19 Oct 2008
Ancient Beauty Shines Again
Lippoldsberg Abbey Church is a fine example of pure Romanesque style in the basilica structure. Since the light comes mostly through the upper windows, the illumination of the main nave gets this ethereal atmosphere, despite the heavy pillars and massive walls.
Abbey Church Lippoldsberg
The church was built in a more elaborate design, a nave and aisles basilica style church with transept, choir and apsis; finished about 1150. The material used was yellow-grey sandstone, and the exterior has undergone major sandblast cleaning last year. Here are some photos of the fresh interior.
Lippoldsberg Church, main nave
In Mediaeval times, churches usually were painted, but in case those frescoes are lost today, the renovation process either involves cleaning the stones or apply a neutral white colour. Though there are examples of mostly 19th century Mediaeval-ish paintings that are today considered history and have to remain. Fortunately, Lippoldsberg has none of those.
View towards south aisle and upper windows
Lippoldsberg is the first Romanesque church in northern Germany to have been built completely using a cross-grain vault structure. In other churches from the time, cross grain was used partly, while other parts had a wooden cassette ceiling.
The Nuns' Crypt in Lippoldsberg
This one is interesting, because it's not an underground crypt like in most Mediaeval churches, but a so called high crypt which is distinguished from the main nave by its lower vaults. The nuns' gallery from where they participated in the service is above the crypt.
¶ October 19, 2008
Lippoldsberg Abbey Church is a fine example of pure Romanesque style in the basilica structure. Since the light comes mostly through the upper windows, the illumination of the main nave gets this ethereal atmosphere, despite the heavy pillars and massive walls.
The church was built in a more elaborate design, a nave and aisles basilica style church with transept, choir and apsis; finished about 1150. The material used was yellow-grey sandstone, and the exterior has undergone major sandblast cleaning last year. Here are some photos of the fresh interior.
In Mediaeval times, churches usually were painted, but in case those frescoes are lost today, the renovation process either involves cleaning the stones or apply a neutral white colour. Though there are examples of mostly 19th century Mediaeval-ish paintings that are today considered history and have to remain. Fortunately, Lippoldsberg has none of those.
Lippoldsberg is the first Romanesque church in northern Germany to have been built completely using a cross-grain vault structure. In other churches from the time, cross grain was used partly, while other parts had a wooden cassette ceiling.
This one is interesting, because it's not an underground crypt like in most Mediaeval churches, but a so called high crypt which is distinguished from the main nave by its lower vaults. The nuns' gallery from where they participated in the service is above the crypt.
¶ October 19, 2008
Comments:
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Not sure I like the whitewashed look. Kinda makes it look like my high school, big and impersonal...
Lightens it up nicely though. I found that some churches, say, YorkMinster, are really dark. Others, like Wells Cathedral, are made from light honey coloured stone, and are easier to walk around in. I found the churches in Brussels dated back to the Roman times and were uniformly dark to the point of being oppressive.
I've visited this summer in Portugal a similar church as interior aspect, Mosteiro de Alcobaca. Even though the interior was simple, compared with other churches or cathedrals, and it was austere the Monastery was pretty impresive.
Constance, it has a nice, quiet aura, no matter what colour the walls. ;)
Stag, the Roman stuff needs some sandblasting, I suppose - except if it's the Porta Nigra in Trier which would not longer fit its name if it shone in ancient splendour.
Dark Wolf, the simple Romanesque style often has a stronger effect on my that the flamboyant Gothic places.
Stag, the Roman stuff needs some sandblasting, I suppose - except if it's the Porta Nigra in Trier which would not longer fit its name if it shone in ancient splendour.
Dark Wolf, the simple Romanesque style often has a stronger effect on my that the flamboyant Gothic places.
I think it's important to understand that the Germans have created an entirely new aesthetic in their method of renovating of Romanesque monuments. These churches were orginally dark, colorfully painted, full of cultistic regalia and decoration. Today they are light, airy, monochrome, and zen-like in their meditative simplicity. We should really be talking about a New Romanesque style.
German churches have such a different look and ambience to British ones - it's so interesting to see. There's something about this architecture that seems very clean and light (yes, I know that originally they were probably decorated differently and more colourfully - but so were the British ones).
Even so, the pictures really get over the effect of peace and calm and a simple, elegant beauty.
Even so, the pictures really get over the effect of peace and calm and a simple, elegant beauty.
It is a tranquil place, Carla. The churches at Lippoldsberg and Bursfelde are places where I sometimes simply sit. :)
Jim,
most of those churches are Protestant, and they started taking all those cultic regalia out long ago. You'll find a lot more of that gilded stuff in places like Munich. Medieaveal fresoces have been painted over in most churches, and in the 19th century, interest in the past not only led to renovations but also reimaginations (a new layer of frescoes, for example). These days, if no Medieaval paintings can be rediscovered, churches are mostly renoveated in stone or whitewashed, except in cases where the Neo-Romanesque paintings are of good quality. We no longer strive to recreate the past, only to preserve it.
Lady D,
another reason for the difference is that I've presented mostly Romanesque churches of late, while the best examples in the UK are Gothic ones. German Gothic churches look a bit different as well - it's a pity I didn't have a digital camera when I visited some of the famous Gothic ones in the Hansa Towns back in 2004.
Shelley,
the church is brigher inside now.
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Jim,
most of those churches are Protestant, and they started taking all those cultic regalia out long ago. You'll find a lot more of that gilded stuff in places like Munich. Medieaveal fresoces have been painted over in most churches, and in the 19th century, interest in the past not only led to renovations but also reimaginations (a new layer of frescoes, for example). These days, if no Medieaval paintings can be rediscovered, churches are mostly renoveated in stone or whitewashed, except in cases where the Neo-Romanesque paintings are of good quality. We no longer strive to recreate the past, only to preserve it.
Lady D,
another reason for the difference is that I've presented mostly Romanesque churches of late, while the best examples in the UK are Gothic ones. German Gothic churches look a bit different as well - it's a pity I didn't have a digital camera when I visited some of the famous Gothic ones in the Hansa Towns back in 2004.
Shelley,
the church is brigher inside now.
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