Imperial Throne of Goslar
Encyclopedia
The imperial throne at Goslar was made in the second half of the 11th century and was the throne of German emperors and kings in the Collegiate Church of St. Simon and St. Jude ("Goslar Cathedral
"), which stood in the grounds of the Imperial Palace of Goslar
(Kaiserpfalz Goslar). Along with the Krodo Altar
it is one of the most important, surviving artefacts from the demolished cathedral.
The throne comprises three sides (a backrest and two armrests), which were cast from bronze
, and a stone plinth with a seat. The metal was mined in the nearby Rammelsberg hill. The cast sides with their luxurious, swirling decorations, pomegranates and pierced palmetto
leaves are among the most important Salian bronze castings. The plinth of the throne is made of sandstone and dates to the 13th century. Its sides are decorated with animal figures and mythical creatures. Apart from the Aachen Throne of Charlemagne
in Aachen
- whose shape it resembles - the Goslar imperial throne is the only surviving medieval throne of a German emperor
.
The imperial throne stood in the Collegiate Church
until its demolition (1819-1822) and was then sold. Passing through various hands, it came into the possession of Prince Charles of Prussia
in 1871 and was used for the last time in an imperial ceremony at the opening of the first Berlin Reichstag
as the seat of Emperor William I
. Charles left the throne in his will to the town of Goslar. It is now in the vaults of the Imperial Palace of Goslar
.
Goslar Cathedral
The church known as Goslar Cathedral was the Collegiate Church of St. Simon and St. Jude in the town of Goslar in central Germany. It was built between 1040 and 1050 and stood in the district of the Imperial Palace of Goslar. It was demolished in 1819–1822. Today only the porch of the north portal...
"), which stood in the grounds of the Imperial Palace of Goslar
Imperial Palace of Goslar
The Imperial Palace of Goslar is a historical building complex at the foot of the Rammelsberg hill in the south of the town of Goslar north of the Harz mountains, central Germany. It covers an area of about 340 by 180 metres and stands. The palace grounds originally included the Kaiserhaus, the...
(Kaiserpfalz Goslar). Along with the Krodo Altar
Krodo Altar
The Krodo Altar in Goslar, Germany, is an altar made entirely of bronze and is the only surviving metal church altar from the Romanesque period. It was probably made in the late 11th century and is named after the Germanic "pseudo-god", Krodo. It was originally in the Collegiate Church of St....
it is one of the most important, surviving artefacts from the demolished cathedral.
The throne comprises three sides (a backrest and two armrests), which were cast from bronze
Bronze
Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
, and a stone plinth with a seat. The metal was mined in the nearby Rammelsberg hill. The cast sides with their luxurious, swirling decorations, pomegranates and pierced palmetto
Palmetto
-Botany:Members of several genera of small palms:*the genus Sabal of the Arecaceae family**Dwarf Palmetto**Sabal palmetto*Saw Palmetto, Serenoa repens*Silver saw palmetto, Acoelorraphe wrightii-Place names:United States...
leaves are among the most important Salian bronze castings. The plinth of the throne is made of sandstone and dates to the 13th century. Its sides are decorated with animal figures and mythical creatures. Apart from the Aachen Throne of Charlemagne
Charlemagne
Charlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...
in Aachen
Aachen
Aachen has historically been a spa town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Aachen was a favoured residence of Charlemagne, and the place of coronation of the Kings of Germany. Geographically, Aachen is the westernmost town of Germany, located along its borders with Belgium and the Netherlands, ...
- whose shape it resembles - the Goslar imperial throne is the only surviving medieval throne of a German emperor
Emperor
An emperor is a monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife or a woman who rules in her own right...
.
The imperial throne stood in the Collegiate Church
Collegiate church
In Christianity, a collegiate church is a church where the daily office of worship is maintained by a college of canons; a non-monastic, or "secular" community of clergy, organised as a self-governing corporate body, which may be presided over by a dean or provost...
until its demolition (1819-1822) and was then sold. Passing through various hands, it came into the possession of Prince Charles of Prussia
Prince Charles of Prussia
Prince Frederick Charles Alexander of Prussia born in Charlottenburg, was a younger son of Frederick William III of Prussia and Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz...
in 1871 and was used for the last time in an imperial ceremony at the opening of the first Berlin Reichstag
Reichstag (German Empire)
The Reichstag was the parliament of the North German Confederation , and of the German Reich ....
as the seat of Emperor William I
William I, German Emperor
William I, also known as Wilhelm I , of the House of Hohenzollern was the King of Prussia and the first German Emperor .Under the leadership of William and his Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, Prussia achieved the unification of Germany and the...
. Charles left the throne in his will to the town of Goslar. It is now in the vaults of the Imperial Palace of Goslar
Imperial Palace of Goslar
The Imperial Palace of Goslar is a historical building complex at the foot of the Rammelsberg hill in the south of the town of Goslar north of the Harz mountains, central Germany. It covers an area of about 340 by 180 metres and stands. The palace grounds originally included the Kaiserhaus, the...
.
Sources
- Griep, Hans-Günther (1988). Goslar – Der Pfalzbezirk, Verlag Goslarsche Zeitung, Goslar.
- Müller, Ursula; Griep, Hans-Günther and Schadach, Volker (2000). Kaiserstadt Goslar, Verlag Volker Schadach, Goslar, ISBN 3-928728-48-2
- Gutmann, Christoph and Schadach, Volker (2002). Kaiserpfalz Goslar, Verlag Volker Schadach, Goslar, ISBN 3-928728-52-0