Gothic Architecture of Germany

cologne cathedral

gothic architecture flourished during high , late medieval period. evolved romanesque architecture. first gothic buildings in germany built 1230, example liebfrauenkirche (german church of our dear lady) ca. 1233-1283 in trier, 1 of important gothic cathedrals in germany , falls architectural tradition of french gothic.

freiburg cathedral built in 3 stages, first beginning in 1120 under dukes of zähringen, second beginning in 1210, , third in 1230. of original building, foundations still exist. noted 116-metre tower, jacob burckhardt reputedly claimed beautiful in christian architecture. tower square @ base, , @ centre dodecagonal star gallery. above gallery, tower octagonal , tapered, spire above. gothic church tower in germany completed in middle ages (1330), , survived bombing raids of november 1944, destroyed of houses on west , north side of market.

the market place @ dornstetten showing half-timbered buildings, medieval church of st martin on right

cologne cathedral after milan cathedral largest gothic cathedral in world. construction began in 1248 , took, interruptions, until 1880 complete – period of on 600 years. 144.5 metres long, 86.5 m wide , 2 towers 157 m tall. because of enormous twin spires, has largest façade of church in world. choir of cathedral, measured between piers, holds distinction of having largest height width ratio of medieval church, 3.6:1, exceeding beauvais cathedral has higher vault.

brick gothic (german: backsteingotik) specific style of gothic architecture common in northern europe, in northern germany , regions around baltic sea without natural rock resources. buildings built more or less using bricks. stralsund city hall , st. nicholas church examples of style. cities such lübeck, rostock, wismar, stralsund greifswald , various towns in present-day northern , western poland shaped regional style. model many north german churches st. mary s in lübeck, built between 1200 , 1350.

the building of gothic churches accompanied construction of guild houses , construction of town halls rising bourgeoisie. example gothic town hall (13th century) @ stralsund. there bremen town hall (1410) , (reconstructed) city hall of munster (originally 1350).

the dwellings of period timber-framed buildings, can still seen in goslar , quedlinburg. quedlinburg has 1 of oldest half-timbered houses in germany. method of construction, used extensively town houses of medieval , renaissance periods, (see dornstetten, illustrated above) lasted 20th century rural buildings.