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,transcriber's notes3        ,this      
booklet appears to end abruptly1 but    
there is no       evidence of any       
missing pages in the original copy4     
,the oe and ,,oe ligatures are          
represented as oe       and ,,oe        
respectively4        ,superscripted text
 is not displayed as such in the text   
version4 ,superscripts are displayed in 
the ,,html version4        ,on page #bj1
 a cross symbol1 which indicates year of
 death1       is represented as 4       
,a list of corrections will be found at 
the end of the       e-text4      ,the  
,cathedral of ,strasburg  ,illustration 
,strasburg ,a4 ,vix  ,cie ,publishers   
,illustration3 ,death of the ,virgin    

,maria4   ,,historical ,,sketch ,,of    
,,the ,,cathedral ,,of ,,strasburg      
,twenty fourth ,edition                 
,strasburg ,published by ,a4 ,vix  ,cie 
#ca1 ,place de la ,cathedrale #aibb4    
,illustration3 ,the interior of the     
,cathedral4     ,illustration  ,i4      
,,history   ,among the wonderful        
monuments to which the religious art of 
the middle ages has given rise and which
 will for ever excite the admiration of 
men1 the church of ,notre-,dame or      
,cathedral of ,strasburg occupies one of
 the first ranks4 ,by its dimensions1   
the richness of the ornaments and       
figures that adorn its exterior1 by the 
majesty of its nave1 and by its light   
steeple1 which towers towards ,heaven   
with as much grace as boldness1 this    
house of ,god proclaims afar its        
destination and leaves a deep and       
indelible impression on the soul of any 
one who gazes on it4  ,exhibiting in all
 its different parts models of every    
epoch of christian architecture1 this   

,cathedral is for the artist a subject  
of serious study and for the inhabitant 
of ,strasburg a venerable monument1     
which recalls to his mind the principal 
events of the ancient history of our    
city4  ,according to some old           
traditions1 the ,cathedral is built on a
 spot1 which1 from the remotest times1  
had been devoted to worship4 ,originally
 this spot formed a hill sloping        
westward into a cavity1 which was filled
 up many centuries ago4 ,around it1 the 
,celts1 the first inhabitants of our    
country1 built their huts3 its summit   
was covered by the sacred wood1 in the  
midst of which rose the druidical       
dolmen4 ,it was there that those        
barbarians offered sacrifices to ,esus1 
their ,god of war1 sacrifices which1 in 
times of public calamity1 were human    
victims4  ,after the conquest of ,gaul  
by the ,romans1 a regular and fortified 
town was very soon founded on the place 
hitherto occupied by the scattered      
habitations of the ,celts4 ,the old name

 of ,argentorat was alone preserved2 it 
signified a town where the river is     
crossed over4 ,it was there1 according  
to tradition1 that a temple dedicated to
 ,hercules and ,mars succeeded the      
druidical forest4 ,there is nothing     
unlikely in these traditions2 the high  
ground on which the ,cathedral stands   
speaks as much in their favour as the   
pagan statues found in the              
neighbourhood#a4    #a ,a brass statue  
of ,hercules1 called ,krutzmann1 was    
found   among the christian statues that
 decorated the ,cathedral2 it was       
taken down in #aebe and is no longer    
extant4 ,a ,hercules of stone1   found  
no doubt when digging the foundations1  
is yet seen in a   niche of the         
northward tower1 where it juts out into 
the nave4 ,a   small stone figure of    
,mars1 coming also from the ,cathedral1 
was   preserved in the town-library1 but
 it appeared to be modern4  ,with       
respect to the first erection of a      
christian church in this place1 history 

is destitute of authentic facts4 ,some  
old chronicles report that about the    
middle of the fourth century1 saint     
,amand built a church on the ruins of a 
,roman temple1 but the existence of this
 supposed first bishop of ,strasburg is 
even very doubtful4 ,during the first   
years of the fifth century1 the invasion
 of barbarians filled the provinces of  
,gaul with terror and devastation2 the  
,german tribes that crossed the ,rhine  
plundered the ,roman city of ,argentorat
 and its temples4 ,nobody knows whether 
from that time new inhabitants settled  
in the midst of these ruins1 or whether 
they served but as temporary abodes to  
the hordes successively coming into     
,gaul4  ,it was only after the conquest 
of that extensive country by the ,franks
 that1 about #eaj1 ,clovis had a church 
built at ,argentorat1 no doubt on the   
spot where the ,cathedral now stands4   
,the architecture of that church was as 
coarse and barbarous as the spirit of   
those times2 it was built of wood and   

supported by earthen walls1 extending   
from ,east to ,west2 on this latter end 
was the front-gate and before it a      
portico2 besides the principal nave it  
had two aisles2 the western side opening
 into a yard that served as a passage to
 the priest's house4  ,in proportion as 
the town1 the name of which was by the  
,franks changed into ,strasburg1        
increased in importance and population1 
the ,merovegian kings granted greater   
favours to the church founded by one of 
their predecessors4 ,the valuable       
donations they bestowed on the bishopric
 of ,strasburg1 enabled the inhabitants 
to embellish and enlarge the ,cathedral4
 ,in #fge ,dagobert ,,ii granted to     
bishop ,arbogast the town of ,ruffach   
with the castle of ,isenburg and a vaste
 domain that he freed from tax and royal
 jurisdiction and which on that account 
was called superior ,mundat4 ,a no less 
important gift was that from ,count     
,rudhart1 who made over to the church of
 ,strasburg1 in #gdh1 ,ettenheim with   

several neighbouring villages on the    
right bank of the ,rhine4 ,many other   
eminent personages of this country      
increased successively by their         
liberality the wealth of the episcopal  
see4 ,a great advantage was granted by  
,charlemain in #gge1 which was to exempt
 the subjects of the bishopric from all 
tolls and taxes imposed upon the traders
 travelling through the empire4 ,at that
 time considerable sums had already been
 employed to adorn the interior of the  
,cathedral4 ,in the year #hbf1 the abbot
 ,ermold the ,black1 living in exile at 
,strasburg1 speaks with enthusiasm of   
the beautiful temple of the ,virgin and 
of the other altars that decorate it4   
,this ecclesiastic1 with great ardour   
changed the metal of the antique statues
 he could yet find into sacred vases2 a 
bronze ,hercules1 two cubits high1 alone
 escaped the pursuit of his pious zeal2 
after preserving it several centuries in
 the ,cathedral1 it was at last sold1   
and is now at ,issy near ,paris4  ,a    

fire1 which in #hgc destroyed a portion 
of the church and all its archives1     
occasioned1 no doubt1 important repairs1
 and this event was the cause of a new  
royal confirmation of all the           
possessions of the church4 ,in #ajjb it 
was plundered1 profaned and set on fire 
by the soldiers of ,hermann1 duke of    
,suabia and ,alsacia1 who was then      
contending with ,henry of ,bavaria for  
the imperial crown1 ,strasburg and its  
bishop ,wernher having declared for the 
latter4 ,subdued by ,henry ,,ii1        
,hermann was compelled to repair the    
damage caused to the church by placing  
at bishop ,wernher's disposal the income
 of the abbey of ,saint-,stephen of     
which he was the patron4 ,with these    
funds1 which the bishop increased by    
means of a new levy of taxes and by     
indulgences1 he was preparing to restore
 his ,cathedral1 when in #ajjg a        
thunderbolt achieved its destruction4   
,he then formed the project of          
rebuilding the church on a plan of much 

larger dimensions and after the style of
 architecture that was then making its  
first appearance4 ,the revenues of the  
bishopric1 contributions furnished by   
the clergy of ,alsacia and large sums of
 money granted by the head of the       
empire1 afforded ,wernher the necessary 
resources for the execution of his plan4
 ,this was examined and discussed in the
 presence of several master-architects  
whom he had sent for4 ,the plan once    
fixed upon1 stones were brought from the
 fine quarries of free-stone in the     
,kronthal4 ,the peasants and bondsmen of
 the country brought them to the town   
where they were cut in the square then  
called ,frohnhof1 between the ,cathedral
 and the present palace4 ,it was during 
these labours that in #ajdb the emperor 
,henry ,,ii came to ,strasburg2 the     
dignified and austere deportment of the 
clergy of the high chapter1 the         
tranquillity prevailing under the roof  
of the episcopal church1 made such an   
impression on this prince1 that he for a

