Church of St. George, Romanesque church on Reichenau Island, Germany.
The Church of St. George is a Romanesque church on Reichenau Island in Lake Constance, in southwestern Germany. The building has thick stone walls, rounded arches, and a floor plan with a nave, a transept, and a choir.
The church was built around the year 900 as part of Reichenau Abbey, which was one of the leading religious centers in the German-speaking world during the early Middle Ages. The abbey became known for making illuminated manuscripts that were sent to courts and monasteries across Europe.
The frescoes in the nave show scenes from the life of Jesus, chiefly his miracles, each framed by a painted border and captioned with a titulus. The cycle begins at the entrance on the left, runs to the altar and returns along the right wall; the north side shows water miracles, the south side resurrections. In the clerestory stand the Twelve Apostles.
Reichenau Island is connected to the mainland by a road causeway, so it can be reached by car or bicycle without taking a ferry. Opening times can change by season, so it is worth checking before arrival.
The church holds a relic believed to be the skull of Saint George, brought to the island as a gift during the Middle Ages. For centuries, this drew pilgrims from far beyond the local area, turning the island into a destination known across a wide part of Europe.
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