Wonderful windows of the world

If you’re a big fan of stained glass windows then you will love a visit to any one or all of these stunning examples. Here are some of the most beautiful and impressive stained glass windows in the world:

In an age when only the richest could read, stained glass windows acted as a poor man’s Bible. Believers, who could not read Latin could learn the stories of the gospels. Built in the late 11th century, the Christ of Wissembourg window is now in a museum in Strasbourg, France. It is thought to have come from a Benedictine Abbey in Alsace and it’s serious expression and sheer size would have had sinners quaking in awe.

Nowadays stained glass windows can be viewed as purely decorative but during the Middle Ages they not only depicted Bible tales but also showed local history and political authority. The Saint-Chapelle in Paris features 15 tall windows and on this site, are relics brought to Paris by Louis IX. The windows really are a sight to behold and feature tales from both the Old and New Testament.

Image credit

Staining glass dates back to Roman times and some of the oldest still in existence can be found in Augsburg, Germany. The stained glass windows here depict portraits of Moses, Daniel and other biblical figures. The prophets stand tall in bright coloured robes surrounded by marbled borders and date back to the 11th century. If all this talk of windows make you want to replace your home windows then for Double Glazing Gloucester way, visit sites like  https://www.firmfix.co.uk.

Early 13th century examples include Chartres Cathedral, again in France. This was a time in history when demand for stained glass reached its peak. The sturdy buttresses of the cathedral allow for huge windows including the rose window depicting the birth of Christ. The colours are intense and bathe the whole cathedral in a glow.

Image credit

Back to Britain now for the Gothic masterpiece of York Minster. Here you’ll find a huge east facing window that is the largest expanse of stained glass anywhere before modern times. It was created by the first ever named artist in British history, John Thornton. At its centre is a stunning depiction of the apocalypse.

King Arthur and Sir Lancelot are depicted in a much later work of stained glass in 1862. During the Renaissance, the popularity of the art declined and it wasn’t until the 19th century that artists began to look at the medium afresh. The famous name, William Morris, who was a designer and writer, commissioned both religious and secular works for Gothic revival buildings. He was the artist behind the above window about the Knights of the Round Table.

For a totally modern example you’ll need to travel to Grossmunster in Zurich. Some of the windows were designed between 2006 and 2009 by German artists for the Zurich Cathedral which was stripped bare of all decoration during the Reformation. Years have been spent designing new stained glass windows for the city’s thousand year old Cathedral. Five windows depict biblical scenes and there are also some impressive abstract pieces which break up the solid walls.

 

 

Gabriel Montgomery

Gabriel Montgomery

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.