The Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary, also called Frauenkirche (Frauenkirche), is one of the symbols of Munich, as well as the tallest church in the city (99 meters). At a meeting of the city authorities in 2004, it was decided to ban the construction of buildings above it.

The cathedral is located near the Marienplatz square. The history of the building is directly related to the monarchical Wittelsbach dynasty. The cathedral, in addition to its direct purpose, was to be used by the rulers of Bavaria as a family crypt.

The interior of the cathedral is surprising in that it is made in light colors: Usually in medieval Gothic temples a darker atmosphere reigns. Daylight pours through colored stained-glass windows with images of saints. 22 columns hold the vault of the building. When you stand at the entrance, you can hardly see the windows because of the columns and it seems as if the light is streaming from nowhere. All this creates an unexpected feeling of spaciousness and lightness. Inside, the tombstone of the Holy Roman Emperor Ludwig IV of Bavaria attracts attention. It is decorated with symbols of the dynasty and sculptures of kneeling knights. It is also worth paying attention to the Benno Arch decorated with baroque stucco in the central nave near the choirs. The name of this saint also bears the fountain opposite the entrance portal. The main altar, painted with the image of the Ascension of the Virgin Mary, is decorated in the same style.

There is a footprint in one of the stone floor tiles right at the entrance to the cathedral. Several legends are associated with it. It is believed that the devil himself left a trace, sneaking into the church on the day the construction was completed. Not seeing the windows, he burst out laughing and kicked. According to another legend, the architect entered into an agreement with the unclean that he would help him build a building in exchange for the soul of the first parishioner. On the day of completion, he refused to comply with the condition, pointing out the lack of windows. The devil stomped in anger.

There is an elevator to the South Tower Observation Deck, but you will need to walk up the stairs to reach the elevator. Access to the tower is carried out from April 1 to October 31. On Catholic holidays, divine services are held in the cathedral.

Photos Frauenkirche

Opening hours: Saturday to Wednesday from 7.00 to 19.00, Thursday from 7.00 to 20.30, Friday - from 7.00 to 18.00. Ticket price: entrance to the cathedral is free. Climbing the tower costs 3 euros for adults, for children - 1.5 euros. How to get there: Marienplatz metro station is nearby. Address: Frauenplatz 12, 80331 München, Germany Website.

Address: Frauenkirche, Frauenplatz 12, 80331 München, Germany. How to get there: metro station "Marienplatz" (metro lines U3 and U6).

Cathedral of Our Lady in Munich

In the hustle and bustle of the day, worries, worries, head bowed, we run through life, noticing only the asphalt under our feet, speeding cars, metro stations. Days and nights flicker, life energy flows away. In our declining years, we increasingly turn our eyes to the sky, peer into the bottomless blue, trying to see the hidden secret, whispering the words of a forgotten psalm, begging for forgiveness, passionately looking for prayerful shrines, where the all-forgiving spirit of God is ready to descend on the atheist. One of such fertile places is the Frauenkirche in Munich.

