Franciscan Friary, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany

The Franciscan Friary of Rothenburg ob der Tauber is a former friary of the Conventual Franciscans in the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber. The friary, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, was founded in 1281 by Hermann von Hornburg, Schultheiß of Rothenburg, and others. It was wound up in 1548 in the wake of the Reformation.

The buildings of the friary, vacated voluntarily, were used initially for the establishment of a grammar school, later as a home for the widows of priests. In 1805 the building became, among other things, a salt store. Parts of the premises (cloisters, refectory, etc.) were demolished; many of the contents were destroyed or sold, including the Wiblinger Altar by Tilman Riemenschneider.

In spite of the losses and damages of the past the church today is a significant example of the church of a mendicant order, with a rood screen and important art treasures.

References:

Wikipedia

User Reviews

Peter Munnichs (3 years ago)
Imposante kerk met mooi en artistiek houtsnijwerk van Tilman Riemenschneider. Apart is ook het schilderwerk op het altaar. Hier heeft een van de apostelen niet alleen een brilletje op, maar heeft hij zelfs al een boek in de handen. Beiden worden echter pas meer dan duizend jaar na het laatste avondmaal uitgevonden. Toch een mooie vondst in dit schilderij.

Gianfranco Garcia (4 years ago)

Ilona Geffert (4 years ago)
Das sind hier richtig schöne Kirchen .

Dave Lott (4 years ago)
This is the real thing as far as old churches go. An abundance of original ancient art adorns this holy place.

Ilario Bonomi (5 years ago)
Una chiesa ricca di storia, la cui fondazione risale al 1285, interessante soprattutto per la balconata decorata che separa la parte riservata ai frati da quella riservata invece al popolo, dove rimane qualche traccia leggibile di affresco, e per le belle tombe di cui è ornata.

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Photo from Flickr, copyright twiga-swala

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Heraclea Lyncestis

Heraclea Lyncestis was an ancient Greek city in Macedon, ruled later by the Romans. It was founded by Philip II of Macedon in the middle of the 4th century BC. The city was named in honor of the mythological hero Heracles. The name Lynkestis originates from the name of the ancient kingdom, conquered by Philip, where the city was built.

Heraclea was a strategically important town during the Hellenistic period, as it was at the edge of Macedon"s border with Epirus to the west and Paeonia to the north, until the middle of the 2nd century BC, when the Romans conquered Macedon and destroyed its political power. The main Roman road in the area, Via Egnatia went through Heraclea, and Heraclea was an important stop. The prosperity of the city was maintained mainly due to this road.

The Roman emperor Hadrian built a theatre in the center of the town, on a hill, when many buildings in the Roman province of Macedonia were being restored. It began being used during the reign of Antoninus Pius. Inside the theatre there were three animal cages and in the western part a tunnel. The theatre went out of use during the late 4th century AD, when gladiator fights in the Roman Empire were banned, due to the spread of Christianity, the formulation of the Eastern Roman Empire, and the abandonment of, what was then perceived as, pagan rituals and entertainment.

Late Antiquity and Byzantine periods

In the early Byzantine period (4th to 6th centuries AD) Heraclea was an important episcopal centre. A small and a great basilica, the bishop"s residence, and a funerary basilica and the necropolis are some of the remains of this period. Three naves in the Great Basilica are covered with mosaics of very rich floral and figurative iconography; these well preserved mosaics are often regarded as fine examples of the early Christian art period.

The city was sacked by Ostrogoth/Visigoth forces, commanded by Theodoric the Great in 472 AD and again in 479 AD. It was restored in the late 5th and early 6th century. When an earthquake struck in 518 AD, the inhabitants of Heraclea gradually abandoned the city. Subsequently, at the eve of the 7th century, the Dragovites, a Slavic tribe pushed down from the north by the Avars, settled in the area. The last coin issue dates from ca. 585, which suggests that the city was finally captured by the Slavs. As result, in place of the deserted city theatre several huts were built.

The Episcopacy Residence was excavated between 1970 and 1975. The western part was discovered first and the southern side is near the town wall. The luxury rooms are located in the eastern part. The 2nd, 3rd and 4th rooms all have mosaic floors. Between the 3rd and 4th rooms there is a hole that led to the eastern entrance of the residence. The hole was purposefully created between the 4th and 6th century.

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