This church, he told them, was mentioned as early as 1006, and had the handsomest artistic decoration of any of the celebrated churches throughout Germany. The finest portion is the choir, with a vaulted roof supported by slender pillars from which the arches are formed like palm branches.
The guide wished them particularly to look at the Gothic bronze chandelier, which weighs four hundred and eighty-two pounds, and was cast by Peter Vischer in 1489.
The girls were charmed by the seven windows of the choir, which are considered the best examples of Nuremberg glass-painting from 1450 to 1490. The last window, called the Emperor's, was presented by the citizens of Nuremberg in memory of the restitution of the German Empire. It was put in the 22d of March, 1881. Mrs. Winter was much interested in some beautiful tapestries representing the lives of St. Lawrence and St. Catharine, and are over four hundred years old.
There were many more paintings of much interest, some of them Albert Dürer's. As they were leaving, the girls saw some richly carved chairs by the doors, and asked the guide why they were there.
He told them that they formerly belonged to the guilds, and the masters sat in them, in turn, to receive alms.
From this church our party was driven to St. Sebaldus's, which was finished in the tenth century. One of the most interesting things they saw was the font, which was remarkable not only as the first product of Nuremberg's foundries, but as having been used to christen King Wenceslas of Bohemia, in 1361.
There were more paintings of Dürer's to be seen here, but the finest work was the sepulchre of St. Sebaldus in the centre of the choir. It is the most extensive work German art has ever produced, and was cast by Peter Vischer and his five sons.
"It was commenced in 1508 and completed in 1519. It rests on twelve snails, having four dolphins at its corners, the whole forming a pagan temple adorned with the Twelve Apostles. It is surmounted by twelve smaller figures, and finally by an infant Christ holding a globus in his hand, the latter being a key of the whole monument, when it is to be rent asunder. There is also a fine portrait of Peter Vischer in this church."
Of course there were many more objects of interest to be seen, but Mrs. Winter thought they had seen enough; so they were driven home to dinner.
In the afternoon they took a drive out of the city to a beer-garden situated at the side of a pretty lake. They had some tea, and walked on the borders of the lake quite a distance. Mrs. Winter said, "I wish we had such a quiet, pretty place near home where we could spend an afternoon as delightfully as we have here."