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User:Teague W. Sullivan/Ottonian architecture

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Ottonian architecture is an architectural style which evolved during the reign of Emperor Otto the Great. The style was found in Germany and lasted from the mid 10th century until the mid 11th century.

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Add "Mainz Cathedral" to Examples section

Function

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Surviving Ottonian architecture reveals the function of the of the construction of these large buildings was primarily religious and governmental.

Ottonian kings, heavily influenced by the rule of Charlemagne and his empire, sought to emphasize the importance of the Christian faith. Beginning with Otto I, they achieved this by unifying their roles both as kings and religious leaders of the time, connecting the previously isolated churches of the prior Saxon rule through generous land grants to the churches.[1][2] The size and setting of these buildings became paramount for their importance as they served to legitimize royal and Christian authority.[3] The ability to gather a large audience to bear witness to the rituals and royal ceremonies of the time increased in importance as Ottonian kings attempted to maintain the grandeur and scale of the Carolingians. This may have lead to the adoption of churches to serve both as a places of worship and gathering halls for official ceremonies.[4]

The architecture of these buildings also facilitated the monastic tradition. Places like St. Michael's Church the under the Bishop Bernward served both as a location for the creation of relics and manuscripts and as a place for the storage of these holy creations.[5] Other cathedral schools, such as the one in Mainz became renowned for their production of illuminated manuscripts, including The Codex Sangallensis 398.[6] Despite Otto III's personal pilgrimage's to Rome and Aachen, very little documented pilgrimages occurred in the years of the Ottonian Dynasty (919-1024).[7] However, locations would receive more visitors when pilgrimage gained popularity in later years.

Examples

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One of the best preserved examples of Ottonian architecture is The Church of St. Micheal located in Hildesheim, Germany. Famously commissioned by Bishop Bernward, construction started in 1010 and was finished by 1033 after Bernard's death. The church had gained fame for housing a number of artworks and reliquaries before they were later moved to the Cathedral at Hildesheim.[8]

The Church of Saint Pantaleon was constructed in Cologne, Germany. Originally, in the 9th century the cite of this building was occupied by a small church outside of the city of Cologne.[9] Later, renovations to transform the church would be made by the patron Archbishop Bruno, the younger brother of Otto the Great.[9] This church, connected closely to the Ottonian royal family, served as the burial spot for both Bruno in 965 and the wife of Otto II in 991.[9]

The Collegiate Church of St. Bartholomew is located in modern-day Liège, Belgium.

The Collegiate Church of St. Gertrude was commissioned under Wazo of Liège during the rule of Henry III in 1046.[10]

Mainz Cathedral also called the Cathedral of St. Martin, was constructed around 975 under the Archbishop Willigis.[11] Originally, the site held a Roman or Frankish building before Willigis decided to expand it, creating a basilica divided into two chancels with a large west transept.[11][6] This basilica style church suffered sever fire damage on the day of its consecration in 1009 leading to it being rebuilt by 1036.[11] It was burnt down again in 1081 leaving only a few of the original Ottonian features in the modern cathedral namely, the lower floors of the circular staircases of the towers and parts of the western end.

The Abbey Church of Gernrode, also know as Saint Cyriakus was commissioned by Margrave Gero. Its architecture differs from many other examples of Ottonian architecture because the corners of the building do not form true right angles.[8] Despite its irregular shape the building maintains the Ottonian standard baslica layout. Other notable features of the church include the 'Lombard' style interior arches which are only stylistic and a flat wooden ceiling.[8]



References

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  1. ^ Leyser, Karl (1979). Rule and conflict in an early medieval society: Ottonian Saxony. Edward Arnold. ISBN 978-0-7131-6218-9.
  2. ^ Thompson, James Westfall (April 1918). "Church and State in Mediaeval Germany. II". The American Journal of Theology. 22 (2): 199–232. doi:10.1086/479921. ISSN 1550-3283.
  3. ^ Hause, Melissa Thorson (1992). "A Place in Sacred History: Coronation Ritual and Architecture in Ottonian Mainz". Journal of Ritual Studies. 6 (1): 133–157. ISSN 0890-1112. JSTOR 44398530.
  4. ^ Warner, David A. (April 2001). "Ritual and Memory in the Ottonian Reich: The Ceremony of Adventus". Speculum. 76 (2): 255–283. doi:10.2307/2903447. ISSN 0038-7134. JSTOR 2903447.
  5. ^ "Medieval Treasures from Hildesheim ed. by Peter Barnet, Michael Brandt, and Gerhard Lutz (review)". Parergon. 32 (1): 216–218. 2015. doi:10.1353/pgn.2015.0002. ISSN 1832-8334.
  6. ^ a b RodríGuez Viejo, JesúS (April 2019). "The Performative Manuscript: Art, Agency and Public Ritual in Ottonian Mainz". The Journal of Ecclesiastical History. 70 (2): 229–264. doi:10.1017/S0022046918002646. ISSN 0022-0469.
  7. ^ Warner, D. A. (2003). Otto III, Emperor (2nd ed.). Gale. p. 715. ISBN 9780787676940.
  8. ^ a b c Bithell, Jethro, ed. (2019-06-26), "German Architecture and Sculpture", Germany (1 ed.), Routledge, pp. 534–562, doi:10.4324/9780429278044-14, ISBN 978-0-429-27804-4, retrieved 2024-11-18
  9. ^ a b c Sanderson, Warren (1970). "The Sources and Significance of the Ottonian Church of Saint Pantaleon at Cologne". Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians. 29 (2): 83–96. doi:10.2307/988643. ISSN 0037-9808. JSTOR 988643.
  10. ^ "Collegiate Church of Saint Gertrude". Academic Dictionaries and Encyclopedias. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
  11. ^ a b c "Mainz Cathedral". Grove Art Online. doi:10.1093/oao/9781884446054.013.90000369876. Retrieved 2024-12-06.
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