catholic cathedrals, although Augustus I himself was a Catholic.

Main Lutheran Church

The huge but graceful temple, after its opening, became a symbol of the Reformation (the struggle in Western Europe in the 16th century against Catholicism and papal power). The Frauenkirche (Dresden) was originally taken over by the town's Lutheran community. Dresden is listed in brackets because there is a church of the same name in Munich. It can be added that the famous German composer Heinrich Schutz (1585-1672) was buried in this cathedral. After the demolition of the original church, his grave was lost, but there is a mention of the burial in the restored cathedral.

A bright distinguishing feature

The height of the Church of St. Mary is 95 meters. It is visible from every corner of the city, it is especially good from the side of Carolbrucke (Karola's bridge). From this angle, the church is especially striking in its grandeur.

The famous Georg Behr (1666-1738) managed to create a real masterpiece of baroque art, which Dresden is proud of. Frauenkirche (church) stands out from all the buildings of the city with its unique huge 12-ton dome (among those built entirely of stone, it is the largest in the world), which does not have additional supports inside the building.

Engineering solutions ahead of time

The construction of the dome of the amazing Dresden building, which in those days was a construction miracle, was incredibly durable. According to historical evidence, during the Seven Years' War, the artillery of the Prussian king Frederick II fired about 100 shells specifically at the dome, which, due to the strength of the structure, did not cause the slightest harm to the dome. Only American aircraft could destroy it, destroying almost the entire Dresden on February 13, 1945. Frauenkirche also fell into ruins.

In general, not a single building remained on Neumarkt Square, except for the miraculously surviving monument.

Recovery Movement

The temperature of which reached 1400 degrees, destroyed everything. But the melted parts of the organ protected the amazing altar of the church, he took refuge in a kind of cocoon. That is the only reason why the details of the altar were preserved, and they were used in its restoration. Since 1989, a movement of the indifferent public called "Action-Frauenkirche" began, which was headed by Ludwig Güttler, a world-famous trumpeter and conductor. They were going to restore the church with donations, and they came in the amount of $ 100 million from 26 countries. But the restoration of this cathedral began only after the unification of Germany, specifically in 1996.

The only surviving

Restoration by the method of archaeological reconstruction continued until 2005. Today, this object cannot be called a new building, if only because during its restoration it was possible to use 43% of the building material of the old building, it was erected according to original, historical drawings. A small wooden bell tower has been installed next to the construction site since the start of work. The only surviving bell (of the former four), made in 1732, was hung in it. In general, the history of the bells of this church deserves a separate article.

Beautiful outside and inside

The outside of the cathedral is lined with sandstone slabs of warm tones. Similar details of the burnt building are mounted in them. The ancient slabs are darker and give the building a unique look, and also serve as a reminder of the tragic fate of the cathedral.

The Frauenkirche Church in Dresden is famous not only for its external majesty, but also for its rich interior decoration. The light yellow color of the walls creates a solemn atmosphere full of air and peace. The height of the inner part of the dome is 26 meters. It is divided into eight sectors, decorated with paintings and gold. Four of them depict evangelists, the rest depict allegories of Christian virtues - Faith, Hope, Love and Mercy. The altar, restored to its original beauty, is magnificent, above which there is an organ. In the center of the altar is a sculpture depicting the prayers of Christ on the night of Good Friday on the Mount of Olives. The entire reconstruction cost the country 180 million euros.

Church today

The Frauenkirche Church is the current Evangelical Lutheran Cathedral. The church is also attractive because wonderful organ and bell concerts are regularly performed here. About 130 concerts are given annually in St. Mary's Church.

After restoration, a beautiful observation deck was equipped on the dome, which makes it possible to look at Dresden from the height of the dome. Frauenkirche as a cathedral and as a place for a panoramic view is very popular with residents and visitors of the city.

On weekdays, the cathedral and its observation deck are open to visitors from 10:00 to 18:00, on Saturday - from 12:00. The rise costs 8 euros, there are discounts for pensioners and students.

One of the symbols of Munich is the main cathedral of the city - Frauenkirche. The silhouette of the Frauenkirche has become a hallmark of Munich and is clearly visible in any panoramic photograph of Munich.

Frauenkirche - Der Dom zu Unserer Lieben Frau

Above the whole city rises a huge red brick with a high gable roof covered with bright red tiles, and two twin towers topped with green onions - the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary, briefly called Frauenkirche. It is located two blocks from Marienplatz, facing Frauenplatz.

This cathedral is not only a symbol of Munich, but also to a large extent restrains the violent fantasies of local architectural geniuses, forcing them to create within the established traditions, while maintaining the patriarchal look of the city that has developed over the centuries. The fact is that in 2004 a referendum of Munich burghers was held, as a result of which a decision was made to ban the construction of buildings higher than towers in the city. , whose height is about 99 meters. More precisely, according to available data, the northern tower has a height of 98.57 m, and the southern tower is 98.45 m, that is, 12 cm lower. That is, the construction of all kinds of glass-concrete giants - corn cobs and other goliaths - is excluded in Munich.

The cathedral, a masterpiece of late German Gothic, was built of brick on the foundations of an earlier chapel of the Virgin Mary in 20 years by the architect Jörg von Halsbach. The foundation stone of the church was laid in 1468 by Duke Sigismund and Bishop Johannes Tulbek. Most of the construction was completed by 1488. A magnificent consecration ceremony took place in 1494. In 1525, master Rottaler built onions on the towers of the cathedral.

At that time, only 13,000 people lived in Munich. But the building was designed to accommodate 20,000 parishioners. We worked for the future. In our time, up to 4,000 people can be accommodated at the same time on the praying wooden benches installed for convenience.

The dimensions of the cathedral are simply amazing, it is largest gothic cathedral South Germany: length 109 m, width 41.5 m, height 55 m, height of thirty windows 20 m. side naves. From the side windows, almost invisible behind the densely standing columns, the light streams as if from nowhere, outlining the silhouettes of the columns, the austere interior, the entire space of the middle nave of the cathedral directed upwards towards the heavens, creating the effect of an endless road to God.

Frauenkirche - The middle nave of the Frauenkirche cathedral.

Since 1821 Frauenkirche- the main cathedral of Munich and the Archbishopric of Munich - Freising.

In the cathedral there is a cenotaph (tombstone over an empty grave) of Emperor Ludwig IV of Bavaria. It is decorated with dynastic symbols of the Wittelsbachs and sculptures - figures of knights kneeling and holding badges with the names of Charlemagne, Louis the Pious, Charles the Fat, Louis IV. Nearby are the Dukes of Bavaria Albrecht V and Wilhelm V.

In the floor of the cathedral there is a footprint carved in stone, standing on which a person does not see a single window. According to legend, the architect was so afraid of the difficulties of construction that he called the devil himself as an assistant. He demanded to build a church without windows in the hope that no one would come to the dark temple. But after the construction was completed, people came to the temple to pray. The devil demanded an explanation. Then the architect invited the devil to come to the cathedral and see for himself that there were no windows, and when he came, he put him in the very place from which the devil really did not see a single window. But the church was illuminated by sunlight that seemed to come from nowhere. The devil was so angry at the architect's cunning that he stamped his foot, leaving a mark, and disappeared forever.

Building Frauenkirche was badly damaged during the Second World War, but was completely restored.