Chronicle of the construction of the Cathedral of the Virgin in Munich

The heart of the old city is Marienplatz, which has survived noisy crowded fairs, bazaars, spectacular tournaments, remembering epidemics, tears, lamentations, battle and victory cries. Grateful descendants erected here a giant column to the unchanging patroness of Bavaria - the Virgin Mary (1638).
Raised high above the ground, standing on a gilded crescent, she holds the symbols of power and the baby Jesus, blessing the townspeople and visitors. Humbert Gerhard tried to embody in the monument the idea of ​​the fall, patience, punishment, humility of the people. Not in vain, obviously, at the foot of the stele, eerie figures lurk, personifying disasters, problems that torn apart the population in ancient times. Famine, Plague, War froze. Of particular interest is Heresy in the guise of a vicious one, punishable by death.
Once there was a modest chapel near the square, which gathered a lot of people, especially during the festivities. Once, when it was overflowing with believers who came with a chant, an alarming cry was heard about a fire that had begun: the bell ringers sounded the alarm, the laity shouted, they rushed in a panic to the only small exit, not remembering anything. In continuous caustic smoke, unbearable crush, groans of the victims, they did not notice the fallen to the ground beautiful girl, young, pure, immaculate, trampled to death. The spilled blood of an innocent victim has generated a lot of talk. It was then that they decided to build a new building, spacious, bright, where the inhabitants of the capital would freely fit in. Money for a good cause was collected by the whole world. Duke Sigismund with Bishop Johannes Tulbeck finally laid the cornerstone (1468).
Developing the project of the temple, the architect Jörg von Halspach persistently repeated that excesses were not allowed in it, as required by the strictest style of uncompromising Gothic. Large-scale construction took a record short time, only 20 years old (excluding domes added later), becoming the architect's swan song, who died the same year. Full completion falls on 1525. The church accommodated over 19 thousand worshipers, although the number of residents at that time did not exceed 13,000. Probably, they counted on a large increase in population or the transformation of the church into a kind of Mecca, where pilgrims from all over the country would flock.
Cathedral built of burnt red bricks Holy Mother of God seen from the most remote corners of Munich, because there is no building higher than it. The city council adopted a special bill that prohibited the construction of skyscrapers that cover the symbol of the capital.
This is a powerful one-piece structure (109x40 m), reminiscent of Noah's Ark. Strict lines of a majestic facade delight. Under the gable roof, articulations are clearly distinguished, harmoniously combined with the concave wreath of the chapels. The rising turrets were originally planned to be decorated with spiers, however, there was a catastrophic lack of money. From here - domes-bulbs of green color, entering into an original contrast with bright red tiles and masonry. "My favorite asparagus (asparagus)," Elector Max III Josef lovingly called them. The southern tower (98.45 m) is 12 cm shorter than the northern one (98.57 m).
Climbing one of them along a narrow spiral staircase, rushing a little on the elevator, you will exit to the observation deck: tiled roofs, straight flying avenues, streets and nooks and crannies - everything will appear to your eyes. In clear, sunny weather, if you're lucky, you can admire the snowy caps of the Alps for a long time, get pleasure, penetrating into the plan of the ancient architects who created with love, feel the greatness of nature, compare what you see with impending everyday life, aggression, deceit, malice.
In the attic there is still a heavy wooden beam taken out of the ceiling. The talented carpenter von Strandbing, wanting to prove to those present his unsurpassed skill, unattainable qualifications, pulled it out. Then he suggested that the envious people should be installed in their original place. This mystery has not yet been solved. Don't believe? Then step under the cathedral roof. Arm yourself with patience, determination, ingenuity. Perhaps the secret of the wise master will yield to your pressure and be revealed?
Ten bells are located under the copper "bulbs", they were cast for 6 centuries (from the XIV to the XX). The largest of them is called tender female name- Suzanne. At the bottom of the façade there is a plaque with faded, peeling paint, but the inscription on it is still readable. She notifies that the area around the structure is a zone of increased danger, because a crazy wind always walks here. Tearing off the shabby lining, the hats of the gaping guests, as if mocking, he circles them along the pavement. Why only foreigners? Because those who live in the nearby area, remembering the ancient legend about the origin of the mini-whirlwind, always keep their hats on when passing by.

