Jerome and his Lion

Shown on the right side of the facade is "Saint Jerome" (Hieronymus, 347-420), who translated the Bible into Latin ("Vulgate"). His attributes are the lion and the skull. Here he is wearing glasses! Pretty modern for a carving from around 1550.

Augustodunum (today Autun) was founded during the reign of Augustus, after whom it was named. It was an important settlement, the Roman theather, partly unearthed, could seat about 15.000 people, there is a Roman temple, walls... But it is the Cathédrale Saint-Lazare and the wonderful carvings, that made me return again and again. There had been a church here earlier, that was just too small, when Autun became a center of pilgrimage, after relics of St. Lazarus were kept here since about 970. Just like Vezelay, 90kms north, where the relics of St. Lazarus´ sister St. Maria Magdalena were kept at that time. In 1120 it was decided to construct this larger and more suitable cathedral. At that time this construction was influenced by Cluny III, that was a little older. After severe damage during the Hundred Years' War, rebuilding and remodeling the romanesque structure started. The tympanum, a masterpiece, signed by Gislebertus, survived accidently pretty undamaged, as it was hidden under thick plaster for many decades. Many other carvings, carved by Gislebertus (or his workshop) are in and outside the cathedral. Seen here may be Saint Jerome extracting a thorn from a lion's paw. This was "the beginning of a beautiful friendship". The lion stayed with Jerome, one of the four Latin doctors of the Church, and later became his personal attribute. This capital is on the very left side of the portal. It corresponds to the very right one. See PiP (right corner).

A legend attributes Kraków's founding to the mythical ruler Krakus, who built it above a cave occupied by a dragon, Smok Wawelski. The first written record dates to 965, when Kraków was described as a notable commercial center captured by a Bohemian duke Boleslaus I in 955. The first ruler of Poland, Mieszko I, took Kraków from the Bohemians. In 1038, Kraków became the seat of the Polish government. By the end of the 10th century, the city was a center of trade. Brick buildings were constructed, including the Royal Wawel Castle. The city was sacked and burned during the Mongol invasion of 1241. It was rebuilt and incorporated in 1257 by Bolesław V the Chaste who introduced city rights. In 1259, the city was again ravaged by the Mongols. The third attack in 1287 was repelled thanks in part to the newly built fortifications. The city rose to prominence in 1364, when Casimir III founded the University of Kraków, the second oldest university in central Europe. But after Casimir´s death in 1370 the campus did not get completed. As the capital of the Kingdom of Poland and a member of the Hanseatic League, the city attracted craftsmen from abroad, guilds as science and the arts began to flourish. The 15th and 16th centuries are known as Poland's "Złoty Wiek" (Golden Age). After childless King Sigismund II had died in 1572, the Polish throne passed to Henry III of France and then to other foreign-based rulers in rapid succession, causing a decline in the city's importance that was worsened by pillaging during the Swedish invasion and by an outbreak of bubonic plague that left 20,000 of the city's residents dead. In 1596, Sigismund III of the House of Vasa moved the capital of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth from Kraków to Warsaw. - In the place of a Romanesque church, that got destroyed during the Mongol invasion, the early Gothic Church of St. Mary was built on the northeast corner of the market square at the end of the 13th century. It got consecrated in 1320. The church was completely rebuilt during the reign of Casimir III the Great between 1355 and 1365. The main body of the church was completed in 1395–97 with the new vault constructed by master Nicholas Wernher from Prague. In the 18th century, the interior was rebuilt in the late Baroque style. In the years 1887–1891, the neo-Gothic design was introduced into the Basilica. At the pulpit St. Jerome strokes the head of his lion Kraków, Krakau,

