Show r i 4 k I l lt t wn i ft tJ- tJ t. rotI Ww q qc I c i fM 1 V An Old House in Strassburg from irom the remotest S STRASSBURG times has revealed a love of ot liberty and Independence which It must be said frequently bewildered bewildered be be- and even eyen disconcerted Its would would-be be oppressor Through Its numerous numerous numerous nu nu- vicissitudes it has retained a personality which nothing ever succeeded sue sue- d In destro destroying Little is known of the city during the Celtic period i When the Romans Gaul they discovered on the banks of the Ill and quite near the Rhine a small village the Importance of ot which they Immediately recognized Perched on a relatively high hill as the Romans named this hamlet dominated the whole of ot the fertile ferUle plain of ot Alsace and the river valley aUe They therefore fortified it and there the general hea headquarters I of the legions who vh w were r especially with the defense of ot the passage passage passage pas pas- sage of the Rhine For more than three centuries this region remained under Roman domination after which lapse of time It was conquered by a n powerful Germanic tribe the I For several everol centuries Strassburg I Iwas was subjected to the continual vicissitudes vicissitudes I tudes of ot says the Christian ChristianI Science Monitor The ranks Franks succeeded succeeded suc sue the and after the battle bat bat- bat battle tle tIe of ot In Strassburg bat I and the greater part of ot Alsace v were ere Christianized Christianized Chris Chris- by Clovis Under the dynasty Strassburg was elevated to the dignity dig dig- of ot a royal city The monarchs even signed several of their celebrated charters there However the city Itself vegetated lack of ot security security se- se hindered Its development and when In Alsace was Incorporated In the German empire Strassburg was still a a. relatively unimportant town It had possessed a bishopric for tor several centuries and so long as Its development had remained Stationary sta stationary Sta sta- stationary had submitted to the dominion of ot the clergy However However How now ever as Its commerce developed and Its industries gradually evolved Strassburg rebelled first timidly then openly and successfully against the clerical yoke Building the Great Cathedral The real prosperity of ot Strassburg dates from the thirteenth century when It already numbered in- in Il 4 habitants The bishops vainly strove to regain their former supremacy by force of arms but Strassburg defended defended de de- de- de fended tended Itself with much energy and at last enjoyed a period of ot relative peace during which all classes lived In harmony This period coincides with a great development In the fine arts It was J then that Gotfried of Strassburg the first Alsatian poet of the middle ages was scribe in his native town and Erwin Envin of Steinbach artist and architect architect archi archi- undertook to build the cathedral j on the site of the former basilica erected about A. A D. D on a sp spot t where once stood a temple dedicated to Hercules The original plan of Master Erwin Envin has not been faithfully toll followed owed and it must be admitted that the edifice has lost nothing through this but has rather gained considerably He Ho had bad conceived of ot a facade two stories In height dominated by two towers of ot equal height It was however many years later that the cathedral was completed and the two towers were welded together at the height of ot the first story the left tower alone being finished its delicate openwork spire spIre spIre- a marvel of sculpture sculpture rising rising meters meters me me- tens above the earth The threefold portal giving acc access ss to the three Gothic naves is decorated by a multitude multitude multitude multi multi- tude of ot remarkable sculptures The great tower was finished in 1489 1489 under the direction of 10 John n Holtz Many were the artists who lovingly decorated this unique stone Jewel The baptistery was the work of ot John the pulpit that of Hans Hammerer and innumerable humble artisans lovingly an and piously decorated and embellished It Their anon anonymous tribute Is touchIngly revealed revealed re re- In the slightest details of ot the gigantic and splendid masterpiece The Astronomical Clock The great clock of ot the cathedral has been for nearly six Elx centuries an object of public curiosity and amusement This astronomical clock was first built bunt by Bishop of ot Birch Birch- egg In 1352 and was completed two years later by Bishop John of LIchtenberg The clock originally occupied occupied occupied oc oc- oc- oc the space facing that which it o occupies at present In tb t-be t southern transept Besides V ri Us astro asira nom leal devices Indicating the true solar time it If has a great planetarium In which the revolution of ot the planets Is represented so that the relative position of ot each at any time can be beI seen at a glance Then on an elevated elevated ele ele- I I platform are moving figures representing the four ages of ot man I On a still higher platform is a nat nat- ural-sized ural figure of Jesus and at noon the twelve apostles pass before the I feet of ot their master bowing low As Peter passes a a large largo and j lifelike cock flaps his wings ruffles rumes his feathers and crows three times very loudly and naturally The clock was definitely completed In 1574 to be destroyed during the revolution of ot 1789 But In 1842 a n Strassburg artist named built bunt the clock which still exists and Is a faithful faithful faithful faith faith- ful copy of ot the old timepiece Houses of the Renaissance During the Renaissance Strassburg enjoyed a prosperity of t which some Idea can be gained from the numerous numerous numerous numer numer- ous monuments which were erected at that period Many of ot these still exist especially those old houses which abound in the little narrow streets inthe Inthe in inthe the neighborhood of ot the cathedral where many picturesque old SIgnboards signboards signboards sign SIgn- boards bear evidence to the past The house which once belonged to a n. noble family of ot lower Alsace Is among the most celebrated of the tho period The courtyard of ot this house contains a magnificent stone staircase and it also possesses a particularly fine Renaissance doorway The House of the Crow dating from the fourteenth fourteenth four tour century Is famous for Its remarkable remarkable remarkable re re- re- re courtyard and It Is said that Frederick the Great lodged there in 1740 The House of ot the Dragon recently recently recently re re- re- re demolished was In the fourteenth fourteenth four tour century the residence of ot the Knights of ot Endingen whilst the famous famous famous fa fa- Kamerzell house on the Cathedral Cathedral Cathedral Cathe Cathe- dral place dating from 1467 1407 is of ot world-wide world renown Its three stories w wt wre re built at successive periods but with its high slanting roof so 80 characteristic of ot Strassburg It rather resembles an Immense dovecote with Its many windows During the thirty years' years war Alsace fell under the rule of France Strassburg Strass- Strass burg became French on the of September 1681 whilst the annexation annexation annexation tion was definitely ratified by bg the Peace of Ryswick In 1097 Vauban personally directed the construction of the 1082 But his fortifications fortifications fortifications strong as they were could not resist the intensely terrific bombardment bombardment bombard bombard- ment to which the Germans subjected the old city in August and September 1870 and Strassburg was obliged to capitulate after barely a months month's re re- During the shelling of the city m many ny of Its finest public edifices which were for tor the most part of the eighteenth century were destroyed Amongst these figured the library |