 moment resolved to resign the crown and
 solicit his admittance among the canons
 of the ,cathedral4 ,the bishop appeared
 at first to accede to this wish2 but it
 was only to prescribe to ,henry1       
henceforth his subordinate1 to resume   
the imperial authority which ,providence
 had bestowed on him2 the emperor       
acquiesced and perpetuated the          
remembrance of his pious wish by the    
foundation of a royal prebend4  ,when1  
in #ajae1 a sufficient quantity of      
materials was collected1 they set to    
work by digging the ground4 ,at the     
depth of more than five fathoms they    
drove down stakes1 filled the space     
between them with clay mixed with lime1 
fragments of bricks and coal2 and on    
this solid base were laid the foundation
 stones4  ,tradition gives an account of
 a hundred and even two hundred thousand
 men being employed in the construction 
of this church1 which work1 thanks to   
the religious enthusiasm of that epoch  
and the labours performed by vassals and

 workmen for the salvation of their     
souls1 advanced very rapidly4  ,in the  
year #ajbg bishop ,wernher set out for  
,constantinople1 and never returned to  
his native land4 ,from that time we have
 but imperfect and uncertain accounts   
touching the progress of the building4  
,all we know is1 that in #ajbh they had 
built up to the roof4 ,it seems likely  
from that account that this monument1   
built in the byzantine style1 at once so
 elegant and so simple1 was soon after  
completed by the erection of a tower1   
and that it remained in the same state  
till1 owing to sundry circumstances and1
 perhaps1 to bad construction1 it began 
to need important repair4 ,it is        
impossible to determine the time when   
repairing the church took place2        
however1 this happened probably not     
before the middle of the thirteenth     
century and in the then new style1 since
 called the ,gothic order4 ,this opinion
 is confirmed by the ancient seal of our
 city1 which likely enough and according

 to the custom of those times1          
represents the front of the ,cathedral4 
,that it had a tower in #aacj is a      
certain fact2 for ,koenigscoven speaks  
of its destruction by fire in the course
 of that year2 successive fires1 in     
#aadj1 #aaej1 #aagf also materially     
injured the beautiful edifice2 besides1 
the continual wars and tumultuous       
commotions of the time prevented the    
bishops from undertaking essential      
repairs4 ,it appears that these causes1 
by degrees1 brought on the complete ruin
 of bishop ,wernher's constructions2 for
 unquestionably the part included       
between the nave and the two towers     
dates but from the thirteenth century1  
and cannot have been begun before the   
middle of it4 ,what remained of the old 
church was pulled down at that time and 
a new and more spacious edifice was     
erected1 built in the style then        
spreading over all ,europe4 ,considering
 the immense size of this monument1 it  
is easy to imagine that the work went on

 but slowly1 and an old chronicle       
mentions that on the #gth ,september    
#abge they finished the middle part of  
the superior arch-roofs1 with the       
exception of the towers in front4 ,by   
whom these labours were directed is     
altogether unknown4  ,it was bishop     
,conrad of ,lichtenberg who undertook to
 rebuild the parts that were still in a 
state of ruin and thus at last to       
accomplish this great work of the       
,cathedral#a4    #a 444 ,ipsa ecclesia  
in meliorum statuum reedificetur 444    
7,see a charter of bishop ,conrad of    
,lichtenberg1 published by ,m4   ,l4    
,,space #ahda1 p4 #f74  ,in order to    
execute this design1 he published       
indulgences all over the country2 and   
after collecting large sums of money in 
the town1 he applied to the             
ecclesiastics of his diocese1 asking    
their own gifts and offerings as well as
 those of the faithful under their      
direction2 in a synod held in the       
diocese1 the clergy agreed to give up1  

during four years1 a fourth part of     
their revenues4 ,conrad entrusted the   
direction of this work to ,master ,erwin
 of ,steinbach1 who1 according to some  
old documents1 was a native of ,mayence4
 ,this great architect began by         
rebuilding the nave1 the arch-roofs of  
which were completed in #abge4 ,then he 
commenced the facade of the church and  
its towers from a plan so bold and      
sublime that the conception of it places
 ,erwin for ever at the head of the     
architects of the middle age#a4 ,in     
#abgf they laid the foundation of the   
northern tower2 to consecrate the spot1 
the bishop walked solemnly round it1    
then took a trowel in his hand and      
thrust it into the ground1 as a sign for
 beginning the work4 ,they relate that a
 quarrel having occured between two     
workmen who both wished to work with the
 trowel the bishop had held in his hand1
 one of them was killed4 ,this murder   
was considered as a very bad omen2      
,conrad ordered their labour to be      

suspended for nine days2 they were only 
resumed after he had consecrated the    
place anew4 ,the following year1 on     
saint ,urban's day 7#beth ,may71 ,conrad
 himself laid the first stone of the    
tower4 ,in the midst of his warfares1   
this bishop always entertained much     
affection for his ,cathedral1 as he     
beheld the gradual rising of this       
glorious work1 as an old inscription    
terms it#b2 in his heartfelt joy he used
 to compare it to the flowers of ,may   
that bloom in the sun#c4 ,to the very   
end of his life ,conrad of ,lichtenberg 
neglected nothing to urge on the        
progress of his work of predilection2   
after his death1 in #abii1 he received  
in it a sepulchre worthy of him2 his    
statue is still to be seen in saint     
,john's chapel4 ,yet1 during the life of
 ,conrad1 the ,cathedral was shaken by  
several earthquakes in #abgi1 #abhi1    
#abia2 that of #abhi was so violent that
 the columns in the interior of the     
building threatened for a moment to fall

 down4 ,but a very favourable           
circumstance happened in #abib1 which   
was the surrender of the                
,,oeuvre-,notre-,dame to the magistrate 
of the city1 who was henceforth charged 
with the management of the revenues     
allotted to the keeping in repair of the
 ,church and consequently also to the   
completion of it4 ,a few years after1 in
 #abih1 a new misfortune happened to the
 ,cathedral4 ,a fire1 caused by the     
imprudence of a cavalier of ,albert ,i1 
during the sojourn of that prince at    
,strasburg1 consumed all the timberwork 
and threatened even the pillars and     
walls4 ,however the damage was promptly 
repaired4 ,in #acjb a bloody conflict   
between two citizens of the town1 which 
took place in the very chancel of the   
church1 required again a new            
consecration of it4    #a ,they still   
preserve in the records of the convent  
of the   ,,oeuvre ,notre-,dame several  
old drawings on parchment of the        
facade and towers2 these curious designs

 belong to different   epochs2 according
 to the opinion of the connaisseurs1 the
   oldest would most likely be that of  
,erwin himself4    #b ,anno ,domini     
,,mcclxxvii in die beati ,urbani hoc    
gloriosum   opus inchoavit magister     
,erwinus de ,steinbach4 ,this           
inscription   was formerly placed in the
 vault of the northern portal4    #c ,in
 a letter of indulgence4  ,after the    
death of bishop ,conrad of ,lichtenberg1
 who in the year #abii was killed in a  
battle near ,friburg1 his brother and   
successor1 ,frederic1 showed no less    
ardour for the continuation of this     
building2 in #acjc he invited the       
curates throughout ,alsacia to exhort   
those of their faithful parishioners who
 had horses and carts1 to convey stones 
for the edifice2 in #acjh the magistrate
 of ,strasburg1 no doubt at the request 
of bishop ,john1 promised freepasses to 
all those who would bring stones or     
wood1 and he secured wine and wheat for 
the workmen4  ,erwin superintended the  

works until #acah1 when he died on the  
#adth of ,january4 ,all the children of 
this grand master were artists worthy of
 him3 ,sabina1 his daughter1 carved     
several statues for the ,cathedral2 one 
of his sons1 who died in #accj1 built   
the fine church of ,haslach2 his other  
son1 ,john1 succeeded him in directing  
the works of the ,cathedral1 and he died
 in #acci4 ,in #acca bishop ,berthold of
 ,bucheck built the chapel of saint     
,catherine1 which also contains his     
tomb4 ,the disturbances and calamities  
that desolated ,strasburg during a great
 part of the fourteenth century1 the    
revolution of #accb that altered the    
form of the government of the town1 the 
ravage caused by the black plague in    
#acdi with the insurrections            
accompanying it1 the contest of bishop  
,berthold with his chapter and with the 
emperor1 all this retarded of course the
 progress of the construction of the    
,cathedral4 ,nevertheless they          
terminated in #acfe the northern tower2 

