The St. Peter and Paul cathedral (short: Brandenburg Cathedral) is the largest medieval church in Brandenburg an der Havel, Brandenburg, Germany. Construction began in 1165 as a Romanesque Saalkirche. It was expanded several times to a three-aisled Brick Gothic basilica. The cathedral is commonly designated “the cradle of the Mark Brandenburg” for its historic significance. The patron saints are Peter and Paul.
The Brandenburg Cathedral is located on an island between the Beetzsee and the river Havel. The ensemble of cathedral, cloister, curia and side buildings still dominate the cathedral island city district of Brandenburg. Emperor Otto I founded the Diocese of Brandenburg here in 948 on top of an older Slavic fortress. The original settlement was probably lost in the Slavic revolt of 983. The Diocese of Brandenburg was restored in 1161 as part of the successful eastward expansion of the Holy Roman Empire and the previous establishment of the Margraviate of Brandenburg by Albert the Bear in 1157.
The laying of the foundation stone for the initial Romanesque construction was documented in 1165. The building was planned as a single-nave, cross-shaped Romanesque Saalkirche made of brick. The plans were expanded to a three-aisled basilica with two west towers and an elevated choir. A crypt, open towards the main nave, was added under the choir. The double tower design was reduced to a single north tower and a stump of the south tower, likely due to lack of money or unstable soil. The western front is supported by attached buttresses on the outside. The Gothic expansion was completed around the middle of the 15th century. [1] [2] It is the oldest pure brick building in the state of Brandenburg with a reliable construction date and is often referred to as “the cradle of the Mark Brandenburg”. [3]
Following the Reformation, the Catholic Diocese of Brandenburg lost the cathedral and it became Protestant. Today, the church parish belongs to the Evangelical Church in Berlin, Brandenburg and Silesian Upper Lusatia.[ citation needed ]
The interior is characterized by white walls with accented red bands along arches, windows and ribbed vaults. The main arches along the nave are rounded in the older Romanesque style whereas the ribbed vaults and windows are in later pointed Gothic style. The church is richly decorated with works of art from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. There are several elaborate stone epitaphs for local clergymen and dukes. The wooden pulpit contains elaborate carvings with floral motifs and colored statues of Peter and Paul.
The triptych “Bohemian Altar” contains carved figures of a coronation of Mary and four saints in the center flanked by twelve saints each on a golden background. It can be dated to 1375 and is connected with the visit of Emperor Charles IV to Brandenburg, when he donated valuable relics to the cathedral. [4] [5] The cathedral monastery archive is the oldest archive east of the river Elbe and contains the document with the first mention of the city of Berlin in 1244. [6] [7]
The main church organ by local organ builder Joachim Wagner was installed in 1725. It has been preserved almost entirely in its original condition. [8]
Cologne Cathedral is a cathedral in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia belonging to the Catholic Church. It is the seat of the Archbishop of Cologne and of the administration of the Archdiocese of Cologne. It is a renowned monument of German Catholicism and Gothic architecture and was declared a World Heritage Site in 1996. It is Germany's most visited landmark, attracting an average of 6 million people a year. At 157 m (515 ft), the cathedral is the tallest twin-spired church in the world, the second tallest church in Europe after Ulm Minster, and the third tallest church of any kind in the world.
Berlin Cathedral, also known as the Evangelical Supreme Parish and Collegiate Church, is a monumental German Protestant church and dynastic tomb on the Museum Island in central Berlin. Having its origins as a castle chapel for the Berlin Palace, several structures have served to house the church since the 15th century. The present collegiate church was built from 1894 to 1905 by order of Emperor William II according to plans by Julius Raschdorff in Renaissance and Baroque Revival styles. The listed building is the largest Protestant church in Germany and one of the most important dynastic tombs in Europe. In addition to church services, the cathedral is used for state ceremonies, concerts and other events.
Magdeburg Cathedral, officially called the Cathedral of Saints Maurice and Catherine, is a Protestant cathedral in Germany and the oldest Gothic cathedral in the country. It is the proto-cathedral of the former Prince-Archbishopric of Magdeburg. Today it is the principal church of the Evangelical Church in Central Germany. The south steeple is 99.25 m tall, the north tower 100.98 m, making it one of the tallest cathedrals in eastern Germany. The cathedral is likewise the landmark of Magdeburg, the capital city of the Bundesland of Saxony-Anhalt, and is also home to the grave of Emperor Otto I the Great and his first wife Edith.
Mainz Cathedral or St. Martin's Cathedral is located near the historical center and pedestrianized market square of the city of Mainz, Germany. This 1000-year-old Roman Catholic cathedral is the site of the episcopal see of the Bishop of Mainz.
