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St. Victor´s Cathedral, Xanten, High Altar

Posted by MadScientist (Düsseldorf, Germany) on 7 April 2008 in Art & Design.

The most distinguished sanctuary of the treasury of the cathedral contains the assumed mortal remains of St. Victor (Viktor of Xanten) in a gemmed shrine that is one of the oldest preserved ones in the whole Rhineland. Besides the shrine busts of Victor and his relative Helena were erected. The paintings in the wings of the altar are done by Barthel Bruyn the Elder (1534), depicting various stages of life of Victor and Helena.

Dang from Marietta, United States

Incredible! And even more amazing I'm the first to comment on it. Sorry it's taken me so long to find.

7 Apr 2008 6:00am

@Dang: Dang, welcome back!! So glad you're back, I was really missing your awesome photos!

Ina from Krugersdorp, South Africa

I think this is your best one so far! Excellent details, color and clarity. Well done!

7 Apr 2008 10:29am

@Ina: Thank you so much! That day my lense said farewell and these were the last photos I did take with it. I'm glad it survived the end of that photo session!

jenniellen from little town, United States

This is amazing...I can only imagine seeing this in person!!!

7 Apr 2008 1:15pm

@jenniellen: Xanten is a really nice town and a great destination of an excursion. Actually I don't see treasure like this one every day ;-)
Until you're having a trip to here I'll post more photos just to water your mouth :)

Twelvebit from Victoria, United States

You should have lit all the candles before you shot --told them it was for "art." But really, there is something incongruous about those candles. Ironically, they seem to add a dose of modernity --perhaps it is their machine manufactured uniformity and the fact that none of them have been used.

7 Apr 2008 2:43pm

@Twelvebit: Well, it's not a museum, all these things are still 'in use'! So it's just logical to have new 'devices' like these candles. If you would sit down in that church on a wooden bench of the 15th century and somebody would offer you a seat on a modern one, you wouldn't hesitate to change :-D
(If I had lit these candles they had broke me on the wheel. Don't mess with people from the countryside.)

Chris from South Jersey, United States

A beautiful spot captured wonderfully. The lighting must have been tricky with the dark interior and the stained glass, but you captured it all perfectly - well done!

7 Apr 2008 11:21pm

@Chris: Thanks, Chris! Light came from behind so the altar was well lit :-)

Irwansyah Sk3tchw!nd from Dumai, Indonesia

nice perspective

Regards

8 Apr 2008 12:54am

@Irwansyah Sk3tchw!nd: Done in a nice little cathedral with good light :) Thanks for dropping by!

MaryB from Staffordshire, United Kingdom

A magnificent shot MS, what a beautiful church, will definatly be checking out the links :)

8 Apr 2008 1:42am

@MaryB: This is the biggest gothic cathedral to the north of Colgne cathedral in Germany. Definitely worth a visit :)

JoeB from Brampton, Canada

The middle has a great illumination, the background that you provide brings it to life.

8 Apr 2008 1:55am

@JoeB: Thanks, Joe! People of Xanten are proud of their cathedral, it has been reconstructed to its original state after WWII, so we're now able to see it how it was originally meant.

akarui from Kagoshima, Japan

I like this picture. There is a combination of cool blue colors with very warm golden and red colors. Great atmosphere.

8 Apr 2008 11:32pm

@akarui: That was a joyful day, I remember it very well. Outside it was very hot with a blinding sun, but inside this cathedral it was cool and quiet. A very beautiful place.