Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1848-08-10
From The Springfield (Mas'.) Republican.
Skrtcl over the Sea.
COlGGNF'-TrS LON, &c.

nlfce Cathedral ar Dom, which II II Is ever
finished will probably be second only Ia 81.
Peter S at Rome. II was commenced in l24S,
and is sill far from completed. The style is
Il very pure and beautiful gothic, and the or
iginal design was 10 have two towers, each
500 feet high but The one farhes advanced is
now carrie up only i6O feet. The crane us.d 10
raise ii 10 It's present height still remains though
it was once taken down, bat the superstlllous
inhabitants ascrlbed tremendous thunder
shaver which occurred about that lime to its
removal, aud 1t was forthwith replaced, From
the wear 1909 down Id 1894, nothing Was done
To the building, but from the latter period to
1912, 2l5 0C0 lhalers, about (Sl55 ,0OO) were
given by the present and former Kings ot
Prussia, but it was found necessary to cxpend
the whole OF tn s sum IN repairs.
Since 1912, when the corner stone OF the
new portion was la'd by the king, the work of
construction has been energelcally carried on,
and 276 men wete employed at che time Of
which speak. 1916. The King gives large
annual SUN, and d society has been recently
formed, which branches all over Europe, 10
solicit subscriptions to aid iD finishing the build
ing, which some are So slngulne as To supp0s /,
will be done in ten years. 1t is estiinaicu hat
1000 900 ,haers (about (SI ,44O ,000) viii be
re luired to finish the nave, transcripts, &c,
aud 3 900 900, thalers (S2, 100 .000) for the
towers and facade, making together sum
whh h will not likely 20 be raised very soon, At
least in the present excited condition OF Europe
| though previous IL these disturbances there
! seemed To he a fair chance Of success
! Some very fine painted windows, 10 be given
I by The former hing of Bavaria, (of Dola
Monies mcmory) were making at Munich,
but suppose II may be doubted whether the
H. Il all find A IA fulfill his
promise. They were t. he 80 in number, and
10 cost 1000 lhal"rs each. The choir, the only
part " whlch was finished prior to the long stop
page, is l6l feet high, aud is exceedingly
| beautiful 1t contains fine colossal statue of
! Christ supporting III. world, and also statues
i'of the twelve apostles. The painted windows,
! over $50 wears old, are very hne, but are too
HIGH up 10 be seen 10 adv an,age, except from
the lrliorium gallery, which IS near the top OF
the choir; the cuors are particularly rich, and
the designs are excellent. There is a Crea'
deal Of hue old caIy ny and much gliding, 81
that the effect is very magnificent, entirely
throwing inlO the shade the English cathedrals
and our own much vaunted Trinity"
This cathedral is very rich IN relics, and we
were - bled to the tune of dollar to see them.
mong them are 81 Engelber shrine ofsllver
ornamen,ed with has rees, aud weighing $50
.pOuDuS , lUt S"OIu ny NnC IIC''OIo VI
Cologne of silver gilt, covered with beautiful
flagree work aud over five hundrs years old !;
a cross oi silver = IL studded WIN MANY yalua-
: bic Jewels; and lam standard of pure gold,
weighing eighteen pounds, winch Is likewise
loaded with precious stones, some of then of
very large size. All ot these. however, are Of
very llttle value compared with he relic. which
is the shrine oi the 50 called three Kings of
Cologne, or Mag, VINO came from the Fast
with presents Tor the infant Saviour. Their
bones and lhis shrine were obtained Chat is
stoen) by Frederick Barbarossa from Milan,
when he took the city, and were BY him given
to the Bishop Of Cologne. The coffin or shrine
is of silver glfl, with the exception of the 'front.'
which is pure gold l he whole is curlOusly
wrought in relief. with figures ofthe apostles,
prophets, &c Daring the French revolution
it was removed into Wesphaa, to prevent
Nauoleon from laying hls hands upon 1t, and
many of the Jewels were Sold TO support the
person who had charge OF II. The vacant
places have since been supplied With paste
and gla,s ONerlweve hundred precious stones
am,nl which are Two very large pearls and a
Gne lLby and 10 antiques, remain to attest It's
former spirndor and mdnn,hcence. Some of
, the antiques have given r,sa 10 much learned
speculation, rs they are SUPPOSED to he of Jew
lsh or Egyptian ofIgn.
AItnlt rlh D. seen of the nlins o. the
three kings are the backs of the skulls, with
their names, Gaspar. Melchlor, and Ballhayet,
written ON them IN letters Ofrubles. They have
crowns. originally of gold, but n0w Of silver
OH their heads. The shrine is sain to be worth
nearly 81, 300 600, bu this is doubtless an
exaegertlun. Directly in front Of the shrine
is buried the heart Of Mary OF Medic. After
4 = IaI,,, II ascend
ed to the riiorum gallery aud thence TO The
roof, where We got fine view OF the church
and OF the city. The exterior Of the cathedral
is quite as fine as the interior; aud the flying
butresscs are very much admired 20 their bold.
ness. Th. length of the body of the church
. will be 5l9 feet. aud the b.cadth 231.
i Next to the Dom should be mentioned the
. Church Of " 81 Ursuia aud the eleven thousand
virgins so called from a certain British prln-
cess who, with the above number ot Virgins
sci sail from Britain ior America, but they
encountered had weather and 10y tempest were
; driven up the Rhine to Cologne, and not being
willing to violate then VOWS of chastity, they
were all slain by the Huns Such is their
/ history and vheiher the story is true or not,
there ceitInly is AL Immense number 0i skulls
and bones and whence lhey came n ~ very
I difficult to say, except they are animals bones.
! The hurth was built to preserve their remains,
/ which does most ellectuaIly, for It Is literally
j built ofthem As YOU enter II the bones aud
/ skulls arc all around you, under your feet over
| your head, and sticking out from Grallngs IN the
] walls The skulls of a portion Of them are
/ placed ~ glass cases IN various parts OF the
| /, hurch. aud little tombs are built out from
! the walls 10 contain the bones for which room
! ciuld not bc found elsewhere. Altogether II
| forms A unique and not very agreeable sight, TIL
/ you become accustomed to the ghasiy skulls
/ which stare AZ YOU ifuIn every side
II The bodies of 81. Ursula, and a few of her
/ companions ~ bessrdness, are placed IN silver
/ shrine behind the altar. In the golden room
\ are preserved the skulls OF about forty ot the
virgins IN brass eases with silver faces to th M
/ and all are duly labelled Why these forty
should have this particular distinction, and be-
/ the " chosen. We we're not informed. Among
, 1.-The relics here is one of the vessels which CON
/ talned the water that was turned 10 wine at the
/ marriage feast of ana - Oneplece Is broken
! out, which s said to be- at Paris. There is al
! 50 link OF 1T Peters chan, which fell oil M
! prison, when he was sumnond thence by the
sngei