Nysa was probably founded in the 10th century. The name of the Nysa river, from which the town takes its name, was mentioned in 991 when it was part of the Duchy of Poland under Mieszko I. A Polish stronghold was built in Nysa in the 11th and 12th centuries due to the proximity of the border with the Czech Duchy. From the 14th century on it was administered by the Bishopric of Wrocław. Nysa was granted town rights around 1223 and attracted Flemish and German settlers. In 1241 it was ravaged by the Mongols during the first Mongol invasion. In 1245, it was granted staple right and two yearly fairs were established. Nysa became an important trade and craft center of Poland before it passed under the suzerainty of the Bohemian Crown in 1351, under which it remained until 1742. The town's fortifications from 1350 served to defend against the Hussites in 1424. During the Thirty Years' War, it was besieged three times. It was looted by the Saxons and Swedes. During the First Silesian War in 1741, it was captured by Prussians. In 1758 it was unsuccessfully besieged by the Austrians and stayed Prussian. Towards the end of WWII, about 80% of the city center was destroyed. Most affected were the houses on the Rynek (Market Place) and the houses along the main streets. - In 1346 monks built a monastery and hospital complex in the Old Town, next to the Church of Maria in Rosis (Our Lady of the Rosary). After the fire resulting from fights with the Hussites, they were moved and the church was finally demolished in 1622. The collegiate church of St. Peter and Paul was built between 1720 and 1727 by the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem in the Baroque style on the former city wall. After secularization in 1810, the church became a soap factory for a time. In the 19th century there was a hospital in the monastery, in the years 1949–1997 it was the seat of the theological seminary, now it houses the Diocesan Gymnasium The church was renovated in the 1830s and again in the late 1920s The building survived the fighting at the end of the Second World War largely unscathed. Only the church windows were destroyed. Jerome, the Doctor of the Church, is depicted with his lion. There is a popular belief that Jerome had tamed the lion in the wilderness by healing its paw.

The history of Wroclaw dates back more than a thousand years. At various times, it has been part of the Kingdom of Poland, the Kingdom of Bohemia, the Kingdom of Hungary, the Habsburg monarchy of Austria, the Kingdom of Prussia, and Germany. Wrocław became part of Poland again in 1945 as part of the result of extensive border changes and expulsions after WWII. In 990 Mieszko I of Poland conquered Silesia and Wrocław. The town became a commercial center. In the 12th century Polish, Bohemian, Jewish, Walloon, and German communities existed here. Wroclaw was devastated in 1241 during the first Mongol invasion of Poland. In the 13th century due to migration from Saxony and Bavaria, Wroclaw got germanised. The population adopted the German language and culture and the name changed to Breslau. Between 1342 and 1344 two fires destroyed large parts of the city, which was a part of the Bohemian Kingdom at that time. Charles IV`s , successors Wenceslaus and Sigismund became involved in a long-lasting feud with the city and its magistrate, culminating in the revolt in 1418 when local craftsmen killed seven councilors. After the city had defeated the Bohemian Hussites the city was besieged by a combined Polish-Czech force in 1474, however, a ceasefire was signed, according to which the city remained under Hungarian rule. The Reformation reached Breslau already in 1518, and in 1523 the town council unanimously appointed a new pastor and thus introduced the Reformation in Breslau. In 1526, the Habsburg monarchy of Austria inherited Bohemia, Silesia, and the city of Breslau. In 1609 German emperor Rudolf II granted the free exercise of church services to all Bohemian and Silesian Protestants. In the following Thirty Years' War, the city suffered badly. It was occupied by Saxon and Swedish troops and lost 18,000 of its 40,000 residents to the plague. The Counter-Reformation had started with Rudolf II who encouraged Catholic orders to settle in Breslau. The dominance of the German population under the Habsburg rule in the city became more visible, while the Polish population diminished in numbers. After Frederick the Great besieged the city for a year, it surrendered in 1741. In 1742, Queen Maria Theresa handed over Silesia to the Prussian king. - I found two St. Jeromes on the outer walls of the cathedral. The left one is much older than the right one, which dates back to the neo-gothic addons of the 19th century. St. Jerome, the Church Father, is often depicted with a lion, in reference to the popular belief that Jerome had tamed a lion in the wilderness by healing its paw. The source for the story may actually have been the 2nd century Roman tale of Androcles or confusion with the exploits of Saint Gerasimus (Jerome in later Latin is "Geronimus"). It can be found in the 13th century Golden Legend by Jacobus de Voragine. vor 1 Minute. Geändert vor 1 Minute. Hinzufügen | Übersetzen | Bearbeiten | Löschen | Permalink Martin M. Miles

