Southern Portal ? the picture bible by Trekki
The most prominent feature on the Cathedral?s main entrance (south) is the so-called Bilderbibel (picture bible) at the Gothic pointed arch. The arch is dated around 1300 and had replaced the older Romanesque portal.Allow yourself some time to have a closer look; the carvings are indeed excellent. They are grouped into 4 parts ? left and right on the lower part are statues of Old Testament?s four prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezechiel, Daniel) and evangelists (Matthäus, Markus, Lukas and Johannes). The upper part of the arch then allegorises scenes of Old (God creates the world, God creates Eve, Noah and his ark, etc) and New Testament (life of Christ).
On the arc?s top, Mary is sculptured, riding on a tetra morph (4 animals, symbolizing the evangelists in one).
The tympanum above the entrance shows Mary?s coronation.
Update: April 2007:
Now I can show you the details of this magnificent stone carving work:
Photo 1: Noah and his ark (April 2007),
Photo 2: Adam and Eve are expelled from paradise (April 2007),
Photo 3: Coronation of Mary (April 2007),
Photo 4: sculptured capital just below the tympanum (April 2007),
Photo 5: the southern portal (Sept 2006).