devil's foot

The legend whispers a fantastic story, similar to a fairy tale about the lord of the underworld, who wished to destroy the abode of God. Having received bad news from loyal subjects about the construction in Germany of another shrine to the glory of the Mother of God, the impure one went into a rage, fearing a decrease in the influx of sinners into hellish chambers, which he could not allow. Satan decided to visit the construction site before the consecration. Having concluded an agreement with a ferocious strong north wind, he rushed to the Bavarian region. The task of the storm is to destroy outside, circling and howling angrily around. The Prince of Darkness took upon himself to harm from the inside, penetrating unnoticed into the room. Standing under the central organ, he did not see a single window. Chilling laughter echoed through the vaults. With pleasure, the horned one clapped his hands, delighted, stamped his knives, leaving a noticeable decent dent on the floor tile, from which different sides gossamer cracks ran, and the spur in the form of a hook is clearly visible to this day. Why was the soul stealer so happy? He correctly decided that little people would hardly come to the prayer service in the gigantic dark temple expanse.
When the building was consecrated, the people poured in a crowd, the indignation of the demon knew no bounds. Having flown around, he suddenly discovered windows 23 meters high, decorated with magnificent stained-glass windows, located around the entire perimeter. I counted 30 of them. Arriving in an unthinkable rage, he rushed away, ordering his accomplice to continue the vile business of external destruction.

Rigidity and simplicity of architecture

AT going inside, look carefully at the imprint - Teufelstritt. Framed by a yellow square on the gray coolness of marble - "damn footprint". Stand close to him - not a single window opening will open to your eyes. But just take a step forward, and the soft light, refracting in the charming stained-glass windows, cheerfully playing with multi-colored highlights on the arches, columns, floor, will fascinate. Lined up on both sides inner space octagonal pylons (22 pieces), amazingly white, seeming translucent, give the impression of a road stretching into the distance. Service supports rest on them, forming an ocher branching of mesh vaults with a delicate graphic pattern. There is no ceiling and wall painting, a minimum of intricate stucco - only clear, haughty Gothic looks down. Severity, piety of the Middle Ages did not tolerate pretentious tinsel, paying close attention to the spiritual state of the flock. The house of the Lord is not a farce, not a circus arena. Nothing should interfere with communication with the Creator. The mass must be listened to in full, sitting in deafening silence, looking at the 8-meter crucifix, as if floating under the ceiling.
Connoisseurs of choral singing are amazed by the amazing acoustics. Alas, the works of Bach will not please the zealous Catholic, for the loud music, "beating the ears," spreads with a drawn-out, dull rumble in a vast space. But Gregorian chants, Mozart's works sound surprisingly soothing, being remembered for a long time.
The flickering light of candles, the air thickened with incense, the twilight give a feeling of the invisible presence of the Holy Spirit. I would like to hope that the request sent to the Almighty will certainly be heard. On the benches - from 10 to 15 old men, sorting out the rosary, silently utter the words of prayer after the shepherd. On Sunday, there are a couple of hundred visitors, no more, despite the fact that the benches installed in rows are designed for 4 thousand people. The people of Munich do not aspire to come here. The sacred monastery appears too arrogant, arrogant.

Alliance of Throne Power and Faith

The five-nave building was more visited by aristocrats, electors, leaving a rich donation, expressed a desire to be buried here, in this quiet pier, where the Wittelsbachs, who ruled the region for more than 700 years, found their rest. The main throne of the main nave obscures the majestic tombstone of Ludwig of Bavaria with towering above it national flag. The monument is a cenotaph (grave without remains) of reddish and black marble. A huge slab with a cushion stone, on it is a crown. On both sides are allegories of government: the first, crowned with a wreath of laurel, clutches a scepter. Facial expressions reflect good nature, justice, honesty, such sought-after qualities for a peaceful life. The second looks sternly from under half-closed eyelids, holding the weapon at the ready. In appearance - courage, determination, intelligence - everything you need to have in the twilight years of military battles.
At the foot are statues of high-ranking persons: William IV, Albert V with a sword. In the corners, knights clad in armor froze in a single impulse (author Hans Krumpper). On the slab are skulls and standards. From the tomb it blows cold, scaring away the parishioners. The talented hand of the sculptor Erasmus Grasser delights art connoisseurs with skillfully executed busts of the apostles, prophets, frozen on the kliros. Behind the church choir there is a staircase leading to the crypt, where the crowned bearers, local cream of society, clergymen, and the rich have rested forever. Ludwig himself was buried together with his wife Beatrix in a crypt in the altar.
In the altar - a painting by P. Candide "The Ascension of Mary" tells of a joyful event when the Ever-Virgin is taken away with her body to heaven, crowning the kingdom. Several works by Jan Polak are striking in their realism, although their complete authenticity has not been established.
The side chapels are the desire to be closer to the Creator embodied in stone. They are interesting for their unusual decoration. So in the chapel of the Holy Mysteries, linger in amazement before Grasser's mechanical clock. They contain movable figures of the famous biblical story. In addition to them, the planets, the signs of the zodiac are moving, the phases of the Moon and the Sun are represented, and the melody, flowing and enveloping, carries the thought of intercession, all-encompassing universal love, and mercy. During the restoration period, a crowing rooster, the herald of dawn, was added, driving the demon's minions into the deep dungeons of hell. In general, the church has always faithfully served the local dukes, the last of whom now lives in Nymphenburg Castle at the expense of the state.

