cemetery (1557-1574); this is situated on an eminence near the city, and is of monumental and elegant architecture. It forms an immense square and is surrounded by ninety-four arches, sixteen feet across and serving as places for sepulture. This is the only cemetery of the kind in Germany, and was
evidently inspired by the Italian Campo Santo (Figure 43).
The castle of Merseburg, a noble structure belonging to the latter part of the sixteenth century but rebuilt in 1665, exhibits some beautiful details in its fountain, oriel-windows, gables, etc.; the whole is rich and in a characteristic style (Figure 44).
In Thuringia, the cities of Weimar, Erfurt, Gotha and Jena all possess a few interesting Renaissance fragments, but in no case is the ensemble imposing. The same may be said of the castles of Heldburg and Dessau.
In Hesse there are a few ducal palaces of some note, besides a few wooden houses, which we will pass over since more complete and more original examples of these constructions will be encountered in the central districts, particularly in the Hartz region.
The Rhenish province bears, in a striking manner, the impress of ecclesiastical domination. In the cities of Cologne, Treves, Aix-la-Chapelle and Colmar, the burghers had but little influence, and the Renaissance was slow in receiving recognition. The productions of the firstrhalf of the sixteenth century are largely church-monuments, consisting especially of tombs and mortuary tablets.
Considering the high order of the Romanesque and Gothic architecture of Cologne, one is surprised at the comparative poverty of the metropolis of the Rhenish districts in Renaissance structures. It, however, contains one incomparable example of this style, the porch of the townhall, constructed by Wilhelm Wernikel in 1569. Notwithstanding the lateness of its date, it presents the characteristics of the early Renaissance in its elegant proportions and delicate details ; it is an ornate work of the highest type. The arches of the second story are pointed, with classic settings.
The Church of the Jesuits, built between 1621 and 1629, is likewise worthy of note; it exhibits a mixture of
Gothic constructional elements and Renaissance decorative forms that is quite remarkable for the time. Certain brick and stone edifices, suggestive of a Dutch influence, are encountered at Cologne; we shall have occasion farther on to show how this influence was felt in the architecture of the coast cities. There are no private houses in Cologne that point to the existence of a powerful burgher class in the sixteenth century ; the majority of these are of a later date.
There are but few Renaissance remains in the other cities of the province. At Coblentz, there is a Jesuit church, built between 1609 and 1617, much like the one at Cologne. At Treves, everything from Renaissance time sinks into insignificance by the side of the magnificent Roman and mediaeval monuments.
The wood constructions of the Moselle region are more interesting than its castles. The timber architecture encountered
here differs, however, from that of the central districts which we are to examine later. Its effectiveness is secured less by the great horizontal lines obtained by the projection of the different stories than by the fine and delicate decoration of its surfaces, which is subordinated to the structural requirements. This style possesses a charm of its own, but it lacks the energy and force displayed in that of the Hartz region.
In Westphalia, the basin of the Weser abounds in castles whose architecture aims especially at decorative effects, but seeks neither delicacy nor elegance. An exception may, however, be made in the case of the castle of Bracke, the court of which contains some carefully studied parts. Lemgo, Paderborn and Munster all possess a few interesting edifices. These are largely town-halls.
Westphalia displays a kind of decoration which indeed appears in the architecture of all northern Germany, and constitutes one of its characteristic features. Its peculiarity consists in sculpturing the face of the stones with small, geometric patterns of free design. The whole edifice sometimes looks as though covered with cloth, sometimes the ornamentation is
Fig. 47. Town-hall at Schwalenberg.
confined to alternate courses, and sometimes it is employed merely to accentuate the pilasters, fasciae, keys and so on.
The central district, as we have said, includes the duchy of Brunswick and the provinces of Hanover, Brandenburg and Posen. The Hartz region, with the cities of Brunswick, Halberstadt and Hildesheim as main centres, and Zell, Schwalenberg and Hoxter as secondary points, is especially rich in a certain kind of timber architecture. Its general character
Fig. 44. Portal from the Schloss of Merseburg.
