AcharyaChanakya/simple-wikipedia huggingface dataset:
Ohio State offers two distinct honors programs for high ability undergraduates: Honors and Scholars. The Honors program is open to students in all majors. The Scholars program is centered around thirteen specific programs such as "Architecture Scholars", "Communication Technology Scholars", "Biological Sciences Scholars", "International Affairs Scholars", and "Politics, Society and Law Scholars". Students in the Scholars program are expected to live and take select classes with other members of the program.
At Ohio State University, there are four recognized student governments: Undergraduate Student Government (USG), Council of Graduate Students (CGS), amd Inter-Professional Council (IPC), and Residence Hall Advisory Council (RHAC).
Ohio State is in the NCAA's Division I. Ohio State's mascot is "Brutus the Buckeye". The school colors are scarlet and gray. Most Ohio State teams play in the Big Ten Conference. The women's ice hockey team plays in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association. In lacrosse, the men's team plays in ECAC Lacrosse and the women's team in the American Lacrosse Conference, but both will leave their respective leagues after the 2014 season, as the Big Ten will start lacrosse leagues for both sexes in the 2014–15 school year.
Ohio State won national championships in baseball, men's basketball, football, men's swimming & diving, men's track and field, men's golf, men's gymnastics, men's fencing, men and women's fencing, and synchronized swimming.
UM can stand for:
VT can stand for:
BC (disambiguation)
BC can stand for:
Pinoy Idol
Pinoy Idol is a popular TV show in the Philippines that lets anyone sing to people watching the show on television while they are being judged. The singers can be anyone between the age of 16 and 29 years. The show is now current programming in GMA Network.
"Pinoy Idol" has three judges, who give comments on performances. The three judges are:
"Pinoy Idol" also has a host, Raymond Gutierrez.
Hulagu Khan
Hulagu Khan, also known as Hulagu, Hülegü or Hulegu (Хүлэгү, "Khülegü"; Chagatai/; Arabic:هولاكو; c. 1217 – 8 February 1265), was a Mongol ruler who conquered much of Southwest Asia.
Son of Tolui and the Kerait princess Sorghaghtani Beki, he was a grandson of Genghis Khan, and the brother of Arik Boke, Mongke and Kublai Khan. He was also the step-father of Absh Khatun. Hulagu's army greatly expanded the southwestern portion of the Mongol Empire, founding the Ilkhanate of Persia. Under his leadership, the Mongols destroyed the two greatest centers of Islamic power, Baghdad in the year 1258, and Damascus, causing a shift of Islamic influence to the Mamluks in Cairo.
Niccolò and Maffeo Polo reportedly travelled to the realm of Hulagu and stayed in the city of Bukhara, in modern day Uzbekistan, where the family lived and traded for three years from 1261 to 1264.
Elena Bovina
Anastasia Myskina
WTA Awards
This is a list with all the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Awards given by the WTA Tour to players who have done or achieved something remarkable during the season or their career.
This is awarded to the player who the WTA think has played the best tennis over the year.
This is awarded to the doubles team who the WTA think has played the best tennis over the year.
This is awarded to the player who the WTA think has improved the most over the year.
This is awarded to the player who the WTA think has played the best tennis in their first season as a professional.
This is awarded to the player who the WTA think has played the best tennis after coming back from a long break from playing.
"Note: in 2002 the award was not given."
Hopman Cup
Wells Cathedral is an Anglican church in Wells, Somerset, England. It is the seat of the Bishop of Bath and Wells. Its construction started in 1170 and the Cathedral was dedicated in 1239.
Wells Cathedral has been described as “the most poetic of the English Cathedrals”.
Much of the structure is in Early English architecture. Many mouldings look almost like sculptures. The carved capitals are done in a foliate style known as “stiff leaf”. This adds to their lively view. The eastern end has kept much original glass, which is rare in England. The exterior has a splendid Early English façade (~front) and a large central tower.
The first church was established on the site in 705. Construction of the present building began in the 10th century under Anglo-Saxon rule, but was later transformed under the Normans. It was largely complete at the time of its dedication in 1239. It has been expanded and renovated several times since then and has been designated by English Heritage as a grade I listed building.
The first church was established here in 705 AD. It was dedicated to Saint Andrew. The only remains of this first church are some excavated foundations which can be seen in the cloisters. The baptismal font in the south transept is the oldest surviving part of the cathedral which is dated to c.700 AD.
Two centuries later, the seat of the diocese was shifted to Wells from Sherborne. The first Bishop of Wells was Athelm (circa 909), who crowned King Athelstan. Athelm and his nephew Saint Dunstan both became Archbishops of Canterbury. It was also around this time that Wells Cathedral School was founded.
The present structure was begun under the direction of Bishop Reginald de Bohun, who died in 1184.
Wells Cathedral dates mainly from the late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries; the nave and transept are masterpieces of Early English architecture. It was largely complete at the time of its dedication in 1239.
The bishop responsible for the construction was Jocelyn de Wells, one of the bishops at the signing of Magna Carta. Jocelyn's buildings included the Bishop's Palace, a choristers' school, a grammar school, a hospital for travellers and a chapel. He also built a manor at Wookey, near Wells. The master mason associated with Jocelyn was Elias of Dereham (died 1246). Jocelyn lived to see the church dedicated but, despite much lobbying of Rome, died in 1242. Cathedral status was granted in 1245. Masons continued with the enrichment of the West Front until about 1260.
