Hortus Deliciarum - La Cité de Dieu

The image depicts a tiered architectural structure symbolizing the Heavenly Jerusalem, centered on a crowned figure of Ecclesia or the Virgin Mary enthroned. Within the various chambers, groups are categorized by spiritual status: apostles and prelates, the Pope, young maidens, laypeople, and monks. At the summit, winged angels engage in a spiritual battle against demons, while medallions of biblical prophets and evangelist symbols frame the composition.

Created by the abbess Herrad of Landsberg, this work represents a major 12th-century effort to synthesize theological, philosophical, and natural knowledge. It illustrates the medieval Neoplatonic concept of a cosmic hierarchy and the moral struggle between virtues and vices, serving as a visual precursor to later esoteric encyclopedias.