Rosheim - Saints-Pierre-et-Paul

The construction of the "Église Saints-Pierre-et-Paul", using the local pinkish sandstone, started around 1150. The gothic-style crossing tower was added around 1300. The basilica-sytle church has the classical layout of a latin cross and is known for the carvings. Though some of these got damaged during the French Revolution, most of them are still in place.

Size and the quality of some of them is really breathtaking. The architecture of this church is sometimes compared with a medieaval reliquary-shrine - and there are analogies indeed, but I see parallels as well to churches in the Lombardy.

When in 1622 a troop of mercenaries led by Peter von Mansfeld burnt down the whole village of Rosheim, this building was the only one, that survived. A legends tell, that it was defended by angels.

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Saints-Pierre-et-Paul seen from the east.
There is the apse - and the two arms of the transept. The apse has lots of carvings, near to the window are the symbols of the evangelists. I uploaded photos of them last year.

Only the roof of the left arm of the transept is visible, as rectangular chapel (and a stair tower) was added to the cruciform structure later. To add something to a finished and well composed building is never easy. The new architects knew about this "problem" and used the lombardic bands outside, to smoothen the impression.
What they for sure did did not want, to destroy the older carvings on the very left side of the apse. They tried hard to find a solution - and found one! See the next photo.