[3b] Cathedral sandstone The sandstone used in Strasbourg Cathedral has presented significant supply challenes, both then and now. The prima- ry material is sandstone found in the Vosges and origina- ting from the Upper Buntsandstein, formed approximately...
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[3b] Cathedral sandstone The sandstone used in Strasbourg Cathedral has presented significant supply challenes, both then and now. The prima- ry material is sandstone found in the Vosges and origina- ting from the Upper Buntsandstein, formed approximately 250 million years ago by the erosion of granite massifs. Two main types can be identified: Voltzia (or millstone) sandstone, the most commonly used, with fine grains and hues ranging from grey to dark red, and coarser Vosges sandstone, with pink and red tones, used principally in the Romanesque sections of the Cathedral, including the crypt. The Vosges sandstone probably came from the Mossig Valley (Kronthal), near Wasselonne, while the millstone sand- stone came from quarries in Wasselonne and Dinsheim and mined from the 13th century onwards. Other quarries are mentioned from the 15th century, such as Brechlingen and Gresswiller, the latter supplying the Cathedral until the 18th century. In the 19th century, new deposits were sought
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