Barbarossa chandelier

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Wheel chandelier and chain in the octagon of Aachen Cathedral
View through the candlestick into the dome
Suspension of the chandelier above the ceiling vault

The Barbarossa chandelier is a wheel chandelier that was commissioned by Emperor Frederick I , called Barbarossa, and his wife Beatrix between 1165 and 1170 and placed under the dome roof of Charlemagne's Palatine Chapel , today's Aachen Cathedral . The candlestick was a foundation in honor of the Mother of God Maria , the patron saint of the Aachen collegiate and coronation church , and at the same time represented an honor to its founder Karl.

layout

The Barbarossa chandelier made of gold-plated copper has a diameter of 4.16 meters. It is attached in the middle under the dome of the Carolingian octagon on a chain around 27 meters long. The chain links taper downwards from a length of 150 mm to 130 mm and from a width of 74 mm to 70 mm. Seen from below, this gives the impression that the chain has the same thickness over its entire length.

The chandelier, which hangs about four meters above the marble floor, is composed of eight circular segments and thus adapted to the octagonal shape of the Palatine Chapel. The wreath of the chandelier symbolizes the city wall of the heavenly Jerusalem . This stylized city wall contains eight large and eight smaller tower-like lanterns, which are arranged symmetrically and symbolize the city gates. Because of the octagonal structure of the surrounding building, the candlestick was not provided with twelve lantern towers - as would have been the traditional way of depicting the heavenly Jerusalem.

The candlestick contains a total of 48 candles, which are still lit today on festive occasions.

Silver figures originally attached to the 16 towers, depicting saints, angels and gatekeepers, have been lost. The base plates of the towers have been preserved, on which - visible from below - scenes from the life of Jesus, in particular the eight praises from the Sermon on the Mount , are depicted as masterfully executed engravings .

Part of the Latin inscription on the candlestick reads in translation:

"Friedrich, Catholic Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, vowed to make sure that number and shape harmonize with the dimensions of the sublime temple and complement each other: this crown of lights is octagonal as a princely gift"

and display information about the image
The inscription on the candlestick

The Barbarossa chandelier is one of only four Romanesque wheel chandeliers that have survived in Germany; the others are the azelin chandelier and hezilo chandelier in Hildesheim Cathedral and the Hartwigleuchter in Comburger monastery church.

literature

  • Joseph Buchkremer : New perceptions on the chandelier in Aachen Cathedral. In: Journal of the Aachen History Association . Volume 24, Aachen 1902, pp. 317–331 ( Textarchiv - Internet Archive ).
  • Ernst Günther Grimme (text), Ann Bredol-Lepper (photos): Aachen goldsmithing in the Middle Ages. Seemann, Cologne 1957, pp. 31-36.
  • Ernst Günther Grimme (text), Ann Bredol-Lepper (recordings): The great centuries of Aachen goldsmithing (= Aachener Kunstblätter. Vol. 26). Verlag des Aachener Museumsverein, Aachen 1962, pp. 34–39.
  • Ernst Günther Grimme : The Aachen Cathedral Treasure. 2nd edition, Schwann, Düsseldorf 1973, pp. 62-64 No. 42.
  • Reiner Haussherr (ed.): The time of the Staufer. History - art - culture. Exhibition catalog. Volume 1, Stuttgart 1977, pp. 396-398 No. 53.
  • Clemens Bayer: The two large inscriptions on the Barbarossa chandelier. In: Clemens Bayer (ed.): Celica Jherusalem. Festschrift for Erich Stephany. Cologne 1986, pp. 213-240.
  • Georg Minkenberg: The Barbarossa chandelier in Aachen cathedral. In: Journal of the Aachen History Association. 96. Volume, Aachen 1989, pp. 69-102.
  • Helga Giersiepen: The inscriptions of the Aachen cathedral (= The German inscriptions . Volume 31). Reichert, Wiesbaden 1992, ISBN 3-88226-511-6 , No. 28 ( online ).
  • Ernst Günther Grimme (text), Ann Münchow (recordings): The Aachen Cathedral. Architecture and equipment. Einhard, Aachen 1994, ISBN 978-3-920284-87-3 , pp. 140-149, 151.
  • Herta Lepie , Georg Minkenberg : The treasury of the Aachen cathedral. Brimberg, Aachen 1995, ISBN 3-923773-16-1 , pp. 40-41.
  • Herta Lepie, Lothar Schmidt: The Barbarossa chandelier in Aachen Cathedral. Einhard, Aachen 1998, ISBN 3-930701-46-4 .
  • Andreas Platthaus : Jerusalem from below. The Barbarossa chandelier. In: Ders .: United in the comic. A story of picture history. Alexander Fest Verlag, Berlin 1998, ISBN 3-8286-0064-6 , pp. 45-62.
  • Hanna Wimmer: The iconographic program of the Barbarossa Candelabrum in the Palatine Chapel at Aachen. A re-interpretation. In: Immediations. The Research Journal of the Courtauld Institute of Art. Volume 1, 2, 2005, pp. 24-39.
  • Hans Jürgen Roth: An image of the sky. Aachen Cathedral - liturgy, bible, art. Thouet, Aachen 2011, pp. 53–62 (with a theological focus).
  • Walter Maas, Pit Siebigs: The Aachen Cathedral. Schnell & Steiner, Regensburg 2013, ISBN 978-3-7954-2445-9 , pp. 51–52, 54–55.

Web links

Commons : Barbarossaleuchter  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Joseph Buchkremer: New perceptions on the chandelier in the Aachen Cathedral . In: Journal of the Aachen History Association . 24th volume. Aachen 1902, p. 323 ( Textarchiv - Internet Archive [accessed on August 13, 2015]).

Coordinates: 50 ° 46 ′ 29.1 ″  N , 6 ° 5 ′ 2.1 ″  E