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53-466: Eadgyth (died 946) was a princess and wife of Holy Roman Emperor Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor. Eadgyth may also refer to: Eadgyth Edith of England , also spelt Eadgyth or Ædgyth ( Old English : Ēadgȳð , German : Edgitha ; 910–946), a member of the House of Wessex , was a German queen from 936, by her marriage to King Otto I . Edith was born to the reigning English king Edward

106-435: A cenotaph , a lead coffin inside a stone sarcophagus with her name on it was found and opened in 2008 by archaeologists during work on the building. An inscription recorded that it was the body of Eadgyth, reburied in 1510. The fragmented and incomplete bones were examined in 2009, then brought to Bristol , England, for tests in 2010. The investigations at Bristol, applying isotope tests on tooth enamel, checked whether she

159-446: A claim to equality and to seal the alliance between the two Saxon kingdoms, her half-brother King Æthelstan sent his sisters Edith and Edgiva to Germany . Henry's eldest son and heir to the throne Otto was instructed to choose whichever one pleased him best. Otto chose Edith, according to Hrotsvitha a woman "of pure noble countenance, graceful character and truly royal appearance", and married her in 930. In 929 King Otto I had granted

212-505: A completely new cathedral, against some opposition of the people in Magdeburg. Only the south wall of the cloister is still standing. The exact location of the old church remained unknown for a long time, but the foundations were rediscovered in May 2003, revealing a building 80 m long and 41 m wide. The old crypt has been excavated and can be visited by the public. The place in the north of

265-453: A large non-rectangular cloister is connected to the south side of the cathedral. The cloister, whose south wall survived the fire of 1207 and is still from the original church, was parallel to the original church. Yet, the current church was constructed at a different angle, and hence the cloister is at an odd angle with the church. The ground around the Elbe river in Magdeburg is soft, and it

318-600: A much smaller scale, so comparisons to the Monday demonstrations of 1989 are made mainly for publicity reasons. In the next time the little Schuke-organ will be restored: New case and new facade pipes, new trumpets in the Great und the Pedal, and a new Vox Humana. Many of the approximately 10 to 15 historic bells were used in the 16th and 17th centuries for the production of weapons. Today there are four historic ringing bells left in

371-402: A new main organ with pneumatic key and stop action, 3 manuals and 100 stops in 1906. The frequent Allied bombings of World War II completely destroyed the windows of the cathedral. During the heaviest bomb attacks on January 16, 1945, some vaults were destroyed. In February or March 1945 one firebomb from a deep flying attack hit the cathedral on the west facade between the towers, destroying

424-518: A single recorded mention from the period of Eadgyth's time as queen. There was probably rivalry between the Benedictine Monastery of St Maurice founded at Magdeburg by Otto and Eadgyth in 937, a year after coming to the throne, and Matilda's foundation Quedlinburg Abbey , intended by her as a memorial to her husband, the late King Henry. Edith accompanied her husband on his travels, though not during battles. While Otto fought against

477-401: A week-long festival. At this time, the cathedral was dedicated not only to St Maurice as before, but also to Saint Catherine . In 1360, the construction stopped again after the uncompleted parts have been covered provisionally. Only in 1477 did the construction start again under Archbishop Ernst von Sachsen, including the two towers. The towers were constructed by master builder Bastian Binder,

530-572: Is difficult to construct tall buildings, except for one large rock. Hence the cathedral was constructed on top of this rock, called the Domfelsen in German, which means Cathedral Rock . At low water levels, this rock is visible in the Elbe. As in old times low water meant a small harvest, this rock is also called Hungerfelsen , meaning starvation rock . The traditional and popular story, in any case,

583-622: Is only for the clock and hits the quarters of an hour. The two largest bells and the Schelle are in the North tower, the Orate since 1994 in the spire. The "Dominica" was out of order since ≈2004, but it has been repaired in summer 2019, and now is awaiting installation together with the new "Amemus" in the North tower in the following years. In the next years eight new bells from 440 kg to 14000 kg will be installed in both towers. The first new bells,