Already in the 7th century, it was the location of a fortified Slavonic settlement, at a ford in the Vistula river. Thorn was established in 1231 under the administration of the Teutonic Order. The Teutonic Order had been called earlier by the Polish Duke Conrad of Mazovia to Christianize the pagan Baltic Pruzzes. However, the Order became active only after Emperor Frederick II granted it the right to rule over the land to be conquered in 1226. The foundation stone of the city of Thorn was laid in 1231 and soon after immigrants from Westphalia populated the town. In the 14th century, Thorn joined the Hanseatic League. The Order's efforts to simultaneously expand its sovereignty and control trade led to warlike conflicts. The city was captured by Poland in 1410 during the Polish–Lithuanian–Teutonic War however, after the First Peace of Thorn was signed in 1411, the city fell back to the Teutonic Order. In the 1420s, Polish King Władysław II Jagiełło built the Dybów Castle, located in present-day left-bank Toruń. In 1440, the gentry of Thorn co-founded the Prussian Confederation to further oppose the Knights' policies. The Confederation rose against the Monastic state of the Teutonic Knights in 1454 and its delegation submitted a petition to Polish King Casimir IV Jagiellon asking him to regain power over the region as the rightful ruler. These events led to the Thirteen Years' War. The citizens of the city conquered the Teutonic castle and dismantled the fortifications. In May 1454, a ceremony was held in Toruń, during which the nobility, knights, landowners, mayors, and local officials solemnly swore allegiance to the Polish King. During the war, Toruń financially supported the Polish Army. The Thirteen Years' War ended in 1466, with the Second Peace of Thorn, in which the Teutonic Order renounced any claims to the city and recognized it as part of Poland. During the Great Northern War (Deluge), the city was besieged by Swedish troops. In the second half of the 17th century, tensions between Catholics and Protestants grew. In the early 18th century about half of the population, especially the gentry and middle class, was German-speaking and Protestant, while the other half was Polish-speaking Roman Catholic. The old town of Torun is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. - The erection of the Toruń Cathedral (Church of St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist) was started as a parish church of the old town in about 1270 in the form of a basilica. In 1351, a fire destroyed parts of the building, after which the nave was renewed, abandoning the basilical scheme in favor of a hall church. In 1406 the church tower collapsed, it was rebuilt from 1407 to 1433. Since 1557 the church was evangelical. From 1583 to 1596 Protestants and Catholics used it together. The St. Wolfgang triptych is the main altar today. It replaced the earlier Baroque altar from the time when the church was taken over by the Jesuits, who were brought to the Protestant Toruń to strengthen the Counter-Reformation. The altar was created in 1506 by a local workshop under the direction of the anonymous "Master of the Altar of St. Wolfgang". In the center are three fully sculpted, gilded figures: St. Wolfgang (in the center), St. Bartholomew (on the right) and St. James the Elder (on the left). The wings show the church fathers. At the top right, Jerome with his lion.

This has been a fortified place already since pre-Roman times, as salt was mined in the valley since around 300BC. A fort was built here by Wilfred the Hairy in 886. In a document from the year 986, Cordona is mentioned in connection with the salt deposits in the municipal area. At that time, the population not only received the mining rights for "Vall Salina", but the place also received market and city rights. Since salt was of great importance as a food preservative, unusual measures were taken to militarily protect the area and the salt mines, and the fortress of Castell de Cardona was expanded. Since the 10th century, when the noble family Folc de Gardona established their residence in the castle of Cardona, the counts have been of great importance for the further development of the city of salt. The population grew significantly. This era lasted until the 16th century, when the Compte family settled in Barcelona and Arbeca, as well as in Seville. After that, the castle became a barracks and the town lost its importance. Today the castle has been completely renovated and houses a fantastic hotel paradores.es/en/parador-de-cardona The Collegiate church of Sant Vicenç, erected 1020-1040, is a great example of the Lombardic/Catalan architecture. To quote Marcel Durliat this is "most important structure of the ’Premier art roman méridional’ in Catalonia". The church was the burial place of the Cardona dynasty. 23 members of the family have been buried here between the 13th and the 16th century. The tomb of Ferran I Joan Ramon Folc de Cardona (1469 - 1543) and his wife Isabel d'Agustí. On the right side of the tomb is this figure of St. Jerome and his lion.