King John was excommunicated between 1209 and 1213. During this time, work on the cathedral was suspended. In this period, building methods advanced so that bigger blocks of masonry could be moved and put into the walls. The effect of this advance can be seen on the walls of the cathedral; at a point in the building's walls, the blocks of stone increase in size.
By the time the building was finished, including the Chapter House (1306),
it already seemed too small for the developing liturgy, in particular the increasingly grand processions. A new spate of building was therefore started by Bishop John Drokensford. He heightened the central tower and began a dramatic eight-sided Lady chapel at the far east end, finished by 1326. Thomas of Whitney was the master mason.
Bishop Ralph of Shrewsbury followed. He continued the eastward extension of the quire. He also built Vicars' Close and the Vicars' Hall, to give the men of the choir a secure place to live and dine, away from the town with all its temptations.
He enjoyed an uneasy relationship with the citizens of Wells, partly because of his imposition of taxes. He surrounded his palace with crenellated walls and a moat and drawbridge. The Palace was now a castle.
The appointment of William Wynford as master mason in 1365 marked another period of activity. He was one of the foremost architects of his time and, apart from Wells, was engaged in work for the king at Windsor and at New College, Oxford University and Winchester Cathedral. Under Bishop John Harewell, he built the south-west tower of the West Front and designed the north west, which was built to match in the early 15th century. Inside the building he filled in the early English lancet windows with delicate tracery.
In the fourteenth century, the central piers (upright supports) of the crossing (where the building forms a cross) started sinking under the weight of the crossing tower. 'Scissor arches' were inserted to brace and stabilize the piers as a unit. The building was now complete, and it looked much as it does today.
Santa Maria Assunta (Siena)
Caen
Caen ( pronounced "can" (/kɑ̃/);) is a city in France. It is the capital city of Basse-Normandie and Calvados. The river Orne flows through it. Today, about 110,000 people live there ("intra muros", inside the city); the urban area has about 370,000 people. The city has a very long history; the name probably has Gaulish origins (from "cato" Military activity; and "mago" field; probably something like "place where the troops exercised"). A campus of the École de management de Normandie is in the city.
Caen is twinned with:
St. Michael and Gudula Cathedral
St. Michael and Gudula Cathedral is the Cathedral in Brussels. It is named in honour of St. Michael and St. Gudula. In Dutch it is called Sint-Michiels- en Sint-Goedelekathedraal, usually shortened to "Sint-Goedele". In French it is called Cathédrale Saints-Michel-et-Gudule.It is the main church of the bishop of Brussels and Mechelen.
There already was a shrine (or chapel) to Saint Michael there in the 8th century. The Cathedral was begun in 1226. Building finished when the belltower (or belfry) was done, at the end of the 15th century. The cathedral is built in Gothic style. As it is the main Church of the Kingom of Belgium, there are often royal ceremonies (marriages, funerals) there.
Strasbourg Cathedral (official French: Notre-Dame de Strasbourg,German: Liebfrauenmünster zu Straßburg, Our Lady of Strasbourg) is the Cathedral in Strasbourg. The cathedral was built in Gothic style. The belltower is 142 m high. It was the highest building in the world from 1647 to 1874. It is currently the second-highest cathedral in France, after Rouen Cathedral, which is 9m higher, at 151m. In 1880, Cologne Cathedral was finished (157m), and later Ulm minster (at 161m), the highest Cathedral in the World.
Considerable parts of it are still in Romanesque architecture. Nevertheless, it is widely considered to be among the finest examples of high, or late, Gothic architecture. Erwin von Steinbach is credited for major contributions from 1277 to his death in 1318.
Victor Hugo described it as a "gigantic and delicate marvel". The cathedral is visible far across the plains of Alsace and can be seen from as far off as the Vosges mountains or the Black Forest on the other side of the Rhine.
An Al-Qaeda plot to bomb the adjacent Christmas market was prevented in 2000 by French and German police.
Ely Cathedral is an Anglican church in Ely, Cambridgeshire. It is the main church of the diocese of Ely, and the seat of the Bishop of Ely. The city of Ely is about 20 km north of Cambridge.
The Cathedral is known locally as "the Ship of the Fens", because of its prominent shape which towers above the surrounding flat landscape. The fens were once wet and marshy: a wetland habitat. The Fenland in East Anglia includes Ely, but is today mainly drained. It is now low-lying farmland.
The first Christian building on the site was founded by Etheldreda, daughter of the King of East Anglia.She set up and ruled a monastery at Ely in 673, and, when she died, a shrine was built there to her memory.
The present cathedral was started by Abbot Simeon (1082–1094) in 1083. The Anglo-Saxon church was demolished, but some of its relics, such as the remains of its benefactors, were moved to the cathedral. The main transepts were built early on, crossing the nave below a central tower, and are the oldest surviving part of the cathedral. Construction work continued throughout the 12th century. The Western transepts and tower were completed in an exuberant Romanesque style with a rich decoration of intersecting arches and complex mouldings.
A 'Galilee' porch was added under Bishop Eustace (1198–1215) in the Early English Gothic style. It was originally a two-storey structure where liturgical processions could gather before entering the nave. It was opened up into a single vaulted space in the 18th century. Several details of its decoration, particularly the 'syncopated arches' and the use of Purbeck marble shafts, reflect the influence of St Hugh's Choir at Lincoln Cathedral, built a few years earlier.
