St. Martin's Cathedral, Utrecht

The Dom Tower in Utrecht (Dom St. Martin ) was to 1580 Cathedral of the diocese of Utrecht and serves as Evangelical Protestant Church. Since a heavy storm in 1674 that destroyed the nave, the church consists only of a chancel, transept and tower ( Domtoren ), the highest church tower in the Netherlands (112 meters).

History

To 630 Frankish missionaries built a first wooden church in the former Roman fort Utrecht, which was perhaps dedicated to Saint Martin. To 695 a stone church was under the archbishop of the Frisians appointed Willibrord built and Utrecht expanded so that the ecclesiastical center. 857 the church was destroyed by the Normans. After 922, the reconstruction was undertaken. After repeated destruction by fire in 1017 was 1023, a new building to be consecrated. 1131 and 1148 in turn was followed by fire damage, a new consecration was made in 1173. Another fire in 1253 was was apparently set to trigger for the planning of a large gothic new building, to which in 1254 the foundation stone. In 1295 the choir gallery was completed, which was designed in close connection to the Cologne Cathedral. Although the construction was still in full swing in the eastern part of the church, the high west tower was built 1321-1382. Shortly after 1400, the church building for some time came to a standstill; In 1440 the work was resumed. At the beginning of the 16th century the church factory ran out of funds; 1521 were the works, after the Church was essentially completed, set.

Utrecht in 1559 was raised to the archbishopric. 1580 the cathedral suffered damage during the iconoclasm and went over to the Protestants. During the occupation by the French King Louis XIV 1672/73 Catholics attended the cathedral briefly regained possession.

A violent storm produced on August 1, 1674 to the collapse of the central nave of the church. The Utrecht painter Herman Saftleven was commissioned by the city government of Utrecht, documenting the situation after the collapse. The left standing transept was completed with a temporary west wall. The ruins of the nave were vacated until 1826; in its place was the Domplein (Cathedral Square ). The decay of the cathedral continued during the 19th century; 1850 first renovation campaign was set in motion. Further renovations followed in 1921 and 1979-88. The tower was renovated in 1901-31 by a cross. A reconstruction of the collapsed central nave is discussed again and again. 2004 - to the 750 - th anniversary of the foundation stone of the Gothic cathedral - the proportions of the nave were indicated by a metal construction.

Organ

The history of the organ dates back to the year 1342. The great organ was built in the years 1825-1831 by the organ builder Johan and Jonathan Bätz (Utrecht), which partially Pipe material was used from the 16th and 18th centuries. It was completely restored in 1974-1975, with interim changes were reversed. The instrument has a total of 50 registers ( 3698 pipes ) on three manuals and pedal.

Tower

Noteworthy is the colossal 112 -meter high west tower ( " Domtoren "). He is one of the largest and most original towers of the 14th century in Europe. The kaleidoscopic form consists of two different widths, square storeys and an octagonal lantern, crowned by a very flat helmet.

The tower called because of the supposed vanity of the company out of the preacher of repentance protests Geert Groote, which he ( "Against the Tower of Utrecht " ) wrote in his treatise Contra turrim Traiectensem. Nevertheless, the tower of the cathedral of Utrecht a formative influence on the construction of several other large church towers in the Netherlands exercised later, such as in Amersfoort, Rhenen and Groningen.

Bells

In the lower belfry a -ringing of bells hangs 14. Gerhardus de Wou poured in 1505 a diatonic series of 13 bells a ringing of the most powerful in Europe. For this purpose, the previous bells stock was partly melted and partly sold. The seven modern Eijsbouts bells replace each ton and rip same van Wou- bells were melted down in 1664 for the financing of the carillon. The fourteenth bell not part of the actual main bells and hung probably in the former roof skylights above the crossing. Since 1979, all the bells of the 50 -strong Utrecht Läutegilde be rung both ecclesiastical and secular occasions to hand. It takes the great Salvator bell ( in combination with other bells) their service only to high feast days on:

• Midnight Mass from 23 clock,
• Easter Sunday the Easter cheers from 6:40 clock and 10 clock (worship ),
• Koninginnedag from 9 clock,
• National Dodenherdenking ( national Souls' Day ) By 19:30 bis 20:00 clock soloist,
• Ascension from 10 clock and
• Pentecost Sunday from 10 clock.

The full peal is heard at midnight each New Year's Day of the year and the opening of the Oude Muziek Festival - 12 clock.

Besides the bells located in the tower historically important carillon of fifty bells, cast in 1663 by the brothers Hemony. Jacob van Eyck was bell ringer of the cathedral in the 17th century.

• Total length outside before ship Collapse: 119 meters ( tower included)
• Length of the transept outside: 49 meters
• Internal height of the choir vaults: 31.5 meters
• Height of the roof ridge: 41.6 meters
• Base of the tower: 19.3 x 19.5 meters
• Tower Height: 112.32 meters