,koenigshoven calls it the new tower1   
perhaps1 because they purposed erecting 
a pyramid on it1 which was quite an     
innovation in the architecture of that  
time4 ,the southern tower1 which the    
chronicler calls the ancient one1       
because it was not intended to be raised
 higher1 was finished at the same time4 
,the name of the artist who made the    
plan of the pyramid and spire of the    
northern tower is still unknown2 nor is 
it known who built the steeple which    
formerly rose above the grande rosace1  
or rose4  ,in #acfh the church was again
 struck by lightning without receiving  
much damage2 in #achd a fire that broke 
out in the organ1 burnt all the interior
 with the exception of the chancel4     
,ever since that time large vats were   
set in the different parts of the       
building and guardians placed in the    
interior and in the towers4 ,in #adbi1  
,john ,hueltz of ,cologne was sent for  
to complete this great work2 ten years  
after1 he finished the spire2 on        

,midsummer's day #adci1 in the presence 
of a great multitude1 he laid the last  
stone1 exactly a hundred and sixty two  
years after ,conrad of ,lichtenberg had 
placed the first stone of this monument2
 a statue of the ,virgin ,mary was also 
erected on the knob terminating the     
spire#a4    #a ,it was taken down in    
#adhh4  ,at the time of the reformation 
the ,cathedral passed over to the       
protestants2 it is true that on account 
of their worship1 they caused several   
chapels to be closed and some altars to 
be removed1 but they made no material   
change1 nor spoiled any thing2 on the   
contrary1 they watched with care over   
the magnificent building and even caused
 important repairs to be made in it4    
,several times it was very much injured 
by fire and by lightning1 particularly  
in the years #aedj1 #aeee1 #aefh1 #afbd 
and #afbe4 ,in #afed the spire was      
destroyed by lightning2 the skilful     
architect ,heckler was obliged to       
rebuild it sixty five feet high4 ,by the

 capitulation of #afha the ,cathedral   
was restored to the catholics1 who      
immediately began to repair it1 but     
unfortunately in that wretched style    
then prevailing1 and when not the least 
intelligence of christian art existed   
any longer1 they pulled down the lobby  
made by ,erwin1 so much admired in the  
middle age as a masterpiece of elegance2
 in #afib they adorned the interior of  
the choir with wainscots of wood painted
 and gilt2 in #agcb they widened it to  
the detriment of a portion of the nave1 
and ten years later galleries were made 
for the orchestra4 ,to punish1 as it    
would seem1 those who were thus spoiling
 this wonderful monument1 an earthquake 
shook it in #agbh2 in #agei it was      
struck by lightning and considerably    
injured2 the lead on the roof of the    
nave was entirely melted1 and the fine  
cupola or arched roof that crowned the  
dome fell into pieces2 the roof was then
 covered with copper1 but the cupola was
 not rebuilt4 ,new destructions awaited 

the ,cathedral in #agic2 in their fury  
of levelling1 the men who then ruled the
 country caused two hundred and thirty  
four effigies of saints and kings to be 
taken down from their niches1 of which  
very few only were saved2 the crazy     
jacobin ,teterel even proposed pulling  
down the spire1 because1 by its height  
extending far beyond that of the        
ordinary houses1 it was condemning the  
principle of equality2 the motion not   
being carried on4 ,teterel obtained the 
assurance at least1 that a large red cap
 made of tin should be placed on the top
 of the ,cathedral1 and it was to be    
seen among other curiosities in the     
town-library1 before its destruction4   
,the year #ahgj1 so full of important   
events for ,strasburg1 was also fatal   
for the ,cathedral1 and during the seven
 weeks' cannonading of the town the     
beautiful building was constantly       
threatened with ruin4 ,in the first     
period of the siege of ,strasburg1 the  
,germans tried to force the surrender by

 the bombardment and partial destruction
 of the inner town4 ,in the night of the
 #bcrd of ,august began for the         
frightened inhabitants the real time of 
terror2 however that night the rising   
conflagrations1 for instance in ,st4    
,thomas' church1 were quickly put out4  
,but in the following night the         
,new-,church1 the ,library of the town1 
the ,museum of paintings and many of the
 finest houses became a heap of ruins1  
and under the hail of shells all efforts
 to extinguish the fire were useless4   
,for the ,cathedral the night from the  
#beth to #bfth of ,august was the worst4
 ,towards midnight the flames broke out 
from the roof perforated by shells1 and 
increased by the melting copper1 they   
rose to a fearful height beside the     
pyramid of the spire4 ,the sight of this
 grand volume of flames1 rising above   
the town1 was indescribable and tinged  
the whole sky with its glowing          
reflection4 ,and the guns went on       
thundering and shattering parts of the  

stone ornaments which adorned the front 
and sides of the ,cathedral4 ,the whole 
roof came down and the fire died out    
only for want of fuel4 ,the following   
morning the ground in the interior was  
covered with ruins1 and through the     
holes in the vault of the nave one could
 see the blue sky4 ,the beautiful ,organ
 built by ,silbermann was pierced by a  
shell and the magnificent painted       
windows were in great part spoiled4     
,fortunately the celebrated astronomical
 ,clock had escaped unhurt4  ,as the    
,military ,command continued for some   
time to occupy a post of observation on 
the platform1 the ,cathedral was        
unfortunately still longer the aim of   
,german guns which every day surrounded 
the building with ruins4 ,on the #dth of
 ,september two shells hit the crown of 
the ,cathedral and hurled the           
stonemasses to incredible distances2 on 
the #aeth a shot came even into the     
point below the ,cross1 which was bent  
on one side1 and had its threatened fall

 only prevented by the iron bars of the 
lightning conductor which held it4      
,after the entrance of the ,germans into
 the reconquered town1 the difficult and
 dangerous work of restauration of the  
point of the spire was begun at once and
 happily ended a few months after4 ,they
 work also constantly to make the other 
damages disappear1 and in a short time  
the magnificent house of ,god will be   
restored to all its ancient splendour4  
,illustration     ,illustration3 ,the   
,crypta4  ,,ii4 ,,description4   ,the   
first aspect of the ,cathedral produces 
on the mind a deep impression4 ,one is  
seized with admiration and amazed at the
 first view of this noble edifice whose 
steeple towers up so gracefully and     
majestically4 ,no doubt that examined in
 all its particular parts1 one may also 
be struck with the disproportion that   
exists between them2 the nave is not in 
harmony with the dimensions of the      
tower1 the chancel and transept still   
less so3 but although this want of      

uniformity may lessen the symmetry of   
the monument1 the impression it at first
 produces is no less extraordinary4 ,and
 besides1 have not those different      
styles a particular interest for those  
who study the history of architecture8  
,in the ,cathedral are1 as it were1     
brought together all the styles or      
orders of architecture of the middle    
ages1 from the byzantine art with its   
grave simplicity1 down to the last      
glimmerings of the gothic art1 now      
declining1 and its works lined with an  
excess of superfluous ornaments4 ,the   
byzantine taste prevails in the first   
constructions of the chancel and aisles 
and even somewhat in the lower part of  
the nave2 higher up1 the style in which 
the ogive was built extends to the other
 constructions and finally succeeds to  
the former entirely4  ,the facade of the
 church1 of an imposing magnitude1      
cannot be sufficiently admired2 the     
massive walls are hidden by clochetoons1
 arcades1 small pillars and innumerable 

statues2 these decorations all wrought  
to great perfection1 give to that part  
of the edifice a nicety that makes it   
resemble a work coming from the hands of
 a chaser4 ,but how to describe1 in the 
short space which the limits of this    
sketch admit1 all the details1 all the  
particular parts of our ,cathedral8     
,there is in it such a profusion1 such a
 richness1 that to be properly explored1
 it would require volumes4 ,we must     
therefore limit ourselves to some brief 
indications of the most interesting and 
essential parts#a4 ,moreover a          
description of all the allegorical      
statues and figures that adorn          
particularly the inferior parts of the  
building1 would be here so much the more
 superfluous1 as an intelligent         
spectator may easily understand them4   
,all these fine ornaments are meant to  
symbolize the mysteries of ,redemption1 
taken from the principal facts in       
,scripture and from the fundamental     
doctrines of the christian faith4 ,in   

this respect the lower tier is the most 
remarkable2 the middle one has neither  
the same beauty nor the same religious  
signification2 the third is the least   
satisfactory both as regards execution  
and artistical conception4    #a ,we    
refer the reader who wishes to study the
 ,cathedral in   all its parts1 to the  
following works3 ,grandidier1 ,essais   
historiques et topographiques sur       
l'eglise ,cathedrale de   ,strasbourg1  
,strasb4 #aghb1 in #ho4--,h4 ,schreiber1
 ,das ,muenster   zu ,strassburg1       
,freib4 #ahbh1 in #ho1 avec #aa         
lithographies gr4   in-fol4--,vues      
pittoresques de la ,cathedrale de       
,strasbourg1   dessins par ,chapuy et   
texte par ,schweighaeuser1 #c livr4     
in-fol4   ,strasb4 #ahbg4 ,la           
,cathedrale de ,strasbourg et ses       
details1 par   ,a4 ,friedrich1 #d liv4  
gr4 in-fol41 renfermant #eg planches    
accompagnees d'un texte explicatifet    
historique4 ,we regret to   say that but
 one number of this fine work has been  

