The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1843-05-17
The WalhalIa.

Temple, of the Doric order, built near Ratisbon,
the banks of the Danube. The following beautiful
description is taken from letter, written by Henry
E. Wheaton, United States Minister at Berlin, to
the National Institute at Washington -
THE wALHALLA
The Walhala, erected on he top of IA detached
emiuence, rislng about two hundred and nifty ieet
above the level of the Danube. and overlooking the
whole plain, surrounded with anphitheatre of
woody hills, is constructed above triple row OF
terraces which are reached by successive Nights OF
steps alternately single and double and which pro-
duce the most grand and picturesque imprt sson on
The spectator he ascends towards the building by
which they are malesticay crowned. When he
reaches, by single flight OF steps, the hrst landing
place. he may take his choice of The right or lett Of
a double fl ght which conduct him TO terrace OF
which the front wall Is pierced with door OF
bronze, forming the entrance into the subterraneous
" II all of expectation" where the busts OF living
worthless are to be placed TO await their trans aon
to the Wdlhaa From this terrace the spectator
again ascends, by another double flight OF steps In
the inverse direction from the first, TO second
landing place, from which he reaches, by single
fight in front, the terrace which stands the
temple itself, passing by three different platforms,
which form, IL were, the basement 10 the edhee,
thus raised, stage by stage, upon so many massive
sub tructious OF the most imposing character The
walls of these different terraces built ot huge
stone ocks, in the shape NJ irregular poyglons,
most ngeniously joined together In the style OF Cy-
clopean masonry which serves TO increase the gl-
gantic effect OF the whole vast structure. This
cesson of terraces and fiji hts OF steps Is wi hou
ample in the history OF art and forms most happy
conception, according with the general design OF
the monument, and augmentng It's grandlose cha
rscter
The exterior walls ofthe temple are built of Saz-
burg calcareous stOne approaching TO marble IN the
purity OF lis color and othelr qualities IL Is 800 eet
lo1g, 100 eet wide, and 10 tcet IN height It's pro-
PORTIONS thus differ considerably from those of The
ParthenOn, which IL greatly exceeds IN size, and
closely resembles in The style OF It's external archl
lecture. The two sides each adorned with
single colOnnade, and each OF the tive fronts with
double colonHade of DOric columns, each feet 10
inches in diameter, The pediments OF the two
fronts are decorated with groups OF marble statues
by Schwanthaler, the one representing historically
the triumph of Armenus the legions OF Varus,
and the other allegoricaly the restoration OF the
conquered provinces to Germany at the peace OF
l8l4-l5. These works, and especially the former,
Justly regarded as doing the highest honor to the
eminent talent of this accomplished sculptor. No
wood has been employed IN any part OF the build.
ing, except under the plates OF copper which cover
the roof the root tree being of cast iron, and the
other parts ct the building constructed OF stone,
marble, and bronze.*
The interior of the edifce corresponds with the
magnificent grandeur OF the exterior The original
type OF DOric temple has been preserved in the
plan of the interior, which is Grecian celia in the
form OF parallelogram, containing the portrait
busts OF lllustrous men and women ranged at dit
teren heights along the four walls. THIS arrange
ment OF the buss, all OF the same fOrm that OF the
antique Hermes, and of the same color, that OF the
purest white marble, might have produced an effect
at once monotOnous and trlg'd, II It had not been
skiiu'ly obviated by the genius OF the architect
One of the conditions OF the programme, as we
have seen, the Introduction OF sufficient light
into the interior of the edi6ce an indispensable OBJ
jec which could not be accomplished as in the an
root open to the sky; an arrangement, which.
however suitable to the climate OF Greece and
Italy would not be adapted to that OF Germany
The Walnaa must therefore necessarily be cover
IL. sh~ ha.sr
COMPOSING the rooftree might be supported by
OF building advanced on the two long sides OF the IN
terror break the uniformity OF It's continuous
lines These masses, detached from the walls OF
the celia and formed of double columns supporting
an archtrave with its entabaurr, and the second
order OF two statues OF caryatlGes 10 each column
supporting the ceiling, thus relieve In the most
agreeable manner the mOnotony which would else
have been produced BY the long lines OF Hermes
busts standing az alnst the naked walls. This fleet
is also Increased by the rich antique marble Candida
bras, chairs, and statues OF the Valkvna by Rauch,
placed at intervals between the different rows ct
busts A space reserved at the further end OF the
celia, and corresponding to the opisthodome OF the
ancient Greek temples, forms below sort OF encOs-
ure ornamented with SIX Ionic columns, and above
a bal :ony open towards the temple, and supported
by similar statues of caryatdes This balcony Is
intended to accommodate The chors OF music at The
conservation of the hus,s successfully introduced
into the Wahalla. From IT there issues a narrow
passage which goes all around the whole extent OF
the two long sides OF the temple. aud which ~ lett
open towards the Interior IN order 10 accommodate
A certain number OF spectators on these solemn oc-
caslon. These arrangements give 10 the interior Of
The monument both animation and variety, without
inlurlDg the effect produced by It's grandeur and un
w. whilst the richness of the decorations increases
the impression produced by It's imposing archltec-
ture.
The walls, from which project the busts Of white
marble, are entirely covered with marble plates OF
various coors, assorted with exquisite taetc the
columns are also sculptured of fine marble the cell
inc ted nd ne
style, with stars OF gold on the blue grouod ct The
compartments. The statues OF The caryatldes are
dr corated IN the same sly le, with gold and coors
distributed the d II rent paris 81 ther dress he
floor of the temple IA paved IL mosaic, with various
,oorcd ma rbles Thus, with the exec ton rt the
H-rsles busts, OF The Statues OF The Valkyra by
F auch and Of the basso relieve rifze which runs
al around the walls OF the celia, the whole interior
of this ma gnifice temple Is resp enGan with gold
aud coIors whilst the exterior is mar ked by the
grave and noble style OF the purest Done archltec-
ture.
The busts of illustrous historical personages, all
Of the same dimensions and all In the torn OF Her
mes are distributed in two rows along the walls OF
the interior; the lower row standing on contnu
Gus celestial the upper on separates consoles pro-
jecling from the walls third row OF these busts
has been commenced, which may hereafter be hlied
up by the images of the illustrlous Germans deemed
worthy in future times OF admission INTO the wal
haIla The impre ssion produced by this vast colec
lion of scuptured portraits of historical persondges
is powerfully increased by the presence OF the SIX
statues by Rauch of winged female figures, placed
On the Two sld OF the temple, IN the intervals
formed by the rows of double columns projected
from the walls These statues, as before stated, re-
present the Valkyra, WHO supposed by the poetic
legends Of the northern my holoey TO be The rhoos-
ers of The slain" whose departed souls are deemed
worthy If admission into the Walhala. or these
beautiful figures, some are standing and others are
seated ia various expressive attitudes, holding IN
th-ir hands palms of victory or crowns OF laurel,
which they seem TO be offering the rewards OF ge-
MUS and patriotism. They are justly admired as the
finest works, in point OF invention, STYLE, and ar
rangement, produced by the genius OF the great
Prussian artist.
The other sculptured works in marble and bronze
which serve To decorate the interior OF the temple,
are all designed and executed with the same view
to tine ideas and types OF that mylhoosical system
in which the Walhala filled the place OF the Elysi-
um of the classic nations OF antiquity AS there are
no Gothic works of art still remaining OF date pre-