"A View With A Moon"
DER KÖLNER SPIEGEL - CITY HALL TOWER, ALTER MARKT
I could not resist taking a very quick shot of this. Opposite this is a large clock and on the hour a human face pulls out his tongue at the "naughty" mooner!
A Kallendresser squats and does his thing - a 'Spiegel' (mirror) is when someone bares his bottom and additionally bends down to show his face between his legs...perhaps the medieval equivalent of flipping a double bird? The Kölner Spiegel got a lot of attention a couple years ago when someone noticed that other anatomically correct body parts are also visible, giving the appearance that the figure is up to more than just mooning everyone. There is also questionable controversy about it's given location - it's the city hall tower podest figurine of one of Cologne's most historically powerful men - Konrad von Hochstaden. He was the Archbishop of Cologne from 1238 - 1261. The position was very powerful at the time, one of the seven elector seats of the Holy Roman Empire, many Kings throughout Europe sought his approval before coronation. He was also was the man that laid the foundation stone for the Dom, the newer bigger cathedral needed to house the Relics of the Magi. Some theorise that he had upset many when used his authority to implement a levy on beer. Not exactly a popular decision in a city of many breweries. So when the city hall tower was built in 1404-1414 and shortly thereafter adorned with statues of the city's forefathers including his likeness, perhaps this was a way of showing popular sentiment?
"A View With A Moon"
DER KÖLNER SPIEGEL - CITY HALL TOWER, ALTER MARKT
I could not resist taking a very quick shot of this. Opposite this is a large clock and on the hour a human face pulls out his tongue at the "naughty" mooner!
A Kallendresser squats and does his thing - a 'Spiegel' (mirror) is when someone bares his bottom and additionally bends down to show his face between his legs...perhaps the medieval equivalent of flipping a double bird? The Kölner Spiegel got a lot of attention a couple years ago when someone noticed that other anatomically correct body parts are also visible, giving the appearance that the figure is up to more than just mooning everyone. There is also questionable controversy about it's given location - it's the city hall tower podest figurine of one of Cologne's most historically powerful men - Konrad von Hochstaden. He was the Archbishop of Cologne from 1238 - 1261. The position was very powerful at the time, one of the seven elector seats of the Holy Roman Empire, many Kings throughout Europe sought his approval before coronation. He was also was the man that laid the foundation stone for the Dom, the newer bigger cathedral needed to house the Relics of the Magi. Some theorise that he had upset many when used his authority to implement a levy on beer. Not exactly a popular decision in a city of many breweries. So when the city hall tower was built in 1404-1414 and shortly thereafter adorned with statues of the city's forefathers including his likeness, perhaps this was a way of showing popular sentiment?