published   7in #ahci74--,kunst und     
,alterthum in ,elsass-,lothringen1 von  
,prot4 ,f4 ,x4 ,kraus1 ,i4 ,band4 ,with 
numerous wood-engravings4 #ahgg4        
,illustration3 ,porch of                
,saint-,lawrence4  ,the whole of the    
facade is formed of the two fore-parts  
of the northern and southern towers and 
of the large central porch2 these three 
distinct portions are separated by      
counterforts or pillars which divide1 as
 it were1 the frontispiece into three   
broad vertical bands1 each of which has 
its portico4 ,these porticos and their  
frontons are ornamented with a great    
many statues and bas-reliefs1 some of   
which pulled down during the revolution1
 have since been replaced4 ,the large   
figures in the left portico are twelve  
virgins1 wearing diadems and trampling  
down human forms representing the seven 
deadly sins4 ,on both sides of the right
 hand portico are seen the ten virgins  
of the parable2 to the group of the wise
 virgins on the right is joined the     

statue of ,jesus-,christ2 the foolish   
virgins composing the group on the left 
side1 have among them an allegoric      
figure expressing the lust of the world3
 on her head is a wreath1 in one hand   
she holds an apple1 the ancient symbol  
of lust2 her back bears hideous vipers1 
to portray the sad fate which must be   
the inevitable result of inordinate     
earthly desires4  ,all these statues1   
now blackened by the centuries that have
 passed over them1 have all a stern     
appearance1 like those that deck the    
magnificent middle porch representing   
either prophets of the ,old ,testament1 
,apostles or fathers of the ,church4 ,in
 the arches of these three porticos are 
figures of a smaller size1 which like   
the bas-reliefs of the tympans1 exhibit 
either scenes taken from ,scripture1 or 
saints and angels4 ,in the tympan on the
 right hand door1 ,jesus is seen seated 
on a rain-bow1 and over him is the      
,resurrection of the dead and the       
,judgment-day4 ,on the butting pillar   

that divides both folds of the middle   
porch#a1 is placed a blessed ,virgin    
holding an infant ,christ in her arms4  
,the fronton of this portal is formed by
 two triangles and adorned with many    
figures2 that on the summit of the      
interior triangle1 which first strikes  
the eye1 is king ,solomon seated under a
 canopy2 on both sides of him are       
fourteen lions raised on steps or       
benches that draw near towards the top  
and join near a ,virgin ,mary sitting   
with the infant ,christ on one arm and  
holding a globe in her other hand2 she  
is the ,patroness of the church4 ,above 
her a radiated head1 representing ,god  
the ,father1 forms the point of the     
triangle that encircles the inside      
fronton1 which is decked with figures   
playing on different musical            
instruments4 ,on the sides facing the   
,north and ,south1 the two towers have  
each a large window with most beautiful 
rosaces4 ,over the window on the ,south 
side is seen a very old sculpture1 the  

grotesque figures of which represent the
 night revelling of sorcerers4 ,the     
frontons of the other porticos are also 
adorned with rosaces4    #a ,the        
beautiful folds of the middle door1     
mounted with artful   bronze ornaments  
which were executed in ,paris after the 
designs   of the architect of our       
cathedral1 ,mr4 ,klotz1 were hung up in 
#ahgi4  ,on the second tier of the      
middle porch is a large rose-window that
 occupies the whole width of it4 ,it is 
surrounded by a detached arch1 which as 
much on account of the elegance of its  
workmanship1 as of the boldness of its  
construction1 is one of the most        
admirable parts of the ,cathedral4 ,the 
large painted windows have been repaired
 by skilful artists1 ,mr4 ,ritter and   
,mr4 ,mueller4 ,where the second tier   
begins1 at the bottom of the            
rose-window1 are four equestrian        
statues1 placed in niches in the        
counterforts1 three of which1 those of  
,clovis1 ,dagobert and ,rodolphe of     

,habsburg1 were erected in #abia1 the   
fourth1 that of ,louis ,,xiv1 was placed
 only in #ahbh4 ,clovis and ,dagobert   
were the benefactors of the church of   
,strasburg4 ,rodolphe stands there1 less
 on account of his liberalities to the  
,cathedral1 than for having been to the 
last the valiant friend of the ,republic
 of ,strasburg4 ,king ,louis ,,xiv      
accompanies the three others1 rather    
from adulation than any other cause4 ,on
 the upper tier of the facade are placed
 the equestrian statues of king ,pepin  
the ,short1 of ,charlemain1 ,otho the   
,great and ,henry ,i the ,fowler4 ,on   
the south-side are seen in the first    
tier the emperors ,otho ,,ii1 ,otho     
,,iii and ,henry ,,ii2 in the upper tier
 of the same side1 the equestrian       
statues of ,conrad ,,ii1 ,henry ,,iii   
and the statue of ,henry ,,iv4 ,on the  
north-side of the facade are the        
equestrian statues of ,charles ,martel1 
the ,franconian majordomo2 of ,louis the
 ,debonair and ,lotharius1 the son of   

,louis the ,debonair2 at last in the    
upper tier1 the statues of ,charles the 
,bald1 king of the ,west-,franconians   
and the equestrian statues of ,lotharius
 ,,ii and ,louis the ,german 7#hgf74    
,over the rose-window1 but still in the 
compartment of the second tier1 is a    
gallery furnished with the figures of   
the ,apostles1 and above them is placed 
,jesus-,christ holding in his hands a   
cross and banner4 ,in the lateral       
towers1 the same tier is taken up on    
each side by a high broad window in the 
shape of an ogee1 before which rise very
 slender pillars4 ,exactly over these   
windows1 on the third tier and also on  
each side1 are three very high and      
narrow windows2 the middle part1 though 
wider1 has but two1 rather small ones1  
and surrounded by some statues4 ,this   
very massive portion of the building    
betrays at first sight its later origin2
 when ,erwin's plan was abandoned1 this 
part was added to fill up the empty     
space between the two towers2 these were

 already completed1 and even have on the
 third tier their windows looking into  
the central porch1 but which are at     
present hidden from the outside4 ,that  
part of the middle porch is used as a   
belfry1 four large bells are suspended  
in it1 the largest of which1 cast in    
#adbg1 weighs nine thousand kilogrammes1
 and serves to announce great festival  
days2 it is also rung at the death of   
renowned personages1 or in case of fire4
  ,it was only in the year #ahdi that   
the front was ornamented with statues   
representing the day of judgment4 ,this 
group1 consisting of fifteen gigantic   
figures1 was made after the old drawings
 preserved in the archives of the       
,,oeuvre-,notre-,dame4 ,jesus-,christ1  
as judge1 is in the middle1 with ,mary  
and ,john the ,baptist on either side2  
they are surrounded by angels sounding  
the trumpet of dooms-day1 or bearing the
 instruments of our ,saviour's passion2 
beneath are seen the ,evangelists1      
having men's bodies surmounted by the   

heads of the four symbols which         
generally accompany them4  ,above the   
middle porch and the southward tower1 is
 the platform1 very spacious and        
surrounded by a handsome balustrade2 on 
it is built a small house for the       
guardians charged to strike the hours   
and ring the alarm bell in case of fire4
 ,from the top of this platform one     
enjoys a magnificent view2 the wonderful
 panorama that unfolds itself from      
there1 has been drawn with as much taste
 as accuracy by ,mr4 ,frederic ,piton1 a
 zealous amateur of our local history4  
,towards the ,north1 in the direction of
 the ,wacken1 an island near ,strasburg1
 is seen on the horizon the mountain of 
the ,pigeonnier 7,scherhol in ,german71 
at the foot of which lies ,wissemburg2  
to its right rise the peaks crowned by  
the ruins of ,gutenberg and ,trifels1   
and the famous ,geisberg taken by storm 
in the war of #ahgj4 ,on the other side 
of the ,rhine1 whose majestic stream the
 eye can easily trace1 the long range of