Work began on a new eastern end in 1234, replacing the short Norman chancel with a much grander 10-bay structure. Northwold's chancel, completed by around 1252, adopted several of the stylistic elements already used in the Galilee porch.
During the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII, the monastery at Ely was dissolved in 1539. Ely suffered less than many other monasteries, but even so, statues were destroyed together with carvings and stained glass. St Etheldreda's Shrine was destroyed.
The Cathedral was refounded with a Chapter of eight canons in 1541, as was the Kings School. Robert Steward, the last Prior of the monastery, became the first Dean.
In 1986 it was discovered that the roofs, timber and stonework of much of the Cathedral were becoming unsafe. A public appeal was launched. £4,000,000 was needed to secure the Cathedral's future and to prevent its doors being closed for good. In just over a year, the money was given or promised. The Great Restoration was completed in the year 2000.
The south gallery of the nave is home to The Stained Glass Museum, a collection of stained glass from the 13th century to the present that is of national importance. It includes works from several notable modern artists.
Exeter Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in the city of Exeter, Devon, in the southwest of England. It is the seat of the Bishop of Exeter. The present building was complete by about 1400, and has the longest uninterrupted vaulted ceiling in England, and other notable features. The cathedral is built in Gothic style.
In 1107, William Warelwast, a nephew of William the Conqueror, was appointed to the see, and this was the catalyst for the building of a new cathedral in the Norman style. Its official foundation was in 1133, after Warelwast's time, but it took many more years to complete. In 1258 the building was already outmoded, and it was rebuilt in the Decorated English Gothic architecture style, following the example of nearby Salisbury Cathedral. However, much of the Norman building was kept, including the two massive square towers and part of the walls. It was constructed entirely of local stone, including Purbeck Marble. The new cathedral was complete by about 1400, apart from the addition of the chapter house and chantry chapels.
On 4 May 1942, an early morning air raid took place over Exeter. The cathedral sustained a direct hit by a large high-explosive bomb on the chapel of St James, completely demolishing it. The muniment room above, three bays of the aisle and two flying buttresses were also destroyed in the blast. The medieval wooden screen opposite the chapel was smashed into many pieces by the blast, but it has been reconstructed and restored. Fortunately many of the cathedral's most important artifacts, such as the glass of the great east window, the misericords, the Exeter Book, the bishop's throne and the Bronescombe Effigy, had been removed at the start of the war in anticipation of such an attack. Subsequent repairs and the clearance of the area around the western end of the building uncovered portions of earlier structures, including remains of the Roman city and of the original Norman cathedral.
The clock is one of a group of famous 14th to 16th century astronomical clocks to be found in the West of England. Another one is at Wells Cathedral.
The main, lower, dial is the oldest part of the clock, dating from 1484. The fleur-de-lys 'hand' indicates the time (and the position of the sun in the sky) on a 24-hour analogue dial. The numbering consists of two sets of I-XII Roman numerals. The silver ball and inner dial shows both the age of the moon and its phase (using a rotating black shield to indicate the moon's phase). The upper dial, added in 1760, shows the minutes.
The Latin phrase "Pereunt et Imputantur", a favourite motto for clocks and sundials was written by the Latin poet Martial. It is usually translated as "they perish and are reckoned to our account", referring to the hours that we spend, wisely or not. The original clockwork mechanism was much modified, repaired, and neglected until it was replaced in the early 20th century. The door below the clock has a round hole near its base. This was cut in the early 17th century to allow entry for the Bishop's cat to deter vermin. The vermin were attracted to the animal fat used to lubricate the clock mechanism.
Lasbela District
Lasbela district is a coastal district of Balochistan province, Pakistan. It became a separate district in the Kalat division on 30 June 1954. The name is derived from the words "Las" which signifies a "plain", the greater part of the area being a flat plain, and "Bela" which means "jungle" and is also the name of the principal town of the district. Uthal is the district headquarters. The district is divided into 9 tehsils and 21 union councils.
Awaran District
Awaran () is a district in the south of the Balochistan province of Pakistan.
Coutances Cathedral
Coutances Cathedral is the Cathedral in the town of Coutances in Normandy. It is built in Gothic style. Standing 80m tall it dominates the city and the surrounding landscape. Its use of long straight vertical lines is typical for many churches in Normandy. The cathedral was started in Romanesque style. It was consecrated in 1056.
Kalat District
Kalat or Qalat () is a district in Balochistan, Pakistan. It has a population of 412,232
Regensburg Cathedral
The Regensburg Cathedral () is dedicated to St. Peter. It is the most important church and landmark of the city of Regensburg, and the cathedral of the Catholic Diocese of Regensburg. The church is a very good example of Gothic architecture in southern Germany.
The first church at the site was built around the year 700, but it burnt down around 1156. The current cathedral was started in the year 1273, and it took until 1872 to complete. In the 15th century, the sale of indulgences was used to finance the construction.
Kharan District
Kharan () is a district in the north-west of Balochistan province of Pakistan.
The district is administratively broken up into the following tehsils:
Khuzdar District
Khuzdar () district is in the centre of Balochistan province of Pakistan. Khuzdar is the capital of Khuzdar district.