In the "Chronicon Moissiacense" 806 the place Halle is mentioned for the first time as "Halla". In 968, Otto I founded the Archdiocese of Magdeburg, to which Halle belonged until 1680. Around 1120 the city was extensively expanded. This was possible due to the increasing salt trade and the wealth associated with it. Initially, this was managed by archbishops. From the end of the 12th century the Guild of the Panners (salt makers) was formed. This gave rise to a self-confident bourgeoisie, which concluded a contract with Archbishop Rupert of Magdeburg in 1263, according to which the archbishop was not permitted to build any castles within a mile radius. The Panners determined the politics of the city for centuries. Halle was first mentioned in a document in 1281 as a member of the Hanseatic League, and in 1310 the city's self-government was contractually recorded. In 1341 the construction of a strong tower between the scales and the town hall began, which was used until 1835 to securely accommodate the city's privileges. In 1478 ended the approximately 200-year city independence. In 1484, Archbishop Ernst II (1464–1513) had Moritzburg Castle built as a fortified residential palace in the north-west corner of the city and ceremoniously moved into it in 1503. It was actually supposed to be a stronghold against Halle's self-confident citizens, the salt workers. Until 1680, Halle was the capital and residence of the Archdiocese of Magdeburg. Halle Cathedral was originally founded in 1271 as a Dominican monastery and completed in 1330 with a simple three-nave monastery church. Around 1520, the then Archbishop Albert von Brandenburg had the exterior of the church remodeled and fitted with round gables. In 1523 it was rededicated as the collegiate church of the archbishopric. It was probably first called a cathedral at this time, although it was never the seat of the archbishopric. Beginning in 1523, Albert also commissioned artists to embellish the interior. As an opponent of Martin Luther, Albert was expelled from Halle in 1541 and took the portable furnishings of the church with him to Aschaffenburg, where they remain today. His secular successors as sovereigns used the church as a chapel for their court and castle. The last of these rulers, Augustus, Duke of Saxe-Weißenfels, added galleries and a larger altar in the mid-17th century and changed the style of the church toward early Baroque. In 1680, Frederick William, Elector of Brandenburg, made the church a parish church, and in 1702, the young Georg Friedrich Handel was hired for a year's trial. At the pulpit Church Father Saint Jerome and his lion.

Merseburg was first mentioned in 850. King König Heinrich I. (Henry the Fowler) built a royal palace at Merseburg after having married the daughter of Count Erwin of Merseburg, so that the place came under the rule of the Saxon dynasty. In 955, after finally defeating the Hungarians at the Battle of Lechfeld, King Otto I vowed to found a diocese. Otto I founded the archbishopric of Magdeburg in 968 with the suffragan bishopric Merseburg, but the diocese was dissolved in 981 and only re-established in 1004 by King Heinrich II. Until the Protestant Reformation, Merseburg was the seat of the Bishop of Merseburg, in addition to being for a time the residence of the margraves of Meissen. It was a favorite residence of the German kings during the 10th, 11th and 12th centuries. Fifteen diets were held here during the Middle Ages, during which time its fairs enjoyed the importance which was afterward transferred to those of Leipzig. In the years 1218/19, the area on the left bank of the Saale was protected by a city wall that adjoined the already fortified "Domfreiheit". Civil self-government of the city was first mentioned in 1289. In 1428, Merseburg, together with other towns and against the resistance of the bishops, joined the Hanseatic League, to which it was to belong until at least 1604. The town suffered severely during the German Peasants' War and also during the Thirty Years' War. Construction of the early Romanesque cathedral was begun by Bishop Thietmar of Merseburg in 1015. It was consecrated on 1 October 1021 in the presence of Emperor Heinrich II and his wife, Kunigunde. However, the eastern part of the building collapsed twice within a few years and had to be rebuilt. It was only in 1042 that the cathedral was formally opened. The early Romanesque structure still influences the appearance of today's cathedral. The lower parts of the choir, transept and western towers remain Romanesque as do the eastern towers. Only the crypt still maintains the original spatial impression, however. The shape of the windows was later changed to Gothic style, probably in the second quarter of the 13th century when a new narthex was added to the church. In the first half of the 13th century the western façade, the western towers were mostly reconstructed. It is also likely that the nave was changed substantially and largely attained its final form. Finally, the eastern towers were raised around the middle of the 13th century. One of them retains a Gothic roof, the other is topped by a Baroque roof. Under Bishop Thilo von Trotha (1466-1514) the nave was rebuilt, due to the building of the adjacent Schloss/palace. The old nave was demolished in 1510 and the new nave built between 1510 and 1514 . At the pulpit Saint Jerome and his lion. As a "Church Father", known for his wisdom, he was a model for the preacher