Do you know what the city of St.Gallen is famous for? Not only for their beautiful fabrics, the Open Air, the famous «Bratwurst», the beautiful Abbey Library or the Unesco World Cultural Heritage Site. There are also these 111 beautifully preserved oriel windows! They are not only impressively ornate, but also have imaginative names, such as the Camel or Pelican.
In the old town are over a hundred oriel windows to discover. They were created between the end of the Middle Ages until very recently and document different forms and facets of history.
Today I like to explain you one of my favorite oriels! It’s the «Greiferker» on the Gallusstrasse 22. It was build 1675. The then owner, his name was Caspar Mennhard (1621–1684) was a very rich man! It is a
oriel window made of oak and linden wood, richly carved.
The iconography of this Oriel window is quite religious and dedicated to the old testament. In some kind the pictures are like the copper engravings in the Bible from Matthäus Merian (1593-1650).
On the left side is a Relief that invokes the first book of Moses. The Fight between Jacob and God (1. Mose 32,24-28 EU.
On the left side in the front you see Elija sitting by the brook Kerit. (1 Kön 17,1-6 EU). Two raves bring him bread and meat.
On the right side in the front you see the instruction of Jonas (Jona 4,5-6 EU). Jonas sits under the foliage.
And on the right site it is Tobias traveling (Tobit 6,2-6 EU).
Between these beautiful carvings are lions and female figures.