The fate of the temple today

Now it is lost among the many residential buildings surrounding it. Even taking pictures is problematic. Going through narrow streets to the fountain "Bennobrunnlein" (designed by Josef Henselmann) in a purely German style: simple, strict, dedicated to St. Benno, you will find yourself at the cathedral portal. Kids do not play on the porch, and citizens run past under a piercing, powerful air flow. There are up to 400 people in the parish. It is visited mainly by old people from the nearby shelter and tourists, who do not fully understand the gothic severity that denies comfort, magnificent decoration, the pursuit of money collections, human hearts. She recognizes one hundred percent asceticism in everything: clothing, food, attractions. He does not tolerate falsehood, does not give indulgence even to children brought up in a singing school (300 children), where he once served famous composer Orlando di Lasso.
Periodicals publish articles about the cathedral, a considerable number of television programs are filmed. It was not built for the common people, rather, it is intended strong of the world this. The union between the "earthly and heavenly" authorities is too strong here. Some local magazine wrote that an old parishioner liked to repeat the hackneyed phrase: "Be simple and people will certainly reach out to you." The 96-year-old old woman quite rightly asserted that this proverb could be applied not only to the laity, but also to the Frauenkirche. Whether the ruling circles will want to heed the wise advice given back in 2006, time will tell, but for now, festive services are always broadcast exclusively from here.
Carefully closing the door, going outside, slowly head towards the falling water, sit down, perhaps a quiet sadness will fill you to the brim. Let a quivering feeling of joy, splendor arise from contact with eternity, and the worm of doubt "Who needs such asceticism?" does not gnaw. Bow to the Great Mother, who, not looking at the tragic earthly fate of her son, at the feet of the Heavenly Father begs for forgiveness for all mankind.

Due to the richness of its architecture, it has been called "Florence on the Elbe" in literature. Monuments of architecture in the Baroque style made the city famous throughout the world.

Third on the list of attractions

The Zwinger palace and park complex, the Marcolini Palace and the Japanese Palace, the Kreuzhirche Church - these are far from all the legendary Frauenkirche (St. Mary's Church) - the brightest of them.

It ranks third in the list of the main unique objects of Dresden and all of Germany. The main and largest Lutheran church of the city has an extraordinary and mysterious history, dating back to the 11th century, to the times when the Slavic people of Sobry (or the Lusatians - the West Slavic people, the Lusatian Serbs) lived on the territory of Dresden.

History of occurrence

On the site of the Frauenkirche church (Dresden), long before the foundation of the city itself, there was a small church of the same name. A century later, around 1142, there was a religious building built in Romanesque style(in the 15th century a turret was added). By 1722, it was so dilapidated that it was not subject to reconstruction at all, which is why it was decided to demolish it. The magnificent cathedral, erected on the vacant site in 1726-1742 and designed for 3500 seats, is just one of those architectural monuments in the Baroque style for which Dresden is famous.

Frauenkirche - It was erected by order of August the Strong (1670-1733), King of Poland and Elector of Saxony (imperial prince). Initially, it was conceived as an object that was supposed to overshadow the Catholic cathedrals, although Augustus I himself was a Catholic.

