Staring up from directly below into the kaleidoscope of stone that makes up the cathedral tower of Freiburg Minster is like gazing into the unblinking eye of some fantastical beast. A Swiss art historian in 1869 described it as having “the most beautiful spire on earth,” and the awe the tower inspires could be from its soaring height of 380 feet or its massive, lacy stone filigree that opens to the sky. This architectural marvel, along with the cathedral’s accompanying elaborate doorway and whimsical gargoyles, was built in the Middle…
