To mark the 1000th anniversary of the death of Henry II, "the Saint" (died 13 July 1024), bavarikon is presenting a virtual exhibition on the life and reign of the medieval emperor. Henry II (born 973) reigned as king from 1002 and as emperor from 1014. He founded the diocese of Bamberg and endowed it with valuable art and book treasures. Henry and his wife Kunigunde still play an important role in Bamberg today.
Join us on a journey back in time to the era of the first millennium! In bavarikon you will find, among other things, an exquisite selection of masterpieces of medieval art from the donations of Henry II.
Over 30 digital exhibits from 10 archives, libraries and museums in bavarikon bring the intellectual world of the mighty Frankish Empire with its secular and ecclesiastical rulers to life before your eyes. Top works of medieval book art from the influential Benedictine monastery workshops, such as magnificently illustrated and sumptuously bound gospels and pericope books or the unique Bamberg Apocalypse, invite you to browse, zoom and marvel.
Among the Bamberg imperial robes, Henry II's legendary gold-embroidered star-spangled cloak, which was once given to him as a gift by an Apulian prince, is particularly fascinating. The blue Kunigunden cloak, the oldest surviving liturgical vestment in the world, is also remarkable.
You will also learn exciting facts about the historical figure of the "emperor at the end of time" (Stefan Weinfurter).
Directly to the VIRTUAL EXHIBITION on the website of Bavarikon