 the mountains of the ,black ,forest    
limits the horizon4 ,the first peak that
 is seen is that of the ,eichelberg1 at 
the opening of the valley of the ,murg2 
then comes the ,fremersberg1 the        
,mount-,mercury1 the mountain with the  
ruins of ,yburg2 all these names are    
known to those who have visited ,baden4 
,beyond these summits is the high level 
ground of the ,hornisgruende1 on the    
other side of which is seen1 in the     
midst of a forest1 the dark lake named  
,mummelsee4 ,farther on1 eastward1      
beyond the arsenal of ,strasburg and the
 village of ,kehl1 you observe the      
castle of ,schauenburg1 near ,oberkirch1
 where the valley of the ,rench begins4 
,after gliding over the ruin of         
,fuersteneck and ,schauenburg1 the eye  
rests on the stately buildings of       
,ortenberg1 rebuilt after the middle age
 architecture1 at the entrance of the   
valley of the ,kinzig4 ,directing your  
eye more towards the ,south1 you        
discover the mountains of ,triberg1 and 

close to them those of ,lahr2 then comes
 the loftiest peak of the ,black        
,forest1 the ,feldberg1 #adid metres    
high4 ,farther on the eye may discover  
7if tine7 the ,ballon and the ,blauen1  
behind the hills of the ,kaiserstuhl2   
thence this ridge of mountains is lost  
sight of4 ,in the plain1 between the    
,rhine and the ,vosges1 a double row of 
poplars points out the ,canal 7from the 
,rhone to the ,rhine74 ,the first peak  
seen in the range of the ,vosges towards
 the ,south-,east is the ,ballon of     
,sultz1 #iic metres high2 the eye then  
discovers in a western direction the    
ruins of the three castles of ,egisheim1
 ,haut-,hattstatt and ,landsberg1 the   
top of the ,ballon of ,gebwiller1 #adbf 
metres high the ,hoheneck1 the ruins of 
the old castles of ,kientzheim1         
,rappoltstein1 ,hoh- 7,high7            
,koenigsburg1 ,ortenburg1 ,bernstein1   
,frankenburg and the summits of the     
,bressoir and ,ungersberg4 ,looking in  
the direction of ,saint-,thomas' church1

 at one glance the eye overlooks the    
country of the old ,hohenburg1 so       
picturesque and so rich in monuments and
 historical associations3 the castle of 
,landsberg1 the rock of the             
,maennelstein1 the convent of           
,sainte-,odile1 behind which rises the  
level ground of the ,champ-du-,feu2     
further on to the right1 are the ruins  
of ,girbaden1 the peaks of the ,donon   
and ,schneeberg4 ,here the mountains are
 by degrees lost from sight in the      
distance2 on the horizon one may however
 distinguish the towers of the castles  
of ,geroldseck and ,hoh- 7,high7 ,barr1 
in the vicinity of ,zabern2 then nothing
 more is seen but meadows1 forests1     
fields1 from the centre of which you see
 now and then the modest church-steeples
 of the numerous villages that cover the
 fine plain of ,alsacia4  ,on the ,north
 side stands a tower of an octangular   
form1 supporting the spire4 ,this tower 
consists1 as it were1 but of strong     
buttresses adorned with small columns   

and statues1 and having large apertures 
in which very high windows are set and  
take nearly the whole breadth on the    
four sides1 where they are4 ,among the  
statues that face the platform1 one must
 be noticed as being1 according to      
tradition1 that of ,erwin of ,steinbach4
 ,in the interior of this tower are the 
bells that strike the hours1 that which 
is called the gates' bell               
7,thorglocke7#a and also a clock made in
 #aghf by two clockmakers of ,strasburg1
 ,maybaum father and son4 ,an           
inscription over the door leading to the
 platform recalls to mind the earthquake
 of #agbh1 so violent that the water was
 raised from the reservoirs and thrown  
to a distance of eighteen feet#b4 ,in   
front of the four principal sides of the
 octagon tower are turrets with winding 
stairs1 and consisting but of a series  
of windows that rise in a spiral form4  
,these elegant turrets seem hardly to   
rest on any thing2 besides the gallery  
that covers them1 they communicate with 

the principal tower but by means of flat
 stones that serve as an entrance into a
 gallery of the interior of the         
arch-roof1 and which lie at a height of 
almost thirty metres4 ,according to the 
old drawings1 these turrets should have 
been surmounted by pyramidal spires4    
,they terminate in a gallery that       
surrounds the tower1 from whence one    
enjoys a most admirable view4 ,it is    
from that spot that rises the spire     
7fleche71 which is an octangular pyramid
 of an extraordinary boldness1 offering 
to the astonished gazer nothing of a    
massive construction4 ,six successive   
tiers of little turrets are thus        
pyramidically placed one above the      
other#c4 ,eight winding stair-cases1    
narrow and of rich open carvings1 lead  
the visitor to a massive spot commonly  
called the lantern2 higher up is the    
crown#d1 which is not reached without   
danger1 by means of steps placed        
outside1 and with no other protection   
than the wall to which they are         

fastened2 above another widened place1  
called the rose1 the spire is nothing   
but a column whence jut out horizontal  
branches to give it the aspect of a     
cross4 ,the monument terminates in a    
knob being #jm 4#dfj in diameter and to 
which ever since #ahce a                
lightning-conductor has been adapted2   
one may climb there but with the aid of 
iron bars to which you must cling with  
hands and feet4 ,the total height of    
this stately building is #adbm4    #a   
,so called because it was rung morning  
and night before the   opening and      
closing of the city gates4    #b ,in the
 interior of this tower and on the      
balustrade are seen   a great many names
 of foreigners who have visited the     
,cathedral4   ,among these names are    
some of celebrated persons1 as ,goethe1 
,herder1 etc4    #c ,above the first    
tier of the turrets is seen around the  
spire   7fleche7 the following          
inscription3        ,christus nos       
revocat4 ,christus gratis donat4        

,christus semper regnat4 ,christus      
imperat4        ,christus rex superat4  
,christus triumphat4        ,maria      
glorificat4 ,christus coronat4    #d    
,besides some other inscriptions on the 
spire1 you read round   the first       
gallery of the crown these words3       
,jesus ,christus verbum caro factum est1
        ,jesus ,christus1 et habitavit  
in nobis1        ,jesus ,christus1 et   
vidimus gloriam ejus1        ,jesus     
,christus1 gloriam quasi unigeniti a    
,patre4                                 
7,s4 ,john4 #a4 #ad47  ,illustration3   
,the column of angels4  ,the nave1      
decked with a copper roof1 abounds no   
less in decoration than the front4 ,it  
has large ogive windows adorned with    
rosaces2 at the place where the         
buttresses1 equally carved with rosaces1
 join the counterforts or pillars1 they 
have at their tops fine clochetoons2 a  
great many statues and grotesque figures
 of heads complete the ornaments of this
 part of the church4 ,two galleries1 one

 under the windows1 the other below the 
clochetoons of the counterforts1 lead   
from the towers to the cross-aisle4     
,this1 as we have already said1 is still
 byzantine in several parts of it4 ,the 
southern porch1 formed by two           
semi-circular doors made evidently at   
one of the remotest periods of the      
,cathedral1 is adorned with bas-reliefs 
and statues2 according to tradition1 it 
is reported that two of these statues   
are the work of ,sabina of ,steinbach4  
,one is a woman in a triumphal posture  
holding in her hands a communion cup and
 a cross2 she is the symbol of the      
church that vanquished the synagogue2   
the other1 a symbol of the latter1 is a 
woman looking down1 blindfolded and     
leaning with pain on a broken spear1    
whilst the laws of the twelve tables    
drop from her left hand4 ,on the parvis 
before this porch is erected1 on the    
left1 the statue of ,sabina herself1 and
 on the right1 the statue of ,erwin of  
,steinbach1 both due to the chisel of   

