Details
Founded: 1188Category: Religious sites in Germany
Historical period: Hohenstaufen Dynasty (Germany)
User Reviews
St. Nicholas' Cathedral is a significant, well preserved example of northern German Late Brick Gothic; the church features three aisles, two transepts and a single-aisled ambulatory. Particularly impressive is the church's northern tiered gable. The church features 22 stained glass features considered to be treasures of international significance, a feature of the cathedral elevating the building to a heritage site of Europe-wide importance.
The cathedral was founded in 1188 by Margrave Otto II. The construction of present building was begun in 1423. In World War II the cathedral suffered damages during an air raid on April 8, 1945. The vault of the south transept and parts of the cloister were destroyed. The medieval windows had been removed before and survived.
References:Střekov Castle (Schreckenstein) is perched atop a cliff above the River Elbe, near the city of Ústí nad Labem. It was built in 1316 for John of Luxembourg, the father of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV, to guard an important trade route to Germany. After changing hands several times, the castle was acquired by the Lobkowicz family in 1563. Its strategic importance led to occupations by Imperial Habsburg, Saxon, and Swedish forces during the Thirty Years' War, as well as successive sieges by Austrian and Prussian armies during the Seven Years' War.
Although Střekov Castle was heavily damaged during those conflicts and abandoned as a military installation by the end of the 18th century, the 1800s saw many poets and artists visiting the castle, drawn by a new trend of interest in romantic ruins.