Ecclesiastical Embroidery at Halberstadt Cathedral
A few weeks ago we had a long weekend and decided to take a trip into the Harz region. The Harz mountains are about two and a half hours by car southwest of Berlin. We specifically went for two reasons: to enjoy riding on the Harz Schmalspurbahn and to see the amazing ecclesiastical embroidery in Halberstadt at the cathedral.I had a wonderful time riding on the train up the mountain. Until we got to the very top and it got too cold, I stood outside on the platform between the cars. Riding through the forest and watching the world go by while listening to the sound of the steam engine was simply magical!
The highlight of the trip for me was, of course, our visit to Halberstadt Cathedral to see the ecclesiastical embroidery. Halberstadt was a very rich episcopal see of the Bishopric of Halberstadt, established by the Emperor Charlemagne in 804.The cathedral is notable among those in northern European towns in having retained its medieval treasury in virtually complete condition. Among its treasures are the oldest surviving tapestries in Europe, dating from the 12th century.The collection has grown over a period of 1000 years, specifically for liturgical use. The current inventory numbers about 600 different objects, of which approximately 300 are textiles. The objects range in period from the 5th through to the 18th century and it is one of the most important collection of medieval vestments. In addition to a nearly 1000 year old Cope, the collectionincludes Romanesque tapestries that are the oldest and best preserved in Europe.
CLICK HERE SEE AN ALBUM OF ALL THE PICTURES
Above is a photo of the Halberstadt Cathedral. If you click on the photo you will be taken to my Flickr album and see all of the photos I took of the embroidery. It was dimly lit inside the exhibition to keep the textiles in good condition and, naturally, using a flash was not permitted.The photos were all taken with my iPhone 5 using an app called Camera+. This app allows you to adjust the exposure as you're taking the photo which is how I got such good images in dim light. Sometimes technology really amazes me!While we were in the Harz, we stayed in Wernigrode where there is a beautiful castle high, high up on the hill. The castle was built and occupied by the Earls of Stolberg and date from the 12th century.
It's quite an imposing building and seems to grow out of the rocks. The views from the courtyard are breathtaking, looking down over the town and the mountains beyond.
If you ever have the chance to visit this part of Germany, I highly recommend it!