Morning journal and courier., 1890-04-07
Cathedrals and open Spaces.


Two or three schemes are now under dis
cussion for clearing away the houses around
the cathedral Of Cologne, go as to leave it
standing in an open space. 1t is already
much more completely detached than most
churches In the Continental cities, but the
plans contemplate removing the block of
buildings opposite the Hotel Ernst, and also
the houses adjoining the Dom hotel, on the
other side of the cathedral, leaving those
two hotels facing directly on the new open
square, which is to be laid out with grass
and shrubbery. As finishing touch to all
this modernization, one scheme proposes to
destroy the large block of houses which now
stand between the cathedral and the railway,
and build in place of them a grand station
facing the Cathedral square. We do not
suppose that little piping American voice
like ours would bs any more regarded in
Cologne than the chirp of one of the cathe-
that the cathedral and its surroundings
might be left alone. Most architects do not
need to be told that any great building gains
immensely in interest and dignity by being
only partly seeen beyond or above some 9TH
er building, bnt If there are any who doubt
this they need only look at the nearest
church spire, first from an open space, and
then with some object interposed, to be con-
vinced. Independently of this, however, the
clustering of houses around the medieval
churches gives them peculiar sentiment
and interest; or, as We might say, helps to
invest them with the light of the lamp of
memory. Seven hundred years ago, not
withstanding all the corruption OF the priest
hood, the church was 10 the laity the en-
trance and image of that heaven which all,
rich and poor, mobiles and slaves, had fire.
auently in their thoughts. With II was con-
nected the sacred happiness Of which their
robust faith accorded them SO many mo-
ments; and even after death their bodies
we're crowded together in the church yard
| around the walls, where the drip of the rain
from the blessed caves might convey to them
| peace and protection from the internal pow
ers. In the cities, where spacs was limited,
| the houses came close to the walls, and, all
though the abuse of building, sgaiast the
| more unfeelipg age, nearly all the medieval
| csthedrals of the continent show that they
| were designed to be surrounded by narrow
| atreets, and to have q somewhat larger space
in front. Thus in Paris ths sculpture of the
/ side doorways is so delicate and small in
| scale that it can hardly be understood ten
feet away. and that in front is comparatively
| bold, while both in front and on the sides,
the cornice sculpture, the garRoyles and bal
ustrading, which would be visible to half the
thirteenth-century Paris above the SUR
rounding houses, is on the largest and most
| effective SCALE So In dozen other churches;
the work at the sides 10 perfectly adapted to
close examination; that In front to a more
distant view, while the upper portions are
calculated for an increasing range, to the
spires, which are, perhaps, more beautiful a
mile or more away. Ths destruction of the
| conditions under which the designers OF
| these structures expected and intended that
they should be seen would be questionable
undertaking In any case, and experiences
shows that where it has been carried out,
the result has been unsatisfactory. It ia not
| many years since the space in front of Notre
Dame, in Paris, was cleared of buildings,
just as is now proposed for Cologne, and we
think that French architects agree that the
cathedral has lost greatly in effect in conse-
quence; and there are many similar instances
of the inapplioability of bald "Haussmanni-
zation" to the improvement of works Of art
10 refined in effect, and 80 studied in ssnti
ment, ss the thirteenth century churches.