Mauritiusrotunde, Gothic chapel near Constance Cathedral, Germany
The Mauritiusrotunde is a small chapel with a circular floor plan and Gothic ribbed vaults richly decorated with pointed arch windows. Its interior contains a detailed stone structure that recreates the layout of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.
A bishop from Constance commissioned this chapel in the 10th century after his journey to the Holy Land, basing its design on sacred structures he observed there. The building was preserved as an important devotional site for centuries and remains connected to Constance Cathedral today.
The chapel displays a twelve-sided replica of the Holy Sepulchre adorned with numerous stone carvings that represent biblical scenes. Visitors can observe these detailed reliefs, which reflect the religious life of the medieval period.
The chapel sits next to Constance Cathedral and is accessible through a covered passageway, making it easy to visit as part of a sightseeing tour. Its small size allows for a brief visit, and its location near other landmarks makes it a natural stop while exploring the town center.
At the center of the chapel sits a stone that a visitor supposedly brought directly from the tomb of Jesus, giving the site a special connection to sacred history. This relic made the chapel a spiritually significant destination for pilgrims during the medieval period.
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