Editing Mainz Cathedral (section)

===Bardo's western chancel===

In most cathedrals at the time, the main chancel lay on the east side. Willigis, however, designed his cathedral with the main chancel on the west, presumably modeled after the great basilicas in Rome, which were constructed this way. (Willigis's design bore a striking resemblance to [[Old St. Peter's Basilica]].)

The chancel was badly damaged in the fire of 1009, and remained that way under Archbishops [[Erkanbald, Archbishop of Mainz|Erkanbald]] and [[Aribo, Archbishop of Mainz|Aribo]]. The chancel was finally reconstructed under Bardo. He then buried his predecessor Aribo there, before the rest of the cathedral was even finished. (Willigis's remains are not, as sometimes believed, in Mainz Cathedral; he was buried in his second construction project, St. Stephen's.)