Bamberg Rider Bamberg Cathedral, Bamberg, Germany
Dating from about 1230, the Bamberg Rider (Bamberger Reiter) is thought to be the first monumental equestrian sculpture created since antiquity.
Description
The Bamberg Rider (Bamberger Reiter) is a celebrated sculpture of c.1230 in Bamberg Cathedral. The first monumental equestrian sculpture created since antiquity, the statue depicts a crowned, unarmed man looking out sideways from his horse. The man's identity is unknown; suggestions have included Constantine the Great, Charlemagne (first Holy Roman Emperor), Henry II (founder of the cathedral), Stephen I (patron saint of Hungary and brother of Henry), Frederick II (Holy Roman Emperor at the the time), and the apocalyptic figure of Revelation 19.