The district is administratively subdivided into five tehsils, these are:
Barcelona Cathedral
The Cathedral of Santa Eulalia (also called "La Seu") the Gothic cathedral seat of the Archbishop of Barcelona, Spain. The famous Sagrada Família currently being built is not a cathedral. The cathedral was constructed from the 13th to the 15th century. There was a Visigothic church there before. The Gothic-like façade is from the 19th century.
The cathedral is dedicated to Eulalia of Barcelona, co-patron saint of Barcelona. According to Catholic tradition, Eulalia was a young virgin who suffered martyrdom during Roman times in Barcelona. The body of Saint Eulalia is entombed in the cathedral's crypt.
One side chapel is dedicated to "Christ of Lepanto", and contains a cross from a ship that fought at the Battle of Lepanto (1571). The body of the cross is shifted to the right. Catalan legend says that the body swerved to avoid getting hit by a cannonball.
The cathedral has a secluded Gothic cloister where thirteen white geese are kept (it is said that Eulalia was 13 when she was murdered).
Mastung District
Gwadar District
Gwadar was notified as a district on July 1, 1977 when Makran Division was created and divided into three districts. Gwadar is the headquarters of Gwadar District. Previously it was one of 3 tehsils of Makran District before the district was upgraded to a division. For administrative purposes, the district is divided into two sub-divisions, namely Gwadar and Pasni. These sub-divisions are further divided into tehsils and sub-tehsils. Gwadar sub-division comprises two tehsils, named Gwadar and Jiwani, and one sub-tehsil named Suntsar. Pasni sub-division is divided into Pasni and Ormara tehsils. Gwadar district, with its 600 kilometres long coast line and un-irrigated tracts of Kulanch and Dasht valleys, has always been an important chapter of Makran’s history.
The district of Gwadar is administratively divided into the following tehsils:
Panjgur District
Kech District
Kech () or Turbat district is in the south west of Balochistan, province of Pakistan.
Valencia Cathedral
The Cathedral of Valencia (Metropolitan Basilica Cathedral) is dedicated to Saint Mary. The church was started in 1238 by the first bishop of Valencia Pere d'Albalat. It was built on a mosque. The mosque had been built where the former Visigothic cathedral had stood. A Mediterranean version of Gothic architecture is the main style of this cathedral. The cathedral also contains Romanesque, French Gothic, Renaissance art, Baroque and neoclassical elements.
There are several chalices that are claimed to be the Holy Grail spread over the world. One of them is in a chapel of the Cathedral. Several Christian historians claim that the one in the chapel is most likely the authentic cup used at the Last Supper. It was the official papal chalice for many popes, and has been used by many others, most recently by Pope Benedict XVI, on July 9, 2006. This chalice dates from the 1st century. It was given to the cathedral by king Alfons el Magnànim in 1436.
The cathedral also contains examples of some of the earliest and best Quattrocento paintings of the Iberian Peninsula. These were brought from Rome via artists commissioned by the Valencian Pope Alexander VI. Alexander VI made the request to make Valencia the seat of an archbishop when he was still a cardinal. This was granted by Pope Innocent VIII in 1492.
Dera Bughti District
Jaffarabad District
Jafarabad or Jaffarabad () district is in the southeast of the Pakistani province of Balochistan.
The district of Jaffarabad is administratively subdivided into the following tehsils:
Nasirabad District
Bad Doberan Minster
Along the "European street of Gothic brick architecture" in north eastern Germany, close to the old Hanse city of Rostock, is the Minster of Bad Doberan, the Ex-Cistercian abbey dedicated in 1368.
The first abbey in Mecklenburg, founded in 1171, which was also used as the burial site for the regional rulers, became important both politically and historically.
Through the activities of its inhabitants, the abbey greatly contributed to the cultural and economic development of Mecklenburg and became the centre of Christianity in this region.
No other Cistercian abbey in Europe can lay claim to such a large amount of the original interior remaining intact. Among the treasures are the main altar which is the oldest wing-altar in art history, the monumental cross altar and the sculpted tomb of Danish Queen Margarete Sambiria.
Even after the reformation and the dissolution of the abbey in 1552, the church continued to serve as the main burial place for the ruling Mecklenburg nobility as well as the place of worship for the Evangelical-Lutheran congregation.
The Minster in Bad Doberan is said to be the most important medieval building in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the best example of medieval creativity put in practice and it is a building of the highest technical and artistic perfection. The furnishings on display are of highest artistic quality. No other church in northern Germany has such complete and historically important liturgical furnishings. The mostly well preserved Cistercian furnishings are unique. The abbey is a unique and precious artistic monument in the coastal region of the Baltic Sea.
Today the Bad Doberan Minster is the main Lutheran Church of Bad Doberan in Germany.
The Doberan Minster is a unique symbiosis of a high gothic cathedral building, based upon French cathedral style and elements of other Hanseatic churches as well as influence by the building code of the Cistercians.
The Cistercian Order was created in 1098 in France as a reformist movement of the Benedictine Order. The ideas for living together are based on the rules of St. Benedict from the 5th century. The Cistercian order was strongly influenced by Bernard of Clairvaux who joined at the beginning of the 12th century.
The basic rules of monastic life were humility, poverty and obedience. Poverty as a rule meant that no monk was allowed to hold any personal possessions and also that abbey churches were to be kept simple, without decorations or ornaments.
