Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1905-04-27

highness was greatly assisted by his
talented consort, the crown princess
(nee princess royal of Great Britain
and Ireland). Prof. ]. c. Raschdorff
had been previously selected as archi-
tect by Kaiser Wilhelm l., and in 1890
the present Kaiser Wilhelm II. selected
the plan drawn up by him, and had it
published under the name of Kaiser
Friedrich III. S plan. The plan that was
ultimately selected in November 1891,
differed only in certain details from this
one. The foundation stone was laid on
June IT, 1894, and the sacred edifce was
consecrated on Monday, February o.
the twenty-fourth anniversary Of the
wedding day of Kaiser Wilhelm II. and
Kaiserin Auguste Victoria. The new
cathedral is built on exactly the same
site as the old one, which was originally
erected by Frederick the Great in 1747,
and was altered by Schinkel under
Frederick ILL.,, and was last used for a
public function on the occasion of the
funeral of Kaiser Wilhelm /. Original
~ the cost of the building was estimated
at 22.0O0,OOO marks (G1,078,43D; but
the Prussian diet cut down the vote by
more than one-half, namely, to 10000
900 marks (e490,196) The size of the
cathedral was not much affected by the
change, but the materials selected for
use were considerably less costly
Many details connected with the new
trrhf oh oil MT Of ha mol
royal" and parish church as well, have
been more or less acrimoniously crit
icised; but one should bear in mind that
it was intended to realize a somewhat
complicated scheme. Crown Prince
Friedrich Wilhelm wanted a grand
Protestant cathedral worthy Of the cap
ital city of the kingdom of Prussia, and
of the services his forefathers had rem
dered in the cause OF Professionalism;
and the edifice was also to be the last
resting place OF the Hohenzollerns, some
81 OF whose collins have been collected
together to be deposited in the crypt,
Under the circumstances one is tempted
to cite the wise adage: "Qui trop en-
brasse, NAL etreint."
The style of the building is late (Ital-
lam Renaissance and Baroque. In the
center is huge cupola, the total height
of which, from the ground to the high
est point of the cross, is 37S feet Ola M
it's diameter being 118 feet (36 M. In
side and out the cathedral is remarkable
for the richness of its decorative sculp-
ture work. 1t is built of simple Silesian
sandstone from the WunschelbuTg,
Friedrichsdorf and Warthau quarries,
and most of the pillars and figures are
made OF the same stone. The figures Of
stone are the work of Berlin sculptors-
Otto Leasing, Manuel, Brutt, Herter and
Widemann; whilst the huge bronze
of Christ, 10 feet
$3.50 m.) high, which stands over the
main west entrance, was the work of
Schaper, The lantern of the cathedral
which is 131 feet Gao M higher than
the castle cupola, is surrounded by a
wreath of angels, executed by Walther
Schott after designs by Nicholaus Gel
ger.
From the outside the building gives
The spectator the impression Of majes
lie height and length, but insignificant |
iepth This idea is, unfortunately, more !
han confirmed when one enters the |
cathedral, which is divided into three |
distinctly separate blocks, shut on by |
ioors-the central church, which is in
ended for Divine service, and contains
400 seats, including those of the gal
cries; the mortuary chapel for the re-
,eption of the remains OF the deceased |
members Of the Hohenzollern electoral
md royal family; and the baptistry.
The length Of the building is $40 feet
ia M, the same as the extreme
height; the width, 2521k feet (77 M,
rhe light is good. and II is hoped that
he acoustics will not be imperfect.