,mr4 ,grass4  ,the wall of the upper    
tier has openings for several windows of
 an ogive form1 above which a gallery   
runs all along2 two round-windows take  
up the third tier4 ,the northern portion
 of the cross-aisle has more generally  
preserved the byzantine manner than that
 we have just spoken of2 however1 this  
intermixture with the gothic style      
denounces latter renovations4 ,the      
ancient porch1 the remains of very old  
constructions1 is masked by a fore-front
 that belongs to the last period of the 
gothic art1 and which was built in #adid
 by ,james of ,landshut2 this new porch 
7porch of ,st4 ,laurence71 though       
handsome in its ensemble1 is wanting in 
that noble simplicity and purity of     
taste that distinguishes the other parts
 of the ,cathedral2 it is overloaded    
with ornaments1 and its statues have a  
stiffness that is found nowhere else4   
,the octangular dome over the chancel is
 also of the byzantine era2 however1 it 
has been renewed in several parts4 ,in  

the place of the deformed cupola1       
destroyed by the fire of #ahgj1 a       
handsome pyramid has been erected in the
 year #ahgh1 after the plans of ,mr4    
,klotz1 architect of the ,cathedral4    
,up to #aggb the lower part of the      
lateral fronts of the church was        
disfigured by paltry decayed houses2 the
 same year they were pulled down and in 
their places the present porticos were  
built1 which are not wanting in         
elegance3 the shops and stalls that     
formerly obstructed in so disgraceful a 
manner the access to the nave1 have also
 disappeared2 and the porches have been 
repaired with a great amount of good    
taste4  ,the view of the interior of the
 nave leaves a deep impression4 ,it is  
mysteriously lighted by magnificent     
painted windows1 and supported on each  
side by seven large pillars1 composed of
 round agglomerated columns4 ,the two   
first of these pillars1 more gigantic   
than the rest1 support also the towers2 
the total elevation of the upper arch is

 more than #ca metres4 ,the interior    
front1 over the principal porch1 is     
adorned with a beautiful sculptured     
round-window2 between this and the grand
 rose-window is a glass gallery4 ,above 
the arches that unite the pillars on    
both sides of the nave and all along is 
a fine gothic gallery1 serving as a     
basis to large windows1 similar to those
 of the lower sides of the church4 ,the 
lower part of the wall of the latter is 
ornamented with a range of small        
columns1 joined together by og-arches4  
,the magnificent windows of this church 
represent subjects and personages of    
,scripture and ,legend4 ,among the      
artists who have painted these windows1 
the oldest one known1 is master ,john of
 ,kirchheim2 those made after his       
drawings were put up in #acdh2 there is 
no doubt that many of his works still   
adorn the ,cathedral4 ,the names of     
,john ,markgraf1 ,james ,vischer and the
 brothers ,link were mentioned later4   
,at the latter part of the eighteenth   

century ,john ,daniel ,danegger painted 
also some1 which1 however1 owing to     
their mediocrity1 have since been       
removed4 ,for some years past they have 
undergone considerable repair under the 
direction of artists of talent and well 
acquainted with the science of          
antiquities4 ,the painted windows of the
 upper galleries of the nave represent  
the seventy four ancestors of ,jesus    
,christ2 higher up are the images of    
saints and martyrs2 in the right aisle1 
over the vestry1 is seen the gigantic   
figure of saint ,christopher3 on the    
,south side1 of the six windows that    
have each sixteen divisions1 the four   
first contain some scenes from the      
history of the ,bible2 the two last1 the
 day of ,judgment and the celestial     
,jerusalem4 ,on the ,north side1 in an  
equal number of windows1 you see the    
birth of ,jesus ,christ1 the wise men1  
and the portraits of several ,german    
emperors2 the last of these windows     
represents a series of the oldest events

 in ,scripture4 ,the effect produced by 
these beautiful windows is greatly      
increased since they had the happy idea 
to wash away the daubing with which1    
about thirty years ago1 they had        
besmeared the inner walls of the        
,cathedral2 by these means the bare part
 of the wall1 a fine stone of a rosy    
tint1 which served for the construction 
of the church1 is rendered visible2 it  
was a measure that bespoke much good    
taste and knowledge of the christian    
art4  ,on the left side of the nave is  
fixed the organ which extends up to the 
superior arch4 ,it is a master-piece of 
work of ,andrew ,silbermann1 who was one
 of the most able organ-builders of his 
time and who built it in #agjd4 ,pierced
 by a shell during the bombardment of   
#ahgj1 this organ of ,silbermann has    
been restored by a distinguished organ  
builder of our city4  ,on the same side1
 at the fifth pillar1 stands the pulpit1
 erected in #adhf by ,john ,hammerer1 by
 order of the magistrate1 for the       

celebrated preacher ,geiler of          
,kaysersberg4 ,this work of sculpture1  
remarkably delicate1 is adorned with    
nearly fifty little statues1 the meaning
 of which is easy to understand4 ,the   
canopy is of a modern style1 and was    
made in #ahbd to replace a more ancient 
one1 perhaps the first erected in #afag1
 which has been handed down to us as a  
most simple piece of workmanship1 and   
made of lime-wood4 ,at the foot of the  
stairs are two figures1 a man in the    
posture of rest and a woman praying2 we 
may justly suppose that they are meant  
for the maker of the pulpit and his     
wife4  ,illustration  ,the chancel is   
joined to the nave by two pillars of    
very large dimensions and whose tops    
belong to one of the constructions      
anterior to the gothic order4 ,the      
magnificent lobby built by ,erwin of    
,steinbach was taken down to make room  
for the taste prevailing in the         
seventeenth century2 it was demolished  
in #afhb4 ,two high and circular columns

 support the cupola of the chancel and  
separate it from its two aisles2 in the 
centre of each of the latter stand also 
columns to sustain the arch-roofs2 that 
of the northern part is round1 whilst   
the column of the southern aisle is     
composed of a collection of very slender
 pillars1 probably of a later           
construction2 this long1 thin and       
gracious column bears in its corners    
some statues1 the fineness and          
gracefulness of which recall to mind the
 work of ,sabina of ,steinbach4 ,beneath
 are the four ,evangelists2 above four  
angels holding trumpets1 and uppermost  
the ,saviour and three angels with the  
implements of the ,saviour's passion in 
their hands2 it is called the angel's   
column or ,erwin's column4 ,on the large
 pillar which unites the nave to the    
chancel1 are two inscriptions in        
commemoration of the famous preacher    
,geiler of ,kaysersberg who1 for many   
years1 displayed his eloquence from the 
pulpit of the ,cathedral4 ,in this same 

aisle is erected the statue of bishop   
,wernher1 meditating the design of the  
church laid before him4 ,opposite this  
statue1 the work of ,mr4 ,friderich1 is 
the celebrated4   ,astronomical ,clock4 
,as early as #aceb an astronomical clock
 was begun under bishop ,berthold of    
,bucheck1 and finished two years after  
by an unknown artist1 in the time of    
,john of ,lichtenberg4 ,it was fixed to 
the wall facing the present one4 ,the   
frame-work of that first clock was all  
of wood2 the stones that formed its     
basis are to this day seen projecting   
from the wall4 ,it was divided into     
three parts2 the lower part contained a 
universal calendar2 in the middle was an
 astrolabe1 and in the superior division
 were seen the three wise men and the   
,virgin ,mary carved in wood2 the wise  
men bent every hour before the ,virgin1 
by means of a peculiar mechanism1 which 
at the same time put in motion a chime  
of harmonious sounds and a cock crowing 
and flapping his wings4  ,the exact time

 at which this clock1 which in the      
fourteenth century must have been a     
wonderful piece of workmanship1 and was 
called the clock of the three sages1    
ceased going1 is not known3 it had been 
stopped for a long time1 when in #aedg  
the magistrate of the town decided on   
having another made and putting it      
opposite the old one1 in the very place 
the clock now occupies4 ,three          
distinguished mathematicians furnished  
the plan and superintended the execution
 of it3 they were ,dr ,michel ,herr1    
,christian ,herlin1 professor of        
mathematics at the school of ,strasburg1
 and ,nicholas ,prugner1 who1 after     
preaching the reformation at ,mulhouse  
and at ,benfeld1 occupied himself at    
,strasburg with mechanics and astrology4
 ,these three learned men began this    
work1 but did not terminate it2 it was  
resumed in the year #aegj by a pupil of 
,herlin1 named ,conrad ,dasypodius of   
,strasburg1 where he was a professor of 
mathematics4 ,dasypodius drew the design

 of the clock1 but its execution was    
confided to two skilful mechanics of    
,schaffhouse1 the brothers ,isaac and   
,josiah ,habrecht2 ,tobias ,stimmer1    
also of ,schaffhouse1 had the charge of 
the paintings4 ,this master-piece of the
 mechanical art of the sixteenth century
 was completed in #aegd2 it ceased going
 in #aghi4 ,as the exterior distribution
 of the present clock is nearly the same
 as that of the old clock1 we shall     
abstain from describing the latter4 ,in 
#ahcf the corporation of the town of    
,strasburg adopted the resolution of    
causing this curious monument to be     
repaired4 ,to ,mr4 ,schwilgue1 a        
distinguished mechanician of ,strasburg1
 his native place1 this remarkable work 
was entrusted2 he began it the #bdth of 
,june #ahch and finished it at the end  
of #ahdb4  ,it is one of the most       
beautiful pieces of workmanship of our  
age2 its mechanism is entirely new and  
in accordance with the present state of 
the science of astronomy1 which as is   

