place. He also built the
great chateau, the precursor of the present vast edifice, which
contains, the guide-books say, fifteen hundred windows and five hundred
rooms; as if that were its chief claim on one's attention.

The present structure was the former residence of the Electors of the
Palatinate, and, though but a couple of hundred years old, is
nevertheless an imposing and interesting edifice in more ways than one.
To-day it is given over to collections of various sorts, Roman
antiquities, old prints, and a gallery of paintings which contains some
good work of Teniers and Wouvermans.

The Market and the Rathaus are the chief architectural attractions of
this beautifully laid-out city, and its poor, mean little church of the
Catholic religion is by no means an edifying expression of architectural
art.

It is practically nothing more than what the French would call a
_pavillon_, and is known as the _Unterpfaar_, the lower parish.

On the exterior wall one sees the pagan idea of caryatides carried out
with Christian symbols, two figures of angels. There is also a mediocre
statue representing "Faith," which it is difficult to accept as good
art.

In the interior the short, narrow nave is separated from its aisles by
four columns and two pillars on each side. The effect is somewhat that
of a swimming bath. It is decidedly unchurchly.

There are a series of uninteresting tombs, and there is a high altar,
gaudily rich with trappings, which would be a disgrace to a
stage-carpenter.

There is little or no religious history connected with the city; but
such devotional spirit as existed, and does exist to-day, ought to have
left a better Christian memorial than that of the _Unterpfaar_.

XIV

WORMS

This most ancient city was the Vormatia of the Romans. It was devastated
by Attila, and reestablished by Clovis. At the beginning of the seventh
century Brunhilda founded the bishopric, and Dagobert established his
royal residence here in the years following. Afterward Charlemagne
himself made it a resting-place many times, and held many Parliaments
here.

In the tenth century Worms became a free city of the Empire, and in 1122
a Concordat was entered into between Pope Calixtus II. and the emperor,
Henry V., concerning the ecclesiastical affairs of the city.

It was in the cathedral of Worms that the famous Diet of 1521 was held,
when Charles V. declared Luther a heretic, and banished him from the
Empire,