Bernward Column, Bronze column in Hildesheim Cathedral, Germany
The Bernward Column is a bronze column in Hildesheim Cathedral standing about 3.8 meters tall. It is covered with 28 relief scenes arranged in a spiral pattern that depict events from Jesus's life.
Bishop Bernward commissioned this bronze column around 1020 for St. Michael's Church, drawing inspiration from Roman imperial columns like Trajan's Column. The column was relocated several times over centuries and now rests in Hildesheim Cathedral.
The spiral relief runs from Christ's baptism in the Jordan at the bottom to his entry into Jerusalem at the top, and the space given to John the Baptist's execution by Herod Antipas is unusually large. The column was made to present Christ as a model of just kingship for Ottonian rulers.
The column is displayed inside Hildesheim Cathedral and can be viewed during a visit. The relief details are best appreciated by walking slowly around the base and looking upward to trace the spiral scenes.
The column was cast in one piece using the lost-wax method, a demanding technique at the time; its size required exceptional skill. It is the earliest known depiction of a biblical narrative in sculpture and the earliest free-standing bronze sculpture in Western Europe.
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