e space between
them with clay mixed with lime, fragments of bricks and coal; and
on this solid base were laid the foundation stones.

Tradition gives an account of a hundred and even two hundred
thousand men being employed in the construction of this church,
which work, thanks to the religious enthusiasm of that epoch and
the labours performed by vassals and workmen _for the salvation
of their souls_, advanced very rapidly.

In the year 1027 bishop Wernher set out for Constantinople, and
never returned to his native land. From that time we have but
imperfect and uncertain accounts touching the progress of the
building. All we know is, that in 1028 they had built up to the
roof. It seems likely from that account that this monument, built
in the byzantine style, at once so elegant and so simple, was
soon after completed by the erection of a tower, and that it
remained in the same state till, owing to sundry circumstances
and, perhaps, to bad construction, it began to need important
repair. It is impossible to determine the time when repairing the
church took place; however, this happened probably not before the
middle of the thirteenth century and in the then new style,
since called the Gothic order. This opinion is confirmed by the
ancient seal of our city, which likely enough and according to
the custom of those times, represents the front of the Cathedral.

That it had a tower in 1130 is a certain fact; for K[oe]nigscoven
speaks of its destruction by fire in the course of that year;
successive fires, in 1140, 1150, 1176 also materially injured the
beautiful edifice; besides, the continual wars and tumultuous
commotions of the time prevented the bishops from undertaking
essential repairs. It appears that these causes, by degrees,
brought on the complete ruin of bishop Wernher's constructions;
for unquestionably the part included between the nave and the two
towers dates but from the thirteenth century, and cannot have
been begun before the middle of it. What remained of the old
church was pulled down at that time and a new and more spacious
edifice was erected, built in the style then spreading over all
Europe. Considering the immense size of this monument, it is easy
to imagine that the work went on but slowly, and an old chronicle
mentions that on the 7th September 1275 they finished the middle
part of the superior arch-roofs, with the exception of the towers
in front. By whom these labours were directed is alto