In the early Romanesque style Cistercian churches, some of which are partially maintained, it is easy to recognize the simple, smooth forms, sparse decorations and furnishings.
In around 1280, the construction of the second abbey church was begun and was consecrated in 1368. The Cistercian reform, which demanded simplicity in design and furnishing, was 200 years in the past and had little influence on the second church building.
During trips to France, the monks of Doberan were inspired by the gothic churches there. They returned with new ideas and implemented them here. Also in the surrounding Hanseatic cities, churches were built in gothic style.
The regional dukes influenced construction even further. Duke Pribislav of Mecklenburg was a sponsor of the monastery in Doberan and was later buried in the church.
The Doberan Minster became the most important burial site for the Dukes of Mecklenburg, who donated money for its continuing development.
The foundations of the Minster are set into sandy soil with integrated wedges of gravel at the meeting point of 3 creeks. The groundwater is approximately 1.5 m below ground level. The surrounding area was mostly marshland.
This wasn't an ideal site for building, especially not for building a monastery with a church of such dimensions. Therefore, the foundations had to be set very deep, to guarantee a safe and stable building.
Contrary to other religious orders, the Cistercian monks looked for remote, difficult to access sites to establish their monasteries. Thus they made a large contribution by cultivating arable land and were well liked by the dukes.
With no real stone or sandstone available, brick was used as building material. To produce bricks they mixed sand, clay and water and filled wooden forms which then dried and were baked in field ovens. It took three years to produce a brick. These bricks, the so-called abbey form, were about 30 cm long, 15 cm wide, 9.5 cm high and weighed around 8 kilograms.
The cement of limestone for the brick joints was free of gypsum to prevent expansion and erosion thus guaranteeing a long life span.
It was created around 1300 as an enclosed altar by unknown artists. It is not only the oldest wing altar in Germany, but also the oldest in art history. The upper and middle sections date back to that time. The upper row depicts stories from the New Testament which match the depictions of the Old Testament in the middle row. The New Testament is represented on the left wing depicting the joy of Mary and on the right wing the suffering of Mary.
Until around 1400, the figure of Mary on the candle holder was in the middle niche of this altar. The wooden figure was then replaced by a large monstrance and several holy pictures. Furthermore, relics and monstrances were stored in the shrine. All of these were lost during the 30-year war.
Around 1350 the lower row was added, depicting the apostles and the two patron saints St. Sebastian and Pope Fabian.
The upper row on the left wing shows: John the Baptist, the annunciation of Mary, the birth and dedication of Christ. On the right wing: the scourging of Jesus, Jesus carrying the cross, the crucifixion and the resurrection. The middle row on the left wing shows: Eve, Sara, the closed gate, the burning bush and the dedication of Samuel. On the right wing: Moses striking the rock, the suffering of Job, Abraham offering Isaac, the iron serpent, Samon and the city gates of Gaza. The lower row on the left wing shows: St. Fabian, apostles Bartholomew, Thomas, Simon, Matthew, Andrew and Peter. The right wing shows: apostles Paul, Jacob the elder, Evangelist John, Phillip, Judas the Galilean, Matthew and St. Sebastian.
It was built between 1350 - 1360 in the form of an enormous Gothic style monstrance, probably by the same carver who made the lower row of the main altar. The 11.60 metre high carving is made of oak and is the oldest tabernacle of its kind in Germany.
On the same level as the statue of Mary is the compartment that held the host until the dissolution of the abbey. In the space above there was probably a monstrance displaying a host.
The figures are all relating to the celebration of mass. The depictions starting in the lower front and going clockwise are: King David with a harp, Abel offering a lamb, Moses and manna, St. Bernard, the prophetess Deborah, priest and king Melchisedek and on the upper level: Mary, mother of God, John the Baptist, St Peter, St Jacob, St Paul, St John the Evangelist.
The chalice cupboard, to the left of the tabernacle, is an exceptionally unique showpiece, created around 1310. There was room inside for 20 sets of utensils for celebrating mass (chalices, plates, jugs, spoons), probably for the 2 main and 18 side altars of the abbey church. Brick residue on the sidewalls show that the cupboard was originally built into a wall.
Worth noticing are the figures on the outside of the doors, depicting Mary, Christ, St Paul and Ezekiel, and the original paintings (only cleaned, never retouched) on the inside of the doors. There you can see Abel with the lamb and Melchisedek with the chalice, as a sign of the death offering of Jesus Christ. On top you can see Jesus giving his blessing.
To the left is a credenza (around 1300). It is part of the original furnishings of the Gothic Minster and was carved from oak wood, like most of the other medieval wooden artifacts of the minster. It served for the preparation of liturgical utensils used when celebrating the Eucharist at the main altar.
The lower parts of the Levite pews originate from the 14th century. The canopy is a reconstruction from the 19th century. The Levites’ seating, a pew for three, was the place for the monk, the deacon and sub deacon celebrating mass.
Above it hangs an ornamental candle holder prominently showing the statue of Mother Mary in the late Roman - early Gothic style from the time of 1280. This figure stood from 1300 onwards as the central statue in the middle section of the main altar. Around 1400 it was integrated into the newly created candle holder. Here she is portrayed as an apocalyptic Madonna with a crown of stars, the sun and the crescent moon, as in the Book of Revelation 12.1: “and there appeared a woman, clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet and upon her head a crown of 12 stars.”
