, 1880-01-18
COLOGNE CATHEDRAL.

1CEAt II OfC1 OUSliACltS Wulcu
at one time insurmountab1e.
The event will be most notable one in'the
history OF art. That mighty building links
this age Of materialism with the age when
"art was still religion and when devotional
architecture marked the intensity Of the faith
of the people.
destruction by fire Of the Cathedral founded
by Hilaebold, Of Cologne, in the year 74s,
that Archbishop Conrad laid the first stone
Of the present Cologne Cathedral, forty-four
feet beneath the surface Of the ground. The
known. Archbishop Engelberg, Count Of
Altoona and Berg, is credited with the concep-
tion, but there is no proof of it. The archi-
tect who conceived this stony blossomIng of
devotion is unknown. His name is craven
nowhere, but his spirit pervades the
whole building, and Overlook has appropri-
ately represented in one Of his great pictures
this unknown man as the genius OF archi-
lecture. When Conrad laid the cornerstone
there were present many distinguished men
of that day. It is long way to look back to
that gala day in Cologne, when, after the
reading by the Archbishop Of letter from
the Pope granting indulgence of year and
forty days, a host of penitents went playfully
to work laying the mighty foundations which
were to support the marvellous structure.
Somewhere beneath the ground under the
stones the name of Cologne's great architect
may possibly be found. The pile began Ito to
work on the building. In 1922 the choir of
the church was .consecrated with great pomp
and ceremony, its exuberance Of exquisite
ornaments giving promise OF the, transcend
ent beauty Of the completed pile Service
tons continued to pour in. Edward ri. Of
England, in 1887, left rich offerings for the
Cathedral. Charles ~. of France also left
his tribute. The work, however, through
dragged In 1887, about 200 years after The
foundations were laid, the south tower
was completed TO- the hight visl-
BILE ct the :. revival Of the work
in 1886 The sisteenth century and ;, the
came upon the Cologne marvel with a be-
'nu1nbing effect The work was suspended;
rubbish accumulated, other buildings en-,
croached on the Cathedral space; men talked
Of Of The % Proceedings s Tie choir was finished, IS
were a portion Of the east walls of each
transept, the north aisles, fotlr great win
dows with colored glass, and seven compart-
ments Of the ground root: The south alsies
south tower had reached hight Of ITO feet;
the north tower was just begun. Portions
OF the facade were built, and yawning chasnls
were visible everywhere. 1t, stood like
oeantl1nl tno9gst arrfs!euLemonsHA H. " ,a sl,om
would v t,ai be. be- ~ ~ ~
The Cathedral was plundered and mutt
lated shockingly. The exquisite ornaments
in the choir we're DESTROYED; Brazen angels
we're melteu uoWn; - neauul9l slone screen s.: zen
taken from the windows. When the French
soldiers occupied Cologne: in, 1874 they
camped in the old Cathedral and desecrated
1t III every way: Inc archlVes We're M GaIteq
away, and ~lth tnem one OF tne ca 0a1lglnaIl
was looked upon as Gothic ruin. No one
ut the beginning OF this century seemed to
believe that it would ever be built. The poet
Wordsworth, after visiting It, "rote:
This temple-anEcls governed BY u plan
Thus far pursued lhow glortouSy} by mani.
Studious tha1 q. re la,gnt notolson Inc soa1
VINO dwels IN heaeen! seta c.., 1o:.
artist s Of CO Cologne, and an enthusiast about
the Cathedlai Greetea the attentlon OF
Europe to the unhnlslled tnougnt py means
OF pictures OF tne pullalug: ~ was lortu-
nS bsd haen IF < tba G
troublous times IN l.H. Inls galuaple
parchment was found IN IN obscure locality,
used by an old laay as stIe1cher upon
which 70 Dry neh oeahS 81 II a9 sGe rbnf hf
cattAA NoF e.I1
after spending fortune on the structure, the
work ceased, and Cathedral tax was then
levied to continue It. Great progress was
made. Many plans to raise money to COM
plete the whole edlice were proposed. In
1910 the King Of Prussia Slgnlted his 1nten-
tion to aid the work. The Cologne people
organized societies for the same purpose.
Concerts were given and plays were acted in
the same cause. In 1871 burgher Of Stutt-
gard sent q boatr}oad Of hewn stone for the
Cathedral
At length it was agreed that the second
foundation laying Of the Cathedral should
take place Sept, ], 1872. On that daya most
brilliant pageant appeared. The King and
Prince Of Prussia were there, with scores Of
dignitarie5 an4 Princes, and III . glitterfng |
procession they proceeded to the centre por |
tal Of the southern transept, where the cere-
mony took place. Swirner, the new architect, |
secured the consent Of all parties that the |
original design, in all its grandeur, should be |
carried out. Since that time the work has |
slowly proceeded, great difficulty being en- |
counfered laying proper foundations. Dur |
ing the repairs to the interior exquisite angel |
figures were found beneath the whiteWash |
above the arches of the inner choi-. In 1916
Swirner had completed the south aisle. In |
isis the body Of the building was completed,
together with aislcs and transept, and tenn |
porary roof was put over the nave. Next /