Naumburg Cathedral (german: Naumburger Dom St. Peter und St. Paul, ), located in
Naumburg, Germany, is the former
cathedral
A cathedral is a church that contains the ''cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denominatio ...
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
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...
in 2018.
The west
choir
A choir ( ; also known as a chorale or chorus) is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which s ...
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
Gothic or Gothics may refer to:
People and languages
*Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes
**Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths
**Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...
monuments.
The church was erected with the relocation of the
Episcopal See from
Zeitz in 1028, next to an old parish church. Thus it is the
proto-cathedral of the former Catholic
Diocese of Naumburg-Zeitz. With the
Reformation
The Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation) was a major movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church and i ...
, Naumburg and its cathedral became Protestant. Naumburg Cathedral remains a
Protestant
Protestantism is a Christian denomination, branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Reformation, Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century agai ...
parish church to this day.
Naumburg Cathedral is a part of the
tourist route ''
Romanesque Road'' in
Saxony-Anhalt
Saxony-Anhalt (german: Sachsen-Anhalt ; nds, Sassen-Anholt) is a state of Germany, bordering the states of Brandenburg, Saxony, Thuringia and Lower Saxony. It covers an area of
and has a population of 2.18 million inhabitants, making it the ...
. Since 1999, 'Naumburg Cathedral and the landscape of the rivers
Saale
The Saale (), also known as the Saxon Saale (german: Sächsische Saale) and Thuringian Saale (german: Thüringische Saale), is a river in Germany and a left-bank tributary of the Elbe. It is not to be confused with the smaller Franconian Saale, ...
and
Unstrut, an important dominion in the High Middle Ages’.
History
Background
The history of the town of Naumburg begins at the turn of the 9th and 10th centuries. Due to a lack of written documentation, details and exact dates are unknown. However, it is likely that Markgraf (Margrave)
Ekkehard I of Meissen and the most powerful man on the eastern border of the
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a political entity in Western, Central, and Southern Europe that developed during the Early Middle Ages and continued until its dissolution in 1806 during the Napoleonic Wars.
From the accession of Otto I in 962 ...
was the founder.
He erected a residence on a roughly high rock above the right bank of the
Saale
The Saale (), also known as the Saxon Saale (german: Sächsische Saale) and Thuringian Saale (german: Thüringische Saale), is a river in Germany and a left-bank tributary of the Elbe. It is not to be confused with the smaller Franconian Saale, ...
river, near the mouth of the
Unstrut. The location for this castle, which was called ''neweburg'' that later became "Naumburg," was chosen for its advantageous proximity to the intersection of so many well-trafficked commercial highways on the historic eastern border of
East Francia
East Francia (Medieval Latin: ) or the Kingdom of the East Franks () was a successor state of Charlemagne's empire ruled by the Carolingian dynasty until 911. It was created through the Treaty of Verdun (843) which divided the former empire int ...
(
Kingdom of Germany
The Kingdom of Germany or German Kingdom ( la, regnum Teutonicorum "kingdom of the Germans", "German kingdom", "kingdom of Germany") was the mostly Germanic-speaking East Frankish kingdom, which was formed by the Treaty of Verdun in 843, espe ...
) with the lands of the
Polabian Slavs that were incorporated into the
Saxon Eastern March.
Ekkehard was murdered in 1002 at
Pöhlde Abbey in the
Harz
The Harz () is a highland area in northern Germany. It has the highest elevations for that region, and its rugged terrain extends across parts of Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia. The name ''Harz'' derives from the Middle High German w ...
hills, but it was not possible to bury him at