Cathedral at the Mainz, Germany 1928

Cathedral at the Mainz

The Cathedral at the Mainz was built in Mainz, Germany in 975 AD under the guidance of Bishop Willigis, the Bishop of Mainz, and was meant to be an architectural masterpiece that would rival the cathedrals even in Rome. Inspired by the pre-Romanesque Ottonian style of architecture, the cathedral contains three main naves as well as several tombs and other funeral monuments.
It was built with sandstone and designed to be large as it was meant to replace the other two smaller Catholic churches of the time. At the time, the city of Mainz was very financially prosperous. Most previous churches were built using wood, and were therefore not as sturdy. The archbishops in Mainz were responsible for crowning Germany’s rulers. “They were kingmakers and influential politicians” (Mainz, 2016). Therefore, the church leaders determined that they needed a church of the highest quality and standards to hold such prestigious events, meetings, and gatherings.

Plan of Mainz

Interior design of the cathedral mainz

The cathedral did not adhere to the architectural design of almost every other church at the time. Rather, it incorporated some traditional elements as well as some elements that were unique to it. The cathedral had three naves. While the main hall was constructed in the traditional triple nave cross pattern, the Cathedral at the Mainz had double chancels, which is the space around the altar. It also was built with two transepts, or cross sections that separated the church into different sections. Some say that this duality was due to being able to more adequately host processions whereas others believe that it was a political statement, such as the two parts of the church being body and spirit, or church and state. The main chancel was not located on the east side of the church, which was common at the time in the region. Rather, Willigis built the main chancel on the west. Some experts say that this was because he designed the church after St. Peters Basillica in Rome, one of the most famous cathedrals in the world.
The church suffered a fire in 1009 on its inauguration day, but was quickly renovated. After the initial fire, “the new cast façade of Mainz Cathedral had a central apse, and the building was consequently a double ender” (Conant, 1978). This means that there appear to be almost two entrances with turret stairs flanking the corners of the church.
Over the next several centuries, plaster was used mostly to renovate the inside of the church. However, the cornices were not renovated in white plaster, thus keeping their original red and yellow colors.

Work cited: 

Conant, K. J. Carolingian and Romanesque architecture, 800 to 1200 (Vol. 13). Yale University Press. (1978).

Mainz: St. Martin's Cathedral. Video. Britannica Online. Web. 18 Nov. 2016. Retrieved from: http:// britannica.com/comptons/art-195369.