Main Lutheran Church

The huge but graceful temple, after its opening, became a symbol of the Reformation (the struggle in Western Europe in the 16th century against Catholicism and papal authority). The Frauenkirche (Dresden) was originally taken over by the town's Lutheran community. Dresden is listed in brackets because there is a church of the same name in Munich. It can be added that the famous German composer Heinrich Schutz (1585-1672) was buried in this cathedral. After the demolition of the original church, his grave was lost, but there is a mention of the burial in the restored cathedral.

A bright distinguishing feature

The height of the Church of St. Mary is 95 meters. It is visible from every corner of the city, it is especially good from the side of Carolbrucke (Karola's bridge). From this angle, the church is especially striking in its grandeur.

The famous Georg Behr (1666-1738) managed to create a real masterpiece of baroque art, which Dresden is proud of. Frauenkirche (church) stands out from all the buildings of the city with its unique huge 12-ton dome (among those built entirely of stone, it is the largest in the world), which does not have additional supports inside the building.

Engineering solutions ahead of time

The construction of the dome of the amazing Dresden building, which in those days was a construction miracle, was incredibly durable. According to historical evidence, during the Seven Years' War, the artillery of the Prussian king Frederick II fired about 100 shells specifically at the dome, which, due to the strength of the structure, did not cause the slightest harm to the dome. Only American aircraft could destroy it, destroying almost the entire Dresden on February 13, 1945. Frauenkirche also fell into ruins.

In general, not a single building remained on Neumarkt Square, except for the miraculously surviving monument.

Recovery Movement

The temperature of which reached 1400 degrees, destroyed everything. But the melted parts of the organ protected the amazing altar of the church, he took refuge in a kind of cocoon. That is the only reason why the details of the altar were preserved, and they were used in its restoration. Since 1989, a movement of the indifferent public called "Action-Frauenkirche" began, which was headed by Ludwig Güttler, a world-famous trumpeter and conductor. They were going to restore the church with donations, and they came in the amount of $ 100 million from 26 countries. But the restoration of this cathedral began only after the unification of Germany, specifically in 1996.

The only surviving

Restoration by the method of archaeological reconstruction continued until 2005. Today, this object cannot be called a new building, if only because during its restoration it was possible to use 43% of the building material of the old building, it was erected according to original, historical drawings. A small wooden bell tower has been installed next to the construction site since the start of work. The only surviving bell (of the former four), made in 1732, was hung in it. In general, the history of the bells of this church deserves a separate article.

Beautiful outside and inside

The outside of the cathedral is lined with sandstone slabs of warm tones. Similar details of the burnt building are mounted in them. The ancient slabs are darker and give the building a unique look and also serve as a reminder of tragic fate cathedral.

The Frauenkirche Church in Dresden is famous not only for its external majesty, but also for its rich interior decoration. The light yellow color of the walls creates a solemn atmosphere full of air and peace. The height of the inner part of the dome is 26 meters. It is divided into eight sectors, decorated with paintings and gold. Four of them depict evangelists, the rest depict allegories of Christian virtues - Faith, Hope, Love and Mercy. The altar, restored to its original beauty, is magnificent, above which there is an organ. In the center of the altar is sculptural picture, depicting the prayers of Christ on the night of Good Friday on the Mount of Olives. The entire reconstruction cost the country 180 million euros.

Church today

The Frauenkirche Church is the current Evangelical Lutheran Cathedral. The church is also attractive because wonderful organ and bell concerts are regularly performed here. About 130 concerts are given annually in St. Mary's Church.

After restoration, a beautiful observation deck was equipped on the dome, which makes it possible to look at Dresden from the height of the dome. Frauenkirche as a cathedral and as a place for a panoramic view is very popular with residents and visitors of the city.

On weekdays, the cathedral and its observation deck are open to visitors from 10:00 to 18:00, on Saturday - from 12:00. The rise costs 8 euros, there are discounts for pensioners and students.