Fig. 46. Details of Timber Architecture at
Hoxter.
Fig. 45. The Sack Mansion at Brunswick.
evidently inspired by the Italian Campo Santo (Figure 43).
The castle of Merseburg, a noble structure belonging to the latter part of the sixteenth century but rebuilt in 1665, exhibits some beautiful details in its fountain, oriel-windows, gables, etc.; the whole is rich and in a characteristic style (Figure 44).
In Thuringia, the cities of Weimar, Erfurt, Gotha and Jena all possess a few interesting Renaissance fragments, but in no case is the ensemble imposing. The same may be said of the castles of Heldburg and Dessau.
In Hesse there are a few ducal palaces of some note, besides a few wooden houses, which we will pass over since more complete and more original examples of these constructions will be encountered in the central districts, particularly in the Hartz region.
The Rhenish province bears, in a striking manner, the impress of ecclesiastical domination. In the cities of Cologne, Treves, Aix-la-Chapelle and Colmar, the burghers had but little influence, and the Renaissance was slow in receiving recognition. The productions of the firstrhalf of the sixteenth century are largely church-monuments, consisting especially of tombs and mortuary tablets.
Considering the high order of the Romanesque and Gothic architecture of Cologne, one is surprised at the comparative poverty of the metropolis of the Rhenish districts in Renaissance structures. It, however, contains one incomparable example of this style, the porch of the townhall, constructed by Wilhelm Wernikel in 1569. Notwithstanding the lateness of its date, it presents the characteristics of the early Renaissance in its elegant proportions and delicate details ; it is an ornate work of the highest type. The arches of the second story are pointed, with classic settings.
The Church of the Jesuits, built between 1621 and 1629, is likewise worthy of note; it exhibits a mixture of
Gothic constructional elements and Renaissance decorative forms that is quite remarkable for the time. Certain brick and stone edifices, suggestive of a Dutch influence, are encountered at Cologne; we shall have occasion farther on to show how this influence was felt in the architecture of the coast cities. There are no private houses in Cologne that point to the existence of a powerful burgher class in the sixteenth century ; the majority of these are of a later date.
There are but few Renaissance remains in the other cities of the province. At Coblentz, there is a Jesuit church, built between 1609 and 1617, much like the one at Cologne. At Treves, everything from Renaissance time sinks into insignificance by the side of the magnificent Roman and mediaeval monuments.
The wood constructions of the Moselle region are more interesting than its castles. The timber architecture encountered
here differs, however, from that of the central districts which we are to examine later. Its effectiveness is secured less by the great horizontal lines obtained by the projection of the different stories than by the fine and delicate decoration of its surfaces, which is subordinated to the structural requirements. This style possesses a charm of its own, but it lacks the energy and force displayed in that of the Hartz region.
In Westphalia, the basin of the Weser abounds in castles whose architecture aims especially at decorative effects, but seeks neither delicacy nor elegance. An exception may, however, be made in the case of the castle of Bracke, the court of which contains some carefully studied parts. Lemgo, Paderborn and Munster all possess a few interesting edifices. These are largely town-halls.
Westphalia displays a kind of decoration which indeed appears in the architecture of all northern Germany, and constitutes one of its characteristic features. Its peculiarity consists in sculpturing the face of the stones with small, geometric patterns of free design. The whole edifice sometimes looks as though covered with cloth, sometimes the ornamentation is
Fig. 47. Town-hall at Schwalenberg.
confined to alternate courses, and sometimes it is employed merely to accentuate the pilasters, fasciae, keys and so on.
The central district, as we have said, includes the duchy of Brunswick and the provinces of Hanover, Brandenburg and Posen. The Hartz region, with the cities of Brunswick, Halberstadt and Hildesheim as main centres, and Zell, Schwalenberg and Hoxter as secondary points, is especially rich in a certain kind of timber architecture. Its general character
Fig. 44. Portal from the Schloss of Merseburg.
Fig. 46. Details of Timber Architecture at
Hoxter.
Fig. 45. The Sack Mansion at Brunswick.