On top of the baldachin you can see the script “AVE MARIA” (“Hail Mary”) as the infinite prayer of the Cistercian monks to their main patroness.
The eagle lectern in front of the main altar was made of copper in the 19th century by the copper smith Steusloff from Doberan as an imitation of a lectern originally found in the cathedral of Hildesheim. The eagle is the symbol of Christ and faith being victorious over evil. It was restored in 2002.
Behind the lectern are the tombs of Duke Heinrich II (the lion) von Mecklenburg (died 1329) and Nicolaide von Werle (14th century). The tombs are covered with medieval mosaic tablets, which are protected by metal grids (19th century).
Although nearly 700 years old, the rows of choir stalls have been preserved in excellent condition. These were built during the period from 1300-1370 and they were used by the monks for holding their seven daily prayer services. The stalls were originally placed a few metres eastwards towards the main altar. The reason for the longitudinal positioning of the stalls lies in the fact that the Gregorian hourly prayers were sung alternately by the monks on either side.
The canopies above the stalls, with intricately carved roses, are of the highest quality and were completed around 1380-1400. The ornamental work was done in a style matching the cross altar (1360) and was followed by work done on the octagon (1420).
Of special interest are some very unique carvings on the pew ends: the pelican style pew end with the vine, ivy and the eagle. Near the lectern are pew ends with carved lilies and monks (1310). The latter ones show, in the upper part, the annunciation of Mary and, in the lower part, St. Benedict, the founder of the Benedictine Order and the author of the rules of monastic life as well as St. Bernard of Clairvaux, the spiritual father of the Cistercian Order.
The double sided cross altar and the Lettnerwand, taller than a human, divided the monks`choir pews in the eastern part from the lay brothers’ seating in the western part. The altar was probably created under the supervision of a Bohemian or south German master builder, with the help of north German master Bertram von Minden. The time of creation is dated 1360-1370. It is the most monumental of its kind in Europe. For the dedication of the church in 1368 the greater part of it was probably finished.
The double sided cross altar shows, on the western side, Christ, the predella and the cross of triumph and on the eastern side the shrine of relics, an altar and the cross shaped “Good Tree of Mary”.
The paintings on Mary’s side of the cross altar: from the left: annunciation of Mary (Luke 1, 26-38), the signs to Gideon (Judges 6,36-40), birth of Christ (Luke 2,6-16), Moses and the burning bush (2. Moses 3,1-8), presentation of Jesus in the temple (Luke 2,22-35), presentation of Samuel in the temple (1. Samuel 1,24-28), escape to Egypt (Matthew 2,13-15). On the cross from the bottom to top: Striking the rock with Moses and Aaron (4. Moses 20,1-13), Evangelist Matthew (angel), spies with grapes (4. Moses 13,17-33), Judith and Holofernes (Judith 13), Mary with Jesus (central picture), Esther in front of Ahasuerus (Esther 5,1-8), Evangelist John (eagle), crowning of Mary (without biblical background). To the left: the sprouting rod of Aaron (4. Moses 17,8-9), Evangelist Mark (lion). To the right: Evangelist Luke (Taurus), the closed gate to the sanctuary (Ezekiel 44,1-3).
The cross is shown as the tree of life - true to the words of Christ: “I am the vine and you are the branches” (John 15:5). The portrayal of Christ as the life-giving and triumphant tree, conquering Satan, is one of the most important symbols of medieval Christianity. The cross, which brought death, is not seen as an instrument of torture but through the resurrection of Christ it came to be understood as a symbol of eternal life. Certain figures or stories from the Old Testament influenced scenes, persons or statements in the New Testament.
The symbolic pictures on the side of Christ to the left of the altar are: Christ on the Mount of Olives (Matthew 26,36-46), Elijah at Mount Carmel (2. Kings 1), Christ in front of Pontius Pilate (Matthew 27,24-26), the Scourging of Jesus (Matthew 27,26-30), the story of Job (Job 2,1-10), Jesus carrying the cross (Matthew 27,31+32), the Fall of Man (1. Moses 3,1-5). On the cross from bottom to top:
Abraham offering Isaac (1. Moses 22,9-14), Jacob fighting the angel and the stairway to heaven (1. Moses 32,23-33 + 28,11-22), Samson and the city gates of Gaza (Judges 16,1-3), Abel and Melchisedek (1. Moses 4,4 + 14,18-24), Christ on the cross (centre picture), the striking of the rock (2. Moses 17,1-7), Elijah and the widow of Zarephath (1. Kings 17,10-24), marking the servant of God with the seal (Revelation 7), to the left: the iron serpent, to the right: David kills Goliath (1. Samuel 17, 4 (38-51) 58). In the half round areas on the cross arms are heads of prophets.
In the upper window valuable pieces of medieval glass (1300) were joined together during the 19th century to show images of Mother Mary and John the Evangelist.
Originally the chapel of the von Oertzen family was located beneath the window. The only things remaining from it are the chapel window sponsored by the von Oertzen family, to the left a medieval tomb stone of one of the family of von Oertzen and to the right the memorial plaque for Siegfried (died 1441) and Hermann von Oertzen (died 1386) with the inscription: “In the year of our Lord 1441 on the 11th day of July Siegfried von Oertzen passed away in the holy land and is buried on Mount Zion. In the year of our Lord 1386, the knight Hermann von Oertzen passed away.”