well known1 has attained a very high    
degree of certainty and exactness4 ,mr4 
,schwilgue has not made use of any of   
the pieces of the old clock1 which are  
deposited in the chapel of the          
,,oeuvre-,notre-,dame2 by comparing them
 with the pieces composing the new      
clock1 one may judge of the progress of 
science and of the talents of the modern
 artist4 ,m4 ,schwilgue preserved of the
 former clock only its fine case1 the   
paintings and ornaments of which were   
carefully repaired4 ,in this he had many
 difficulties to overcome1 as well for  
the proper arrangement of this mechanism
 and lodging it in a space that was     
often very limited1 as for making the   
old signs or indications accord with the
 movements of the clockwork4 ,of these  
many were marked only in painting1 and  
must have been renewed after a certain  
time1 as for instance those for the     
eclipses1 which now by a most ingenious 
mechanical combination will henceforth  
last for ever4 ,the little statues which

 hitherto had no articulation1 are now  
moveable2 the twelve ,apostles have been
 added to the former number of them4    
,the figure of ,death1 formerly on the  
same level with that of ,jesus-,christ1 
is now placed in the centre of figures  
representing the four ages of life and  
striking the quarters of hours2 the idea
 of assigning this place to the image of
 death is assuredly a more rational and 
finer one than that which prevailed in  
the old distribution of the figures4    
,childhood strikes the first quarter2   
,youth the second2 ,manhood the third1  
and ,old ,age the last2 the first stroke
 of each quarter is struck by one of the
 two genii seated above the perpetual   
calendar2 the four ages strike the      
second4 ,whilst death strikes the hours1
 the second of these genii turns over   
the hourglass that he holds in his hand4
 ,the image of the ,saviour stands now  
on a higher ground2 at the hour of noon 
the twelve ,apostles pass bowing before 
him2 he lifts up his hand to bless them1

 and during that time1 a cock1 whose    
motions and voice imitate nature1 flaps 
his wings and crows three times4  ,mr4  
,schwilgue has altered the old calendar 
into a perpetual one with the addition  
of the feasts that vary1 according to   
their connexion with ,easter or ,advent 
,sundays4 ,the dial1 nine metres in     
circumference1 is subject to a          
revolution of #cfe or #cff days1        
according as the case may be4 ,mr4      
,schwilgue has even indicated the       
suppression of the secular bissextile   
days4 ,he has moreover enriched his work
 by adding to it an ecclesiastic compute
 with all its indications2 an orrery    
after the ,copernican system1           
representing the mean tropical          
revolutions of each of the planets      
visible to the naked eye1 the phases of 
the moon1 the eclipses of the sun and   
moon1 calculated for ever2 the true time
 and the sideral time2 a new celestial  
globe with the procession of the        
equinoxes1 solar and lunary equations   

for the reduction of the mean geocentric
 ascension and declension of the sun and
 moon at true times and places4 ,a dial 
placed without the church and showing   
the hours and days1 is put in motion by 
the same mechanism of the clockwork4    
,the camerated roof of the back part of 
the chancel was formerly covered with   
paintings executed in #afhf representing
 ,dooms-day4 ,a few paintings only      
adorned till now the interior of the    
,cathedral1 among which the most        
remarkable oil-paintings1 executed by   
artists of ,strasburg1 are3 the         
,shepherd's ,adoration1 by ,guerin1 the 
,laying in the tomb1 by ,klein2 the     
,ascension1 by ,heim1 and some others4  
,in the seventeenth and eighteenth      
centuries the chancel was several times 
and in different ways enlarged and      
disfigured by ornaments little          
correspondent with the elegance and     
grandeur of the gothic order4 ,tribunes1
 stairs and wainscots that formed a     
strange contrast with the rest of the   

edifice were added4 ,the altar1 adorned 
in #aeja1 with fine figures carved in   
wood by ,master ,nicholas of ,haguenau1 
was changed in #afhe by order of bishop 
,william ,egon of ,fuerstenberg2 that   
new altar1 covered with a baldachin1 was
 destroyed by fire1 and in #agfe the    
present one1 which has nothing in its   
form worthy of notice1 was erected4     
,great repairs were begun some years ago
 under the direction of the city        
corporation1 struck1 as every body was1 
by the great disproportion between the  
chancel and nave4 ,it was resolved to   
restore the chancel to its primitive    
form and arrangement1 and thus to       
reestablish the due proportions between 
that part and the rest of this          
magnificent church4 ,this great labour  
is now finished4 ,their natural         
complement1 as required by the style of 
this part of the pile and its extensive 
fronts and arch-roofs1 is the execution 
of a certain number of monumental       
paintings1 intrusted to two             

distinguished artists1 ,prof4 ,steinle1 
,director of ,staedel's ,institute in   
,frankfort a_/,m4 and the historical    
painter ,steinheil in ,paris1 a native  
,alsacian4 ,the former is charged with  
the execution of the fresco-paintings in
 the chancel and lateral naves1 whilst  
the latter undertook the reestablishment
 of the paintings that represent the    
,dooms-day on the upper wall of the     
chancel1 in front of the great nave4    
,both works1 begun in #ahgf1 came in    
sight for the visitors of the           
,cathedral1 at the end of #ahgh4  ,in   
restoring to this part of the edifice   
its former appearance1 it has highly    
augmented the effect produced on the    
inward aspect of the ,cathedral2 now    
also may be decided the question1       
hitherto doubtful1 of the exact time at 
which the chancel was built2 with       
certainty1 it may already be said1 that 
it was not erected1 as was often        
affirmed1 in the time of the emperor    
,charlemain4  ,illustration3            

,astronomical clock4  ,in removing the  
superfetations that had taken place     
during these two last centuries1 and in 
reestablishing the architectural forms  
that the wretched style then prevailing 
had concealed1 a succession of large    
ogive arches of an admirable and        
powerful proportion which form the      
inferior part of the ,apsis1 and support
 a gallery serving as a basis to the    
upper story1 have come to light4 ,on    
this story1 which is separated from the 
cul-de-four 7spherical vault7 by a      
single moulding1 are three large ogive  
windows1 the middle one of which is of  
colossal dimensions1 and between the    
columns below are in a symmetrical      
manner placed1 on each side1 the doors  
of the treasury and chapter-room1 and in
 the centre lies the bishop's throne1   
the niched vault of which is still more 
richly decorated2 between the           
intermedial arches are the staircase    
doors leading to the gallery4  ,the     
,apsis is not very deep and terminates  

by a segment1 cut out of a masonry work 
outwardly square2 entirely devoted to   
the sanctuary1 it only contains the     
high-altar1 the twenty four stalls of   
the chapter and a necessary room to     
perform divine worship4 ,in #ahgh an    
accompanying organ has been erected on  
the left side4 ,this beautiful          
instrument1 made by ,mr4 ,merklin1 the  
skilful organ-builder of ,lyons1 is a   
masterpiece of art and taste that       
enhances indeed the chancel of the      
,cathedral4 ,in front and a few steps   
lower down lies the chancel1 destined to
 the inferior clergy and choristers4    
,this chancel surmounted by a large     
octagonal cupola1 the external part of  
which was struck by lightning in #agei1 
is placed at the intersection of the    
transepts and nave2 open and lighted on 
all sides1 one can admire the boldness  
and majesty of the columns and basis    
that support the arched roofs4 ,the     
cripta or subterranean place1 extending 
under the whole length of the chancel1  

is worthy of notice2 it has also been   
recently restored4 ,it is of an older   
order than the constructions of ,erwin  
of ,steinbach2 it is perhaps the        
remainder of the edifice erected by     
bishop ,werner1 at the beginning of the 
eleventh century2 the shape of the      
pillars1 their cubical tops or chapters1
 the arches exclusively semi-circular1  
bring us back to those times4 ,this     
crypta1 that remained unimpaired during 
all the changes which the ,cathedral    
must have undergone in the course of so 
many centuries1 forms a nave with two   
arch-vaults and a round chancel4 ,all   
along the walls of the nave are stone   
benches4 ,four of the inner pillars have
 still hinges affixed to them which     
prove that this portion of the crypta   
could be closed by a double door4 ,at   
its entrance is what is called the holy 
tomb1 a very ancient group of figures   
representing ,jesus ,christ and his     
disciples on the mount of ,olives1 at   
the moment when the soldiers are going  