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636-504: Is rich in art, ranging from antiques to modern art. The first church was founded September 21, 937 at the location of the current cathedral and was an abbey called St. Maurice ( St. Moritz ), dedicated to Saint Maurice and financed by Emperor Otto I, the Great . Otto wanted to demonstrate his political power after the successful Battle of Lechfeld in 955, and ordered the construction even before his coronation as Emperor on February 2, 962. Furthermore, to support his claim as successor of

689-672: The Duchy of Saxony to be dedicated to this saint. Eadgyth's death in 946 at around the age of thirty-six, was unexpected. Otto apparently mourned the loss of a beloved spouse. He married Adelaide of Italy in 951. Edith and Otto's children were: both buried in St. Alban's Abbey, Mainz . Initially buried in the St Maurice monastery, Edith's tomb since the 16th century has been located in Magdeburg Cathedral . Long regarded as

742-523: The Swedes in the Thirty Years' War . The priests of the cathedral also converted to Protestantism, and on the first Advent Sunday in 1567, the first Protestant worship service was held in the cathedral. The largest bell, the "Maxima" with 10 tons in the south tower, fell down and was destroyed in 1540. Heinrich Compenius built 1604/05 his famous main organ with the "Golden Chick". In 1631, during

795-404: The choir started in 1209, only two years after the fire that destroyed the previous church, but this choir is still in a very Romanesque style, initially still using Romanesque groin vaults , combined with a gothic center stone, which however is not needed for Romanesque groin vaults. The Gothic influence increased especially between 1235 and 1260 under Archbishop Wilbrand. As the construction

848-666: The "Amemus" with 6525 kg (tone g ) for the North tower and the "Benedicamus" with 1300 kg (tone e ) for the South tower were manufactured in September and October 2022 by the Bell-manufacturer Bachert in Neunkirchen . The next five little bells for the south tower with the tones d , f sharp , g , a and h , made by Bachert, followed in 2023. The "Credamus" with 14 metric tons and the tone d will be installed at

901-463: The Catholic religion. However, as Tilly's catholic forces left Magdeburg, the cathedral was completely looted, and its colorful windows were shot out. Twenty thousand people of Magdeburg died during the war, and at the end of the war Magdeburg had a population of only 400. Magdeburg became part of Brandenburg , and was transformed into a large fortress . In 1806, Magdeburg was given to Napoleon , and

954-633: The Elder by his second wife, Ælfflæd , and hence was a granddaughter of King Alfred the Great . She had an older sister, Eadgifu . She apparently spent her early years near Winchester in Wessex, moving about frequently with the court, and may have spent her later youth, with her mother, living for a time at a monastery. At the request of the East Frankish king Henry the Fowler , who wished to stake

1007-563: The Emperor of the Weströmisches Reich , he obtained a large number of antiques – for example, pillars to be used for the construction of the church. Many of those antiques were subsequently used for the second church in 1209. The church had most likely one nave with four aisles, a width of 41 meters and a length of 80 meters. The height is estimated as up to 60 meters. The wife of Otto, Queen Eadgyth ( grand-daughter of Alfred

1060-485: The Great ), was buried in the church after her death in 946; isotopic analysis of her bones confirms her early life in Wessex. The church was expanded in 955. Hence, the church became a cathedral . In 968, Emperor Otto I selected Magdeburg as the seat of an archdiocese with Adalbert von Trier as archbishop , even though the city was not centrally located but at the eastern border of his kingdom. He did this because he planned to expand his kingdom, and also Christianity, to

1113-482: The Thirty Years' War (1618–1648) Magdeburg was raided, and only a small group of 4000 citizens survived the murdering, raping, and looting (known as the sack of Magdeburg ) by seeking refuge in the cathedral. The head priest, Reinhard Bakes, begged on his knees for the lives of his people before the conqueror Johan t'Serclaes, Count of Tilly . The cathedral survived the fires in the city, and was dedicated again to

