Wooden scale model of the Ulm Cathedral (Germany)

German
19th century, Carved, painted wood

This scale model, made by a German craftsman, dates from the second half of the 19th century. It is a large wooden model, executed in openwork, depicting the Ulm Cathedral, a grandiose Lutheran church built in the Gothic style from the 14th century onwards by the Parlers, a family of great German architects. This cathedral is the largest religious building in the German city located in the Baden-Württemberg region and one of the largest churches in Europe. It is one of the best examples of Gothic architecture in the German style, a prototype for many other churches in southern Germany. Its steeple is the highest in Europe: with its spire, it reaches 161.53 metres, reachable by a staggering 768 steps. This wooden model lacks the spire, which was completed in 1890: it was therefore made before that date. Given its size and the very high quality of its execution, it was probably intended for a public display.