COLOGNE CATHEDRAL.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 278, 25 May 1917, Page 2 (Supplement)

COLOGNE CATHEDRAL.

THREAT OF DESTRUCTION". GERMAN NATION AL SYMBOL. COST DEFRAYED BY SWEEPS. To tlioso who know tlio history of Cologne Cathedral, the suggested destruction of it in the event of the Germans destroying Laon Cathedral, carries all the sense of enormity intended, for the cathedral is an edifice that belongs not to Cologne, hut to Germany. It is a thing not of local —or even provincial hut of national pride. To understand this it is necessary to trace the of the Cathedral. It stiMids on the site of one begun in the early part of the 9th century by Hildebrand, Metropolitan of Cologne, and finished in 873. It wax ruined by the Normans, rebuilt, and destroyed by fire in 124*. when the foundation of the present edifice was laid by Archbishop Conrad, of Hodistaden. From 1218-1322 the choir with its fine naves and gorgeous chapels wn.s slowly built, with a Master Gerard as architect. This Master Gerard was much under the influence of the architecture of French churches —the Cathedral at Amiens in particular which he took a.s his model. Ho was followed by a Master Arnold, and his son John, who built the upper parts of tiio choir with such ornateness tint they are in strange contrast to tho sober work of tho lower part, for which Gerard was Tesj>onsiblo. In tho upper parts of the choir, the Gothic tr.nit of accentuation of vertical lines is pushed to extremes. Between tho pillars that rise straight to too vaulted roofs forming a solid framework for the building, tho walls are invested with openings and the triforium adjoining the windows at the base forms with them one immense stained glass window. This is all lightly glazed, and upheld on the outside by a doublo system of buttresses of unexampled richness, which carry on the lino of tho vaults to lesser buttresses ornate with pinacles. Petrarch, who passed through Cologne in 1333, after tho completion of the choir, was lavish in his praise of its beauties. It is probable that Gerard the first architect, intended adding to the fivc-n.avod choir a structuro with three naves, after the fashion prevalent in Frond) cathedrals, but in tho middle of the 14th century, ono of tho working masters was seized with tho idea of carrying tho five naves of tho choir through tho transept to tho two towers at the front of tho edifice. Tho result is more mathematical than artistic.

For four centuries the progress of tho building hung fire for lack of funds. In vain did tho church offer indulgences in return for contributions. The great crane which had l>oen erected during the budding of the southern toiver, threw its shadow like a scarecrow over Cologne. Then, in 1816, following on the war of liberation of 1813, propagandists suddenly stirred the people of Cologne to fresh efforts toward tho completion of tho Cathedral. The sight of the unfinished scarecrow of a building they likened to Germany itself. It became the "symbol of a groaning country.' Romantic writers urged the people into making it "a glorious symbol of national freedom." The sentimental and pocriotio mirage which still blinds the greater portion of the German populace was responsible for a sudden access of energy that resulted in Cologne Cathedral being regarded as a national monument representing tJhe strength end beouty and freedom of tho Fatherland. Tho Cathedral no longer belonged to Cologne, but to Germany. Hence the Allies' threat!

Schinkll, a Berliner, was deputed in ]SI6 to make iv report on the state of the building, and the Prussian Government instituted a series of raffles and art unions for raising the necessary funds. The scheme was far more successful than the earlier offer of indulgences, millions of marks being raised. By a lucky chance the original plan for the front of the Cathedral, made in ink on parchment centuries before, was found in two pieces, one at Darmstadt, and ono at Paris. The work went ahead with frenzied enthusiasm until in 1880 the edifice was opened in the presence of Kaiser Wdholm I. and .all the reigning German princes. It has since remoined the feature of Cologne and tho pride and joy of tho German people. Built in the form of across, it is 480 feet long and 282 ft. broad. The height of the central aisle is 154 ft., that of each of the towers 511 ft. The heaviest of its seven bells (the Kaisorglocko) was cast in 1874 from the metal of French guns (another clue to the Allied threat!) It weighs 543cwt. Despite the undisputed influence of French architecture, the Cologne Cathedral is purely German in its conformity to rules. It might be expected that a build'ng, the erection of which extended over centuries, would reflect the changes through which architecture had passed during that time. But no! Cologne Cathedral wa.s origijially designed in the Gothic style, and Gothic it"eontinued , even though the finished result is as cold as- a geometrical problem solved. There is no spontaneous exprc-ion in it. It has tho air ot artificiality. A French critic says that '• it was built by those who knew their Gothic grammar well, and could decline most corectly! But it is one thing to know how to decline, another how to speak Gothic!" Tho "verticalisni" of tlu- front of tne edifice is much more accentuated than that of French cathedrals, where the horizontal lines are always strongly marked. The horizontals of Cologne Cathedra] are freely «aer diced to thj verticals-the breadth to the height. In contrast to this the doors are squat and mean, and out of keeping With tho rest of tho building. The central part of the facade, with its gables and slurp pediments, is as il cornered between the two toners that appear to en-lose a in a vyce-like grip—.'. shockmp fault in porportions. Fanat :al admirers ot the Cathedra! boast us exceptional purity of style. But tiiey fail to mention the sacrifice , f hoinity by which the purity ha- been maintained. There n little sculpture, the ch'ot feature of the interior being the richly toned beauty of the stained glass windows, of which there are two particularly line series.