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1166-474: The cathedral (sometimes called "new marketplace", Neuer Markt , now: Cathedral square = in German language: Domplatz ) was occupied by an imperial palace ( Kaiserpfalz ), which was destroyed in the fire of Good Friday 1207. In the southeast corner of the Domplatz stood a second large church, the "North Church", which burned down 1207 and was not rebuilt after the fire. The stones of the ruin served for building

1219-682: The cathedral beginning in 1983 in front of the Magdeburger Ehrenmal, a sculpture by Ernst Barlach . This led to the famous Monday demonstrations of 1989 (similar to those in Leipzig ), which played a significant role in the German reunification process. The cathedral is currently undergoing a reconstruction phase that began in 1983 under the East German Government. In 1990, a number of solar cells were installed on

1272-408: The cathedral since 1935 showed, in the area under the cathedral the upper side of the rock is more than 10 metres under the cathedral floor. Scientists drilled after 1993 in the near of the "Paradise door" and detected the rock in an deep of 11,05 metres. The cathedral has neverwhere a direct contact with the rock. Various sands and sediments are between the cathedral-fundaments and the rock. However,

1325-469: The cathedral was used for storage, and also as a horse barn and sheep pen . The occupation ended in 1814, and the cathedral changed in the ownership of the Prussian state. Between 1826 and 1834 Frederick William III of Prussia financed the much-needed repairs and reconstruction of the cathedral under the leadership from Karl Friedrich Schinkel . A new main organ IV/81 with mechanical key and stop action

1378-635: The cathedral. The presumptive remains of the palace were excavated in the 1960s. The highly educated Prince-Archbishop Albert I of Käfernburg , having traveled in Italy and France, decided to construct the new cathedral modelled upon the Gothic architecture that had intrigued him in France. The French style was completely unknown in Germany, and the hired craftsmen only gradually mastered it. The construction of

1431-696: The cathedral: 1) the Susanne = Osanna, 8800 kg, tone e , manufactured in 1702 by Johann Jacobi in Berlin, 2) the Apostolica, 4980 kg, tone b , manufactured in 1690 by Jakob Wenzel in Magdeburg, it rings and also hits the full hours 3) the Dominica, 2362 kg, tone h , manufactured in 1575 by Eckart Kucher in Magdeburg, 4) the Orate, 200 kg, tone e², manufacturing date and manufacturer unknown (13th century?) The Schelle, 1500 kg, tone f , manufactured in 1396,

1484-441: The city of Magdeburg to his Edith as dower . She had a particular love for the town and often lived there. In 936 Henry the Fowler died and his eldest son Otto, Edith's husband, was crowned king at Aachen Cathedral . A surviving report of the ceremony by the medieval chronicler Widukind of Corvey makes no mention of his wife having been crowned at this point, but according to Bishop Thietmar of Merseburg 's chronicle, Eadgyth

1537-576: The city to adopt Protestantism soon thereafter. The unpopularity of Archbishop Albrecht von Brandenburg also furthered the Reformation, and after his death in 1545 in Mainz there was no successor. Magdeburg became a leading site of the Reformation, and was outlawed by the emperor. The Catholic Church stored the cathedral treasure in Aschaffenburg for safekeeping, but it would later be lost to

1590-498: The cloister. The ceiling in the nave is higher than in the aisles, allowing for clerestory windows to give light to the nave. There is a separate narthex (entrance area) in the west. The presbytery in the east is separated from the nave by a stone wall, serving the same function as a rood screen . The sanctuary and the apse follow the presbytery. The apse is also surrounded by an ambulatory . (See Cathedral diagram for details on cathedral layouts.) A secondary building around

1643-475: The east into what is nowadays Poland . This plan, however, failed. Emperor Otto I died soon thereafter in 973 in Memleben and was also buried in the cathedral next to his wife. The entire cathedral St. Maurice was destroyed on Good Friday in 1207 by a city fire. All but the southern wing of the cloister burned down. Archbishop Albrecht II von Kefernburg decided to pull down the remaining walls and construct

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1696-487: The end of World War II and the establishment of the communist-led German Democratic Republic in 1949, Magdeburg fell under Soviet control and the ownership of the cathedral to the GDR. Communist leaders tried to suppress religion as a potential threat to communist doctrine, thus being active in church was a social disadvantage. The eradication of religion could not be accomplished, however, and weekly peace prayers were held in

