Bamberger Reiter

The Bamberger Reiter in the Bamberg Cathedral dates from around 1237, the year of the inauguration of the building. The rider is a young and handsome man with a crown, but without weapons. The dispute over the question of who he represents is still ongoing and no satisfactory answer has been given yet. The suggestions vary from Emperor Heinrich II to King Stephen of Hungary, from Saint George to Emperor Constantine, and from Friedrich II to the Messiah at doomsday. The last suggestion is in my opinion the best founded, as the sculpture in that capacity fits quite well within the whole programme of sculptures in the cathedral.