Up to the former Lettnerwand and the cross altar was, as in all Cistercians abbeys, the room for the church services of the lay brothers.
The pews of the lay brothers are mostly original and complete and are dated around 1280. The round shape of the separating walls, the console style penance seating and the small Romanesque semi-columns all belong to this period. The canopies with their ornate carvings were added later on and were modelled after the choir stalls in the eastern part of the church.
Please note the artfully carved pew ends. The carving of an eagle with oaks and fig leaf depicts a scene in which the devil wants to tempt a lay brother. The script says: “Brother, what are you doing here? Come with me!” and the stoic lay brother replies: “You will not find anything bad on me, you repulsive beast, depart from me!”. Another pew end shows a pelican representing the sacrifice of Christ, yet another pew end shows a lion representing the risen Christ. One pew end shows a wolf and dragon, from whose mouths vine and hop grows. Thus these evil creatures bring forth goodness.
The chalice shaped Romanesque baptismal font from the 13th century, is made from limestone and was brought in from the isle of Gotland. It was originally part of the interior of the Church of St. Mary’s in Wismar.
The western window from the 19th century is the largest window of the Minster and was restored in 1996. Parts of the medieval pews were used when re-doing the pews for the dukes (19th century). They were placed between the southern rows of the monks and the lay brothers’ pews, diagonally across from the pulpit.
Above the western entrance is the face of the astronomical clock, which was destroyed during the 30-year war. It was built in 1390 by Nicolaus Lilienfeld according to the belief of a geocentric universe. The clock was originally located on the western wall of the southern transept, above the steps to the monks dormitories. The four corners depict famous philosophers and astronomers of ancient times.
of Great Duke Friedrich Franz I. von Mecklenburg (died 1837) took 16 years to finish and was put in front of the high altar in 1843. It was moved to its present place in the western part of the Minster in 1976. Friedrich Franz was the first Great Duke of Mecklenburg and founded the first seaside health spa in 1793 in Heiligendamm. He chose Doberan as summer residence for the dukes of Mecklenburg and thus brought growing fame to Doberan.
In the side aisle, valuable medieval tomb stones of abbots have been arranged as a new display in 2004 and 2005. These tomb stones were originally in the crossing. After the reformation they were moved and set into the church floor. During the late 19th century the master builder Möckel removed them from the church floor and integrated them into the side walls. They were removed from the side walls, desalinated, restored and set, at a distance, against the walls, permitting a constant flow of air to avoid further damage. The tomb stones are now placed as follows: to the right side the two nameless abbots, followed by the abbots Martin I. (died 1339), Jakob (died 1361), Martin II. (died 1391), Johannes Plate (died 1420) as well as the vicar von Neuburg, Hermann von Giwertze (died 1449); to the left the abbots Gottschalk (died 1391), Hermann Bockholt (died 1423), Bernhard (died 1441), Johannes Wilkens (died 1489), Franz Meyne (died 1499) and Heinrich Mützel (died 1504).
Above these tomb stones are the pictures of Duchess Anna von Brandenburg (died 1567), the spouse of Albrecht VII., Duke Albrecht VII. von Mecklenburg (died 1547), Johannes VI. von Mecklenburg (died 1474), Albrecht VI. von Mecklenburg (died 1483), Johann V. von Mecklenburg (died 1422), Heinrich IV. (the Fat) von Mecklenburg (died 1477), Albrecht II. (the great) von Mecklenburg (died 1379), Pribislav, duke of the Obotrite tribe and founder of the abbey Doberan, the first Christian ruler of this region (died 1178) and Niklot, duke of the Slavs (died 1160).
This window was restored from 1978-1980. Valuable pieces of medieval glass (1300) were used in the restoration process. The abbey started operating two glassworks in the 13th century. During the glass making process various pigments from natural resources, for example earths, salts or metal-oxides were added to the colourless heated glass to achieve unique colour schemes. The coloured glass sections were then held together with strips of lead. Then the ornamental motives were painted. Despite early Cistercian rules stressing simplicity, the entire abbey church was completely fitted with coloured windows during the 14th century. Depicted are John the Baptist, Virgin Mary with the Christ child in Bethlehem, John the Evangelist and beneath him Duchess Anastasia von Mecklenburg (died 1317), who sponsored a window for the abbey church.
Beneath the windows are stone tablets commemorating the victims of war and violence. The church community added the two outermost plates in 1985, 40 years after the ending of World War II. They name some places of murder and cruelty and admonish us to keep peace and justice.
The von Bülow Chapel (Room of silence) was named after the family von Bülow. For three quarters of a century the bishops of Schwerin came from this family. The interior frescos were painted in 1873 since most of the medieval frescos were lost. Depicted are bishops, several family members and, on the eastern wall, the crucified Christ with John and Mary as well as Saint Thomas of Canterbury and Knight Olav.
In front of the chapel is the tomb stone of Magister Hermann Kruse (died 1599), the first Lutheran pastor taking office in 1564. Magister Kruse is shown carrying a layman’s chalice which was in accordance with the reformatory convictions of that time. This depiction of the chalice is a statement of evangelical teaching meaning that the Lutheran belief is the proper religion. Tomb stone restored 2007.
