conventional form, but is a rare piece of
church furniture in that it dates from 1003, when it was presented by
the Abbess Matilda, sister of the Emperor Otho II. Since it stands six
or eight feet in height, this candlestick is a notable and conspicuous
object.

Before the steps leading to the crypt is the tomb of Bishop Alfred of
Hildesheim. The crypt is all that a crypt should be,--a dim-lighted,
solemn chamber of five aisles, the pavement of the church above being
supported on stubby square pillars. It is used also for devotional
purposes, the altar at the easterly end of the central aisle bearing the
inscription, "_Heilige Maria, Troesterin der Betrubten, bitt fur uns_."

The cloisters of this interesting edifice are, in part, of the primitive
style of early Gothic, while the southern and western sides are an
approach to the full-blown Gothic of a later epoch, with foliaged
capitals.

_Dortmund_

Dortmund is the largest town of the province of Westphalia, and
possesses four mediaeval churches of more than usual interest.

St. Reinhold's is the chief, and is a cruciform edifice of more than
ordinary proportions. It is a picturesque melange of many parts. Its
western tower is of no style in particular, and is hideous, but most
curious considering its environment. The nave and transepts are
supposedly of the thirteenth century, but they are certainly not good
Gothic as we know it elsewhere.

The choir is of the early fifteenth century, and is much more gracefully
conceived than is any other portion of this nondescript edifice.

The transepts are square boxlike protuberances, which link the choir
with the nave in most unappealing fashion.

In the interior the most astonishing features are the low truncated nave
of three bays, the grimness of the walls of the entire
fabric,--excepting the well-lighted and aspiring choir,--and the
straight-backed pews.

The clerestory windows of the nave are semicircular, but the aisles are
lighted by Gothic openings.

There are two altars, one at the choir entrance and the other in the
apse, each surmounted by a triptych.

The windows of the choir-apse, tall, ample, and of admirable framing,
are the chief glory of this not very beautiful, though interesting,
church.

St. Mary's is a late twelfth-century Romanesque structure, without
transepts, but possessed of a towering apsidal choir.

The nave is an attenuated affair with no triforium, leaving a vast blank
wall spac