Uta von Ballenstedt – the most beautiful woman of the German Middle Ages
Uta von Ballenstedt was born around the turn of the 10th century.
She was the daughter of Count Adalbert of Ballenstedt and his wife Hidda.
Uta was a member of the House of Ascanisan, whose lands covered what today is Saxony and Brandenburg.
Uta married Ekkehard II of Messen, a nobleman in the court of Henry III the Holy Roman Emperor.
Uta’s marriage was childless, so on their deaths the couple left their estates to Henry III.
Their great wealth they left to Naumburg Cathedral, in order to help with the construction of a chapel.
Uta and her husband are two of twelve nobles who were the founders of the cathedral.
In the 13th century, twelve life sized portraits were placed on pillars at one end of the cathedral, in their honour.
Eight centuries ago a stone mason captured Uta’s beauty and carved it in limestone for all to see.
Art connoisseurs consider Uta von Ballenstedt to be an exceptional beauty, even placing her on the same level as Queen Nefertiti and Botticelli’s Venus.
She attracts many visitors to Naumburg Cathedral to this day.
Legend says, that Walt Disney was so taken with Uta’s beauty, he used her face as inspiration for his 1937 film ‘Snow White’.
Disney took her face, her crown and cloak and used them to create two characters.
He changed Uta’s face slightly to give us the evil, yet stunning medieval enchantresses, that is the wicked stepmother.
He then used her sweet innocent look, to create Snow White.