The organ, built in 1980 by the organ builder Schuke from Potsdam, is above the von Bülow Chapel. The first organ was installed in the Minster around 1600, the second organ was built and installed by the organ builder Friese from Schwerin. Today’s organ has 3220 pipes, 44 registers and three manuals.
It is played during church services, organ recitals and concerts. Starting in May through September concerts are held every Friday at 19:30. The present organ gallery was the gallery of the House von Mecklenburg during med medieval times.
The Chapel was the burial place and chapel of the House von Mecklenburg since 1302. It was named after Duke Pribislav, founder of the abbey, who died in 1178 in Lüneburg. His remains were transferred to Doberan in 1219.
In the chapel there are numerous noteworthy exhibits. In the eastern wall a partially medieval window, dated to the 16th century, shows Mary with Jesus as a child, God the father and the Evangelist John. In front of it there is a late-Gothic cross (1480) from Lübeck and two cupboards (14th century). It is assumed that the cross was originally in the inner yard of the abbey. In front of the altar is the tomb stone of the first Lutheran bishop and administrator of Mecklenburg, Magnus III (died 1550). He was a friend of Philipp Melanchtons. Furthermore, there is the tomb stone of Duchess Ursula, the mother of Magnus III. Set into the northern wall is a renaissance script epitaph, in Latin and German, for Magnus III with the Duke’s coat of arms. To the left there are several memorial plates of the nobles buried here and below it are medieval stone slabs displaying heraldic animals (14th century) to mark the ducal graves (restored in 2005/06).
Beneath the organ gallery you can see the painting of Great Duke Friedrich Franz I. von Mecklenburg, the founder of the first German seaside health resort in Heiligendamm in the year 1793. The marble sarcophagus serves as final resting place for Princess Feodora von Reuß (died 1918), wife of Duke Adolf Friedrich von Mecklenburg. Next to it is the tomb stone of Duke Pribislav (died 1179) thought to have been mistakenly placed on top of the grave of Duke Heinrich I von Mecklenburg (died 1302) sometime during the 19th century.
Inside the archway to the organ gallery, valuable wall paintings were preserved showing vines and the suffering Jesus, dated 15th century.
On the pillar to the choir there are two statues, one of Duke Balthasar (died 1507) and the other of Duke Erich (died 1508). Both are dated from the transitional period between Gothic and Renaissance. These are epitaphs of the highest quality.
The colourful tile paintings on the central column in the northern transept (a similar one is in the southern transept), were created in the 14th century based on oriental designs. The central column, the arches in the crossing, the rafters beneath the vaulted ceilings and the side columns stabilise the church building which was built in a swampy area.
On the other side the tomb stone of Duchess Anna von Mecklenburg (died 1464), the daughter of Heinrich IV von Mecklenburg and sister of Magnus II.
The “Mill Altar” (1410/20) was created as one of the first of its kind. The middle section shows a very picturesque depiction of the transformation of the word to the flesh, or the Eucharist. The four evangelists pour the word of God into the mill funnel, the mill in cross form represents Jesus Christ and shows the place of transformation, the 12 apostles power the mill and the four church fathers catch the trans-substantiated nourishment in a chalice and pass it on to the believers. On the side section, scenes from the life of St. Martin are portrayed.
The scaled model of the Abbey shows the abbey buildings at the time of the dissolution in 1552 with the crosswalk and numerous side buildings. Several of those buildings are still intact today e.g. the charnel house (1250) to the north of the Minster as well as the grain storage and the ruins of the trade building (1290) to the south of the abbey grounds. The abbey wall, 1400 metres long, remains nearly as it was in medieval times.
On the other side is the tomb stone of Heinrich von der Lühe, restored in 2004. It shows the inscription “In the year of Our Lord 1401, on the day of the martyr Vincentius, the good Heinrich von Lühe, a sincere friend of the abbey, died and is resting under this stone. May he rest in peace. Amen.”
The tomb of Lord Samuel von Behr (died 1621) was built by Julius Döteber from Leipzig and the canopy was erected in 1626 by Cheer Evert Pilot. Samuel von Behr was chancellor, marshal, minister, manager and mentor of Duke Adolf Friedrich who had this memorial erected in gratitude to his mentor.
To the right of the chapel and opposite, the swan and antlers remind us of the abbey’s founding legend. After the first abbey was destroyed, Duke Nikolaus from Rostock looked for a new building site for the abbey. The new abbey’s building site would be the place where the first stag was killed in the hunt. The Prince killed the stag here. The monks surveying the site thought that this ground would be too wet as it was swampland. However suddenly a swan rose out of a thicket into the air and shouted “dobr, dobr” ("dobr" is Slavic for "good") which the monks took as a sign from God, and decided to build the abbey on that spot. "Doberan" is Slavic for "good place".
The late-Romanesque, early-Gothic figure of Queen Margarete of Denmark (died 1282) carved from oak, is supposed to be the oldest tomb sculpture in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and the oldest female sculpture of all Cistercian abbeys (see picture next page).
After Margarete’s husband Christopher I. of Denmark was murdered in his homeland, she made a journey to Rome and upon her return lived as a contributor and inhabitant of the Holy Cross abbey in Rostock. Although she lived in Rostock, she was buried in the Minster, since that was the place where the Dukes and Duchesses of the House von Mecklenburg were buried.