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Romanesque Road
The Romanesque Road (Strasse der Romanik) traverses five distinct regions in the state of Saxony-Anhalt, passing through some of the loveliest countryside in eastern Germany to reveal a remarkably diverse range of expressions of medieval architecture. Germany's Romanesque Road boasts 72 excellently preserved Romanesque structures - monasteries, cathedrals, village churches, houses and fortresses - which make it a stunning center for study of this now rare style. Most of these structures house splendid collections of medieval reliefs, sculptures, woodcuttings, and frescoes that depict the metamorphosis of Christian belief at this time. Due to the length of the Romanesque Road (some 600 miles), car travel is the best way to explore this region. From the highpoint of the route, Magdeburg, the Romanesque Road is divided into the northern and the southern districts.
Romanesque Era
The capital of Saxony-Anhalt, Magdeburg is home to the Kloster Unser Lieben Frauen (Cloister of Our Dear Lady), Germany's most important example of Romanesque architecture. Construction of the monastery was begun by Archbishop Gero in 1017, and rebuilt from 1063 to 1078. The resulting structure consisted of a three-naved basilica in the shape of a cross, with a three-naved crypt. In 1129, a vast west wing was added and topped with two circular steeples. Additional wings and adjustments would continue over the centuries, crowning Magdeburg with this unique masterpiece of religious architecture. From this illustrious starting point, visitors can work their way along the loop road following the northern or southern routes.
As you travel north from Madgeburg, churches and monasteries line the
approach to the small medieval city of Salzwedel. Alternating red brick
and white- and black-glazed stone transform the small basilica on Holzmarktstrasse
(one of the oldest streets in the region) into an architectural curiosity.
Its dramatic, ornamental gables confirm the structure's singularity as
an example of late Romanesque architecture in this trade and manufacturing
town on the Jeetze river.
Continue on to Quedlinburg, whose Collegiate Church of St. Servatius is the last resting place of the first German king, Henry I, who died in 936. The church is much as it was in 1129, though a Gothic choir was added in 1320, and the entire complex was restored in the 19th century. Germany's oldest columned doorway leads to the magnificent, High Romanesque interior, highlights of which are the cathedral's treasures and relics on view in the Schatzkammer.
The next major stop is Querfurt. With its western watchtower built on the foundations of an earlier Carolingian (of the age of Charlemagne) dwelling tower known as Fat Henry, (Dicker Heinrich) and with its complex system of walls, courtyards and dry moats (some 50 feet deep), the Querfurt Fortress is one of the largest and oldest in Germany. Its construction affords the visitor unique insights into aspects of classic Romanesque construction. The 12th-century fortress church, with its single nave, is located in the fortress courtyard.
From the terrace on the right bank of the Saale river, just opposite its confluence with the Unstrut river, there is a beautiful panorama of the cathedral town of Naumburg. The town has long been divided into the market district and the cathedral precinct, with the Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul at its highest point. Because of its western nave-screen and 13th century ecclesiastical statues, it is possible to observe, step-by-step, the development of this sacred construction. Main sights to see The German National Tourist Office offers a range of detailed informational brochures on sights, accommodations and travel arrangements all along the Romanesque Road in English. The Strasse der
Romanik website is in German only. |
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