The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1886-08-29
GRAND CATHEDRALS.
THOSE AT BRUSSELS, ANTWERP,
COLOGNE, AMiENS, STRAseURG.


Antwerp CathedraI--CoIognc-s nIagnifi-
cence-Interior of Amicns.
The cathedral of St Michael and ST
Gudulc, at Brussels, claims pre-cminence
among the churches. The architecture is
progressive in its character, presenting
specimens of every style, from the Twelfth To
the Sixteenth century. a portion of tho
choir and its aises belong To the earliest of
these dates The remaining piers and arches
and trifsIium and clear-story of the choir he
long to tho Thirteenth century. The clear
story and aislcs of the nave are of later date,
with flowing tracery. The side chapels of
the choir are rich Fifteenth or early Six
teenth century work, and the western towers
are of elaborate Fifteenth century work.
ANTWERP AND COLOGNE.
The cathedral of Antwerp is unsurpassed
i'm its Gorgcousness. 1t is cruciform in plan,
with seven aiSles-an unusual arrangement.
These aisles are of irregular width, and their
number, together with the numerous rows
of piers and arches, give To the interior a
striking effect, which Is, however, much in
jured by coarse detail and whitewash. The
cathedral has an area of 10000 square feet,
and Is of curious proportions, being 40 feet
in width inside the nave, while its length is
but $50 feet. Had the nave been four bays
longer and the central aisle ut least ten feet
wider, taking the additional width ont of the
side aislcs, the apparent size of the cathedral
would have been greatly enhanced. Its de
tails, though rich, are coarse and dchaScd in
character Its great feature is its magniii-
cent portal, with one finished tower, 4Hi feet
in height, which was commenced i'll li.:i, but
not finished until l5lS. IL Is more in accord
ancc with the taste of the Sixteenth century
than in union with the original design
Cologne cathedral, i'll north Germany,
stands alone in dignity and grandeur it is
certainly of the noblcSt temples ever
erected 10y man To the homer OF his creator. Ii
was commenced in 121O-l3Ij, and covers an
area Of 81, i'it square feet, being 5000 square
feet larger than Amiens, making it the largest
cathedral I'm northern Europe. By comparing
Cologne cathedral with that Of Amirns it will
lie found that the eastern half of the former
is an exact copy Of the latter, not only in
general character, but also in dimensions, the
only difference being few feet of additional
length at Cologne; this is more than made up
10y the lady chapel at Amicns The German
cathedral has additional bay in each
tranScpt, and two extra aisles in the nave,
with the enormous SIbStructure of the
western towers. Its great defect is its want
of length, emphasized 10y the height of the
nave which Is 49, fcet-four times the width.
A regiment of cavalry riding through its nave
would look like pigmieS dwarfed 10y the 40
feature is the western facadc-only lately
completed. The twin towers surmpuntcd by
dclicatciy wrought spires, rise to a height of
BIO feet. This western facade Is "A grand con
ccption. 1t equals in maGniiicencc those de
signed for Strasburg and Lorraine, while sur
passing them in purity and excellence.
AMIENS, STRAsBCRG, ROTTERDAM.
The cathedral of Amiens OFrance) was com
menced in the year leo and completed 1871.
1t was partially destroyed by fire in $50, AID
the clcar-story and all the upper portions were
rebuilt BY l5s2 the cathedral was complete
in all its parts now find it. The cathc-
dral covers an area of IL POS square feet In
plan this cathedral seems to give us the ty-pi-
cal form of the nobleSt type of Christian archi-
lecture. The vista through its long nave is
one of the most beautiful in the world. it
was erected in one consecutive period, AMI at
n time when Gothic architecture had reached
its highest point Of excellence. On the tN-
terror. seen in elevation, the effect is married
by the smallneSs of the western towers in pro
portion to immense nave and choir The
northern tower is :a2S feet in height, and the
southern tower 2O5 feet. The roof of tho
nave is us feet, the central spire being only
400 feet. This want of proportion between
the parts reduce the three spires to compare
tive inSigniiicance. The interior effect is,
however, one of the most beautiful in Europ,
y
Cologne among the German French churches.
1t is smaller than Amicns covering an area
of only GO,0DO square feet. Tho plan is pccJi
liar, the eastern end having formed part of
an older basilica, built in the Eleventh and
Twelfth centuries. The nave and the west
front are, however, the glory and boast of
Alsace, and possess in a remarkable degree
all the beauties and defects of the border
styla The nave was probably commenced in
the early part of the Thirteenth century, and
seems to have been finished about l31:,. The
details are pure and beautiful and the design
of singular holiness. The vaultcd roof Is lul
feet in height from the pavement of the nave,
being in good proportion with the nave
length, which is only go feet.
The Church of st. Lawrence, at Rottcr
dam, formerly the cathedral, is a eros
church, the greater part of Fourteenth cen
fury design, the details being terribly mutt
lated. The walls are of brick, with stone
facinSs and window tracery. Tho piers and
nave arches are also of stone. The present
roof is barrel vault of wool having rough
logs for tie beams, with large brackets under
the ends. Parts of the edifice have been re
stored The tower presents some good fea-
lures, with bold angle huttresSes, and with
triple recessed arches in two stages above the
roof Building.