to seize the ,lord3 this group comes    
from the chapel of the ,augustines1     
erected in #acgh2 it was placed in the  
crypta in #afhc4  ,the most ancient of  
the present chapels of the ,cathedral is
 that of ,saint-,andrew1 in the ,south  
aisle of the chancel2 it is remarkable  
for the details of its columns and for  
its ornaments of a very old style2 it   
contains the tombs of several bishops1  
the oldest of which is that of ,henry of
 ,hasenburg1 who died in #aaij4 ,behind 
the ,north aisle of the chancel1 is     
,saint-,john the ,baptist's chapel1 also
 very old1 and being now lower than the 
pavement of the ,cathedral4 ,besides    
several epitaphs1 one here sees the fine
 gothic sepulchre of bishop ,conrad of  
,lichtenberg1 who died in #abii4 ,the   
colossal statue of that prelate lies on 
a stone and has still some marks of the 
colours with which it had formerly been 
painted2 in one hand he holds a book1 in
 the other was his crosier of which only
 the lower part is now left2 his head   

covered with the mitre rests on a       
cushion and his feet lie against a      
lion#a4 ,near the entrance of this      
chapel1 surrounded by an elegant        
railing1 is the baptismal-font of       
sculptured stone1 the master-piece of   
,josse ,dotzinger of ,worms1 who died in
 #addi4    #a ,the epitaph of ,conrad is
 as follows3         ,anno domini       
,,mcclxxxxix kal4 ,augusti obiit        
,conradus        secundus de            
,lichtenberg natus1 ,argentinensis      
episcopus1        hic sepultus4 ,qui    
omnibus bonis condicionibus1 quae in    
homine mundiali debent concurrere1      
eminebat2 nec sibi        visus similis 
est in illis4 ,sedit autem annis ,,xxv  
et        mensibus sex4 ,orate pro eo4  
,the first chapel built in the          
,cathedral was ,saint-,lawrence's1 next 
to the ,north portal of the transept4   
,it was the oldest parish in the town   
and diocese of ,strasburg2 the vicar of 
,saint-,lawrence was the first          
archpriest of the diocese and at the    

same time grand-penitentiary of the     
,cathedral4 ,this chapel1 decayed with  
time1 was rebuilt after the plans of    
master ,james of ,landshut1 who died in 
#adie1 and was completed in #aeje2 when 
in the course of time it became too     
small for the parish1 it was transferred
 in #afih into the neighbouring chapel  
of ,saint-,martin1 which had been built 
in #adbj and then assumed the name of   
,saint-,lawrence's chapel that it       
retained ever since4 ,among the         
sepulchral monuments it contains1 is    
seen that of ,mr4 de la ,batie1 in his  
live time commander of ,strasburg4 ,in  
this chapel is the entrance to the      
vaults1 where to this day the bishops'  
mortal remains are deposited4  ,the     
chapel opposite the latter1 on the right
 side of the church1 is dedicated to    
saint ,catharine2 it was erected in the 
year #acca by bishop ,berthold of       
,bucheck who is interred in it4 ,it was 
newly arched in #aedb and formerly      
contained the holy tomb4 ,the entrances 

both into this and the chapel of        
,saint-,lawrence are decorated with     
several old statues2 in                 
,saint-,catharine's chapel is the tomb  
of ,conrad ,bock1 a nobleman of         
,strasburg1 who died in #adhj2 this work
 is remarkable for the manner in which  
the numerous figures that surround the  
bed of the dying man1 are grouped       
together4  ,the sepulchral stones that  
served as flag-stones or pavement in the
 interior of this large building1 have  
long ago been removed4 ,besides the     
sepulchral monuments and inscriptions   
already mentioned we shall note the     
epitaphs of ,erwin of ,steinbach1 of    
,husa his wife1 and of his son ,john1 at
 the lower part of the buttress in the  
little yard behind ,saint ,john's       
chapel#a2 also the inscription to the   
memory of ,conrad ,guertler1 who        
bequeathed to the chapter of the        
,cathedral his house1 a large building  
in the rue du ,dome2 this inscription is
 opposite that of ,geiler of            

,kaysersberg2 finally1 in one of the    
vestries is the epitaph1 in german      
verses1 of the celebrated printer ,john 
,mentelin of ,schlestadt4    #a ,anno   
domini ,,mcccxvi4 ,,xii ,kal4 ,augustii 
obiit ,domina   ,husa uxor magistri     
,erwini4 ,anno domini ,,mcccxviii4 ,,xvi
 ,kal4   ,februarii obiit magister      
,erwinus gubernator fabrice ecclessie   
,argentinensis4 ,anno domini            
,,mcccxxxviii4 ,,xv ,kal4 ,aprilis obiit
   magister ,johanni 7sic7 filius       
,erwini magistri operi huius            
ecclesie4--,there was formerly on that  
spot a burial ground2 it   is very      
likely that ,erwin and his family were  
buried there4 ,when   some years ago1   
they were digging a waste-well for the  
lightning   conductor1 they discovered  
an old coffin of stone1 broken and      
filled with earth and bones4 ,all these 
remains with the exception   of some    
fragments taken away by some curious    
amateurs1 were   deposited in a vault4  
,we shall add one word more on the      

foundations of the ,cathedral4 ,every   
one knows the old story1 according to   
which this edifice rests on piles1      
between each of which it were possible  
to go in boats on canals extending even 
under the place ,gutenberg4 ,as far back
 as the seventeenth century1 they dug to
 a considerable depth1 and have since   
several times renewed the experiments1  
to ascertain the nature of the          
foundations1 that have been found to lie
 very deep and to be very solid1 formed 
of masonry reposing on clay mixed with  
gravel2 under a portion of the nave this
 bottom is reinforced by oaken piles4   
,through a door on the right of saint   
,catharine's chapel you enter the area  
of the workhouse of the stone-cutters of
 the ,cathedral 7,steinhuette74 ,these  
workmen1 even to this day form a        
particular corporation that seems to    
have originated in the days of ,erwin of
 ,steinbach2 at all events it is a      
certain fact that the masons of the     
,cathedral were from the beginning a    

body1 distinct from the ordinary masons2
 that they have not admitted among them 
every one who presented himself1 and    
that they had secret signs to know one  
another4 ,this 7loge7 society of the    
masons of the ,cathedral has become the 
cause of many others in ,germany2       
,dotzinger1 the successor of ,john      
,hueltz as architect of this church1    
united them all in one body2 a general  
meeting of the masters or chiefs of the 
different loges1 held at ,ratisbon in   
#adei1 adopted certain rules and        
regulations1 and chose as their         
grand-masters the architects of the     
,cathedral of ,strasburg1 where the     
principal loge or lodge 7,haupthuette7  
was established4 ,maximilian ,i         
confirmed the establishment and the     
rules of this corporation on the #c;d   
,october #adih4 ,at the beginning of the
 eighteenth century it was transferred  
to ,mayence4  ,it has already been      
stated that at a very remote period the 
,cathedral had received rich and        

important donations composing the       
,,oeuvre-,notre-,dame1 the revenues of  
which were originally under the         
direction of the bishops2 but as they   
squandered them away leaving the        
building to decay1 the chapter assumed  
their administration in #abfc1 after the
 war between the town and ,walter of    
,geroldseck2 however1 the canons did no 
better and in #abij the magistrate of   
the city was obliged to take back from  
them the management of the revenues4    
,the estate and income of the ,,oeuvre1 
employed only for keeping in good order 
and for repairing the ,cathedral church1
 are still managed like other property  
that belongs to the city2 the collector 
of the revenues is appointed by the city
 corporation1 who also names the        
architect and sculptor of the ,,oeuvre4 
,the receiver's office is in a handsome 
house 7,frauenhaus71 built in #aeha1    
after the taste of those times1 situated
 opposite the ,south side of the        
,cathedral4 ,in that house1 where the   

old plans of the church and the pieces  
of the old clockwork1 above mentioned1  
are carefully preserved1 we have also to
 admire the light and elegant           
construction of the staircase4          
99      99      99      99      99      
,,transcriber',s ,,notes   ,the         
following changes have been made as     
needed to facilitate reading3           
standardized punctuation and accents1   
moved illustrations1 and renumbered and 
moved footnotes4  ,additional changes   
are listed below3     ,page #g3 ,changed
 enthousiasm to enthusiasm for          
consistency4     ,page #af3 ,changed    
pittoresqu s to pittoresques and        
counter-forts to counterforts4          
,pages #bj and #cd3 ,changed doomsday   
and dooms-day to             ,dooms-day 
for consistency4     ,page #ba3 ,the    
phrase if tine matches the original     
text4     ,page #bb3 ,changed ,landsburg
 to ,landsberg4     ,page #bc3 ,changed 
plat-form to platform4     ,page #bd3   
,the measurement #jm 4#dfj matches the  

original text4     ,page #bf3 ,changed  
typo is to it and changed bizantine to  
byzantine for consistency4     ,page    
#cb3 ,changed clock-work to clockwork4  
,page #dj3 ,changed typo eigtheenth to  
eighteenth4