STRASSBURG CATHEDRAL. THE Cathedral of Strassburg, called the Cathedral of Notre Dame, or of Our Lady, is a Gothic edifice of singular beauty. The nave and choir have a total length of three hundred and fifty-five feet; and the width of the nave, with its side aisles, is one hundred and thirty-two feet. Nine massive clustered columns support the roof on each side, and twelve altars of imposing construction add to the sacred majesty of the place; while windows adorned with abundance of stained glass, generally of a sombre tint, although of elegant designs, let into the interior a "dim, religious light." There are also a stone pulpit, unequalled for the richness of its sculptured ornaments; an organ of admirable power and softness; and a remarkable astronomical clock which is famous for the variety and skilfulness of its mechanical contrivances and the elaborateness of its ornaments. The most striking part of the cathedral is its front, which is considered a masterpiece of mediæval architecture. The spire rises to the height of over five hundred feet. This celebrated church was built at various periods, the earliest part dating back to the reign of Charlemagne. A nave was commenced in the beginning of the eleventh century by the bishop, Werner of Hapsburg, and the great west front and tower were planned by Erwin of Steinbach, an architect of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries; but the external structure was not completed until about the beginning of the fifteenth century, under the care of John Hültz, a native of Cologne. The cathedral is essentially a product of German piety and genius. During the French Revolution it was considerably damaged, and also slightly during the late Franco-German war; but the imperial government is occupied in restoring it to a perfect state. ST. RAYMOND OF PEÑA FORT was the father-confessor of Pope Gregory IX., and the penance he generally imposed on that pontiff was to listen benignly to the petitions and just complaints of those without protection, and to expedite the cause of the widow and orphan. |