Hildesheim Cathedral, officially the Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary or simply St. Mary's Cathedral, is a medieval Roman Catholic cathedral in the city centre of Hildesheim in Lower Saxony, Germany, that serves as the seat of the Diocese of Hildesheim. The cathedral has been on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage list since 1985, together with the nearby St. Michael's Church because of its unique art and outstanding Romanesque architecture.
The Frauenkirche is a church in Munich, Bavaria, Germany, that serves as the cathedral of the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising and seat of its Archbishop. It is a landmark and is considered a symbol of the Bavarian capital city. Although called "Münchner Dom" on its website and URL, the church is referred to as "Frauenkirche" by locals. It is the biggest hall church in the world.
Schleswig Cathedral officially the Cathedral of St. Peter at Schleswig, is the main church of the city of Schleswig and was the cathedral of the Bishop of Schleswig until the diocese was dissolved in 1624. It is now a church of the North Elbian Evangelical Lutheran Church, the seat of the Lutheran Bishop of Schleswig and Holstein, and ranks among the most important architectural monuments of Schleswig-Holstein.
St Peter's Cathedral is a Roman Catholic church and former cathedral in Worms, southern Germany.
Bamberg Cathedral is a church in Bamberg, Germany, completed in the 13th century. The cathedral is under the administration of the Archdiocese of Bamberg and is the seat of its archbishop. Since 1993, the cathedral has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Town of Bamberg".
Bremen Cathedral, named after St. Peter, is a church situated in the market square in the center of Bremen. The cathedral belongs to the Bremian Evangelical Church, a member of the umbrella organization Protestant Church in Germany. It is the previous cathedral of the former Prince-Archbishopric of Bremen. Since 1973, it is protected by the monument protection act.
Paderborn Cathedral is the cathedral of the Catholic Archdiocese of Paderborn. It is located in the city centre of Paderborn, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The cathedral is dedicated to Saint Mary, Saint Kilian and Saint Liborius. The official German name is Hoher Dom Ss. Maria, Liborius und Kilian.
Limburg Cathedral (German: Limburger Dom, also known as Georgsdom after its dedication to Saint George, is located above the old town of Limburg in Hesse, Germany. It is the cathedral of the Catholic Diocese of Limburg. Its high location on a rock above the river Lahn provides its visibility from far away. It is the result of an Early Gothic modernization of an originally Early Romanesque building and therefore shows a Romanesque-Gothic transitional style.
Naumburg Cathedral, located in Naumburg, Germany, is the former cathedral of the Bishopric of Naumburg-Zeitz. The church building, most of which dates back to the 13th century, is a renowned landmark of the German late Romanesque and was recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2018. The west choir with the famous donor portrait statues of the twelve cathedral founders (Stifterfiguren) and the Lettner, works of the Naumburg Master, is one of the most significant early Gothic monuments.
Merseburg Cathedral is the proto-cathedral of the former Bishopric of Merseburg in Merseburg, Germany. The mostly Gothic church is considered an artistic and historical highlight in southern Saxony-Anhalt.
Münster Cathedral or St.-Paulus-Dom is the cathedral church of the Catholic Diocese of Münster in Germany, and is dedicated to Saint Paul. It is counted among the most significant church buildings in Münster and, along with the City Hall, is one of the symbols of the city.
St. Peter's Cathedral in Osnabrück, Germany is the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Osnabrück. The cathedral is a late Romanesque building and dominates the city's skyline.
St. Nicholas Cathedral, Stendal is a brick Gothic church on the edge of the Old City of Stendal, in the Altmark of Saxony-Anhalt (Sachsen-Anhalt), Germany. The church, now affiliated with the Protestant (Lutheran) Evangelical Church in Germany, is famous for its large complement of late-medieval stained-glass windows.
The Marienkirche in Prenzlau, Brandenburg, Germany, is the main Protestant parish church in the town, and is one of the most ornate churches of the Brick Gothic style in northern Germany. The church is a listed building.
St Severus' Church in the city of Erfurt in Thuringia, Germany, is a Roman Catholic church building. It stands on the Domberg directly next to St Mary's Cathedral. As a unique architectural ensemble, both churches together form the city's landmark. Due to its unusual form, which seems to anticipate the late Gothic hall church, St Severus' Church is one of the most important Gothic buildings in Germany. The bones of the church patron Severus of Ravenna rest in an artistically very significant sarcophagus.
The Cathedral of Brixen is a cathedral in the city of Brixen, South Tyrol, Italy. It is dedicated to the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and to Cassian of Imola. Since the foundation it has been the episcopal see of the Diocese of Brixen. In 1964, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bolzano-Brixen was created, and the see was moved to Bolzano. The cathedral currently has the status of minor basilica.
52°24′55″N12°34′03″E / 52.41516°N 12.56740°E
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