The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1879-09-18
DUKE OF BRUNSWICK8 TONE

One of the Most Splendid Na.sslsa.s n E.-
[Geosvs sCozrsspondsnce OF the Ccntnsstsl Qsss>A>
The site chosen is not alone one Of tho
finest in Genena, it is one of tho finest
in Europe. The place des Alps, where
the mausoleum IS being built, has for
foreground the lake, the Alps Of Savoy,
ind the chain Of Mont Blanc; for back
ground, the Jura mountains and 1t ls
fanked by the Hotel Beau -Rivage, whore
| the late duke died, the Hotel de la Paix,
and other buildings of similar prsten
sions. The mausoleum riscs from the
center Of platform elevated several teet
above the ground. This platform is ap-
proached by noble fight of steps, on
each side of which is placed a colossal
hon couchant, the one guarding the city,
the other the lake. At the base Of tie
monument repose two colossal sphynxes,
like the lions, in red marble, tho one
looking east, the other west These
have all been sculptured on the spot
from the models Of II. August Cain Of
Paris, by Italian sculptors, working un-
der the supcrintendenoe Of II. Berteau:d
Of Geneva. Near tho sphinxes are two
granite basins lined with black marble
*nd filled with crystal water, In which
will be reflected; as in a minor, the
splendid proportions Of the mausoleum.
The lower part Of 1t, or claustrum, is
surrounded by oriue, a superb specimen
Of iron work by Moreau of Parik, within
which are ranged six massive columns Of
Aberdeen granite, whereon are plsced
the statues, in white marble, OF the dukes
six ancestors "of pious memory" To
complete the number mentioned in the
will, and in addition to the two already
mentioned, sculptured by Herr Kissling,
SWISS artist settled in Paris, n. Frauel
has selected four distinguished princes
Of the house Of Brunswick, the most an
clent royal house IN Europe; Henry the
Lion and Otto the Child (by Schnn-
werck) and Ernest the Confessor and
Augustus the Learned, the execution OF
which was confided to Thomas and Mil
let Of Paris. These six statues were
placed on their pedestals some six weeks
since. The sarcophagus will be con-
tained in hexagonal chapel or taberna-
Gle of white marble, on the sides of
which arc sculptured in bas-rel,ef scenes
from the history Of the Wel6c house.
Inside the sarcophagus will he placed
tho mortal remains Of the late duke; on
it will repose full length statue of him,
lion couchant at his feet, and winged
angels will keep guard over his splendid
tomb. Above the chapel and the sarco-
phagus rises hcxagonal gabled pyramid
in red marble, each Of its six faces con-
tanning niche in which is placed an
angel figure in the white marble of Car
rarra. The gables are richly carved and
surmountcd by golden crowns. Above
the pyramid rises a hexagonal pyramid
Of white marble with rcd marble capitals,
whcreon will shortly be placed bronze
equestrian statue Of the duke. The 12
inches Of the pedestal will be filled with
ef1igies Of the twelve apostles.
Besides the six columns Of the first or
der forming the base Of the monument,
the platforms supporting the architraves
and the angels are OF Aberdeen granite.
Some Of the colunnettes, as we'll as the
encadremtnt of the bas-rcliefs, arc in the
black marble of Belgium. All the rcd
marble used in the making Of the statues
the columns and the colonnettcs comes
from Verona; all the white marble from
Carrara. The Brunswick mausoleum is
fifth larger than the La Scala mauso-
leum, the height Of II from base to sum-
mt being sixty. feet The raised plat
on which 1t is built is enclosed within a
beautiful balustrade of red granite,
which again is surrounded by an iron
railing; the intervening space being filled
with grassy slope, and planted with
shrubs and flowers. To the rear of the
mausolcum is shady garden, which, in
Italy or Spain, would be called the Cam
ln Santo, and in order that the house Of
the guardian of the monument, which Is
now in course Of erection there, may be
in armony with its surroundings it is
being built of tuta in the form of a
grotto and covered with turf.
To this sketch-all too brief for so splen.
did work of art, and intended rather
to persuade your readers to come and
|judg &c for themselves, than as a descrip-
tion of the mausoleum-it only remains
to add that it was commenced three years
ago, and will, it is hoped, be finished
early ncxt month, so that visitors may
have all opportunity before the close Of
autumn Of seeing IN all its perfection
the finest monumental tomb this side of