Warren sheaf., 1905-04-27

talented consort, the crown princess
(nee princess royal of Great Britain
and Ireland). Prof. J. G. tRaschdorff
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 Ills plan. The plan that was
ultimately selected in November, 1884,
differed only in certain details from this
one. The foundation stone was laid on
June II, 1894, and the sacred edifice was
consecrated on Monday, February q,
the twentyfourth 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
public function on the occasion of the
funeral of Kaiser Wilhelm l. Original
ly the cost of the building was estimated
at 22,O0O,00O marks (G1,O78,43D; but
the Prussian diet cut down the vote by
more than one-half, namely, to 10000
900 marks (9490,196y. The size of the
cathedral was not mach affected by the
change, but the materials selected for
use were considerably less costly.
Many details connected with the new
Don" =" which is also sort of chapel
royal and parish church as we'll, have
been more or less acrimoniously crit
icised; but one should bear in mind that
it was intended to realize 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 cOfins have been collected
together to be deposited in the crypt.
Under the circumstances one is tempted
to cite the wise adage: "Qui trop en-
brssse NAL etreint.''
The style of the building is late (Ital-
iahj 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 373 feet Ola m.),
its diameter being 118feet (36 m.). In
side and-out the cathedral is remarkable
for the richness of it's decorative sculp-
ture work. 1t is built of simple Silesian
sandstone from the Wunschelburg,
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 Lessing, Manzel, Brutt, Herter and
Widemann; whilst the huge bronze
representation Of Christ, Is feet
$3.50 n.y. high, which stands over the
main west entrance, was the work of
Schaper. The lantern of the cathedral,
which is 131 feet (4O m.) higher than
the castle cupola, is surrounded by
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-
tic height and length, but Insignificant
depth. This idea is, unfortunately, more
than confirmed when one enters the
cathedral, which is divided into three
distinctly separate blocks, shut off by
doors-the central church, which is in
tended for Divine service, and contains
200 seats, including those Of the gal
leries; the mortuary chapel for the re-
ception of the remains of the deceased
members of the Hohenzollern electoral
and royal family; and the baptistry
The length of the building is 373 feet
(114 m.), the same as the extreme
height; the width, 2521a feet (77 m.)
The light is good, and 1t is hoped that
the acoustics will not be Imperfect