1749-531: The facade and the Röver- organ . Fortunately, the fire brigades were able to extinguish the flames on the roof structures in time, so damage to the cathedral was only moderate. Also the steam heating was destroyed in WW II and to now not rebuilt. The cathedral was opened again in 1955, and a new organ with mechanical action and 37 stops from Alexander Schuke Orgelbau was installed over the "Paradies door" in 1969. With

1802-562: The former place of the "Maxima" (destroyed in 1540) in the South tower and will be the second heaviest ringing bell in Germany (after the Petersglocke in Cologne cathedral). The current cathedral was constructed over a period of 300 years starting from 1209, and the completion of the steeples took place only in 1520. As there were no previous examples of gothic architecture in Germany, and German craftsmen were still very unfamiliar with

1855-430: The idea of black Africans in art from a violent and savage-like stereotype to that of a saint and martyr. The portrayal of Saint Maurice in a position of power is evident through his clothing, as he is dressed as a mighty knight , making it clear that he is not a servant. This sculpture not only represents blackness, but the importance of African ancestry as well, as this sculpture was one of the earliest representations of

1908-474: The north tower with a solid rock foundation. The heaviest historic bell, the "Maxima" (weight = approximately 10 metric tons), was manufactured in 1468 and ringed in the south tower, but it falled down in the forties of the 16th century and was destroyed. The Cathedral Rock is a rock formation between the Elbe in east and the "Magdeburg Kulturhistorisches Museum" in West. Some scientific drillings around and under

1961-587: The only master builder of the cathedral known by name. The construction of the cathedral was completed in 1520 with the placement of the ornamental cross on the north tower. On October 31, 1517 Martin Luther published the 95 Theses in Wittenberg , Germany, an event considered to mark the start of the Protestant Reformation . Luther preached in Magdeburg in 1524, and some smaller churches in

2014-463: The period. This led to the emergence of black portrayals in art, particularly under Frederick II , who had black Muslims brought to Lucera , Apulia , to become his personal servants. Thus they became a large part of the art he commissioned. During Fredericks's reign, due to his interest in the Hohenstaufen tradition, black people were depicted as servants, specifically intelligent guardians of

2067-482: The portrayal of blackness in art was to emphasize social and racial hierarchy, so, by portraying blackness in sculpture, it was easier for viewers to understand that the use of different skin colors was to demonstrate "the other." The attention to black facial structure to portray foreignness can be traced back to Hohenstaufen iconography and the Crusades , as there was a rising interest in black social standing during

2120-475: The rebellious dukes Eberhard of Franconia and Gilbert of Lorraine in 939, she spent the hostilities at Lorsch Abbey . In 941 she effected a reconciliation between her husband and his mother. Like her brother, Æthelstan, Edith was devoted to the cult of their ancestor Saint Oswald of Northumbria and was instrumental in introducing this cult into Germany after her marriage to the emperor. Her lasting influence may have caused certain monasteries and churches in

2173-425: The rock was not big enough for the complete cathedral, and on the west end only the north tower could be placed on a solid rock foundation , whereas the south tower stands on soft ground. is not correct. It is also false, that to reduce weight the south tower is therefore only an empty shell with no interior or stairs, and the three big bells , "Susanne" (e), "Apostolica" (b ♭ ) and "Dominica" (b), are in

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2226-506: The roof, marking the first solar cell installation on a church in East Germany. The solar cells provide energy for use in the church, with excess energy being added to the regional power network. The maximum output was 418 watts . In 2004, a funding drive started in 1997 for a new main organ was completed, collecting €2.2 million. The new main organ was built by the firm of Alexander Schuke Orgelbau (Werder an der Havel) near Potsdam and

2279-459: The royal treasury, or in high court positions. Yet, rather than defining them through race, there was greater attention to detail in facial structure, which was used to indicate their foreignness. Looking at Saint Maurice, it is clear that he embodies the traits of the time, and the shift towards naturalism in sculpture during the Gothic period , as there is a focus on the portrayal of his distinctly black features. The statue of Saint Maurice changed

2332-592: The south tower is slightly higher than the north tower, which is optically corrected by adding an ornamental cross on the north tower. Despite having lost much to plunderers, Magdeburg Cathedral is rich in art, ranging from antiquities to modern art . Highlights include: It was not until the Middle Ages that the portrayal of blackness arose in art, evident in the sculpture of Saint Maurice in Magdeburg Cathedral. However, during this time, much of

2385-518: The style at the start of the construction. Hence they learned by doing, and their progress can be seen in small architectural changes over the construction periods, which started with the Sanctuary in the east side of the church near the river Elbe and ended with the top of the towers. This sanctuary shows a strong Romanesque architecture influence. Unlike most other Gothic cathedrals, Magdeburg Cathedral does not have flying buttresses supporting

2438-482: The tests the bones were re-interred in a new titanium coffin in her tomb at Magdeburg Cathedral on 22 October 2010. Magdeburg Cathedral The first church built in 937 at the location of the current cathedral was an abbey called St. Maurice, dedicated to Saint Maurice . The current cathedral was constructed over the period of 300 years starting from 1209, and the completion of the steeples took place only in 1520. Despite being repeatedly looted, Magdeburg Cathedral

2491-401: The walls. The building has an inside length of 120 metres, and a height to the ceiling of 32 metres. The towers rise to 99.25 and 100.98 metres, and are among the highest church towers in eastern Germany. The layout of the cathedral consists of one nave and two aisles , with one transept crossing the nave and aisles. Each side of the transept has an entrance, the south entrance leading into

2544-476: Was born and brought up in Wessex and Mercia , as written history indicated. Testing on the bones revealed that they are the remains of Eadgyth, from study made of the enamel of the teeth in her upper jaw. Testing of the enamel revealed that the individual entombed at Magdeburg had spent time as a youth in the chalky uplands of Wessex . The bones are the oldest found of a member of English royalty. Following

2597-460: Was built 1856 to 1861 by Adolf Reubke , 1865 a new division with 6 stops was added. The cathedral organist from 1847 to 1885 was August Gottfried Ritter . He designed the stoplist for the Reubke-Organ. The glass windows were all replaced in 1900. In 1901 a steam heating was installed. It needed one railway car with coal to made a temperature from 57,2 °F = 14 °C in winter. Ernst Röver build

2650-568: Was completed in May 2008 and dedicated on Trinity Sunday, May 18, 2008. Specs: ~36 tonnes, 4 manuals, 93 stops and 6193 pipes. Barry Jordan of Port Elizabeth , South Africa was appointed as Organist and Choral director of the cathedral in August 1994. The Magdeburger Ehrenmal (Monument) in the cathedral is once again the starting point of many Monday demonstrations, but this time the demonstrations are aimed against social reforms reducing government welfare. However, these demonstrations occur on

2703-410: Was killed by the people of Magdeburg because of extreme taxes . Folklore says that especially the beer tax increase caused much anger. Afterwards Magdeburg was under a ban , and only after the donation of five atonement altars did the construction of the cathedral continue under Archbishop Otto von Hessen. Otto was also able to complete the interior construction, and formally opened the dome in 1363 in

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2756-473: Was nevertheless anointed as queen, albeit in a separate ceremony. As queen consort, Edith undertook the usual state duties of a "First Lady": when she turns up in the records it is generally in connection with gifts to the state's favoured monasteries or memorials to holy women and saints. In this respect she seems to have been more diligent than her now widowed and subsequently sainted mother-in-law, Queen Matilda , whose own charitable activities only achieve

2809-443: Was supervised by different people in the span of 300 years, many changes were made to the original plan, and the cathedral size expanded greatly. The people of Magdeburg were not always happy with this, since they had to pay for the construction. In some cases already constructed walls and pillars were torn down to suit the wishes of the current supervisor. Construction stopped after 1274. In 1325, Archbishop Burchard III. von Schraplau

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