Tallinn Trip – Niguliste Museum (Bogislaus von Rosen Chapel)

They didn’t have to move this very far for the museum as it’s the decorative screen and entrance doors of the memorial chapel of Bogislaus von Rosen (1572-1658), located on the northern side of this building when it was St. Nicholas’s Church. It dates from around 1655 and is an interesting Gothic style piece, designed by Franz Hoppenstätt.

I find these private chapels quite intriguing, they were effectively a status symbol so a family could show off their wealth, influence and piety all at the same time. God forbid that the common folk might go near these private chapels which were fitted out with all this bling. Bogislaus, a wealthy merchant, got this chapel finished in time though, he died in 1658 and was buried in his rather decadent chapel in early 1659. He had two wives during his lifetime and they’re also both buried here, along with their children, an arrangement which strikes me as challenging to work out in heaven. Most was lost in the Second World War bombing of the building, but at least this screen remains.