Identifier: cathedralschurch00mans (find matches)
Title: Cathedrals and churches of the Rhine
Year: 1905 (1900s)
Authors: (Mansfield, Milburg Francisco), 1871- (from old catalog)
Subjects: Cathedrals. (from old catalog)
Publisher: Boston, L. C. Page and company
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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n the cathedral at Mayencefollows the outlines of a Latin cross, thoughits length is scarcely more than double itswidth. It is most singular in outline and has twochoirs, one at either end, as is a frequent Ger-man custom, and the sky-line is curiouslybroken by the six towers which pierce the air,no two at the same elevation. There are three portals which give entrancefrom various directions. There is yet a fourthentrance from the market-place, which takesone through a sort of cellar which is not inthe least churchly and is decidedly unpleasant. The principal nave is supported by ninesquared pillars, which are hardly beautifulin themselves, but which are doubtless neces-sary because of the great weight they have tobear. In the Gothic choir is a heavy baldaquinin marble, bearing figures of the twelve apos-tles. The high altar is directly beneath thecupola, or lantern, of the principal tower. Itis quite isolated, and has neither flanking col-umns nor a baldaquin. On feast-days it is 166
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M AYENCE CATHEDRAL Cathedrals and Churches of the Rhine brilliantly set forth with candelabra in a fash-ion which would be theatrical, if it were notchurchly. Behind this altar is the space reserved forthe clergy, a somewhat unusual arrangement,but not a unique one. At the extreme end isthe bishops throne. The general appearance of the interior con-structive elements would seem to place thework as a whole well within the thirteenthcentury, though the extreme easterly portionis more ancient still. There is very little of pure Gothic to benoted. Mostly the fabric is a reproductionof the Lombard style, though much undeni-ably Gothic ornament is used. The bays ofthe nave are singularly narrow and of greatheight, almost the reverse of the pure Italianmanner of building which elsewhere made it-self strongly felt along the Rhine. The heightof these bays is more than two and a half timesthe width. The bays of German churches,in general, have a much greater length thanthose of Italy, and herei

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