Stone and Oak - The "Glücksrad" of Basel Cathedral

The so-called ‘Glücksrad' – wheel of fortune – is one of Basel cathedral's main attractions. The present study aims to examine the central wooden ‘rota' from 1225 with its building and restoration history. The preserved original fragments of the dismantled structure provide the basis for an analysis of material, details and building process as well as the relationship to contemporary stone structures. The rota's structural system is discussed. Fractures and deformations of the work pieces can be explained as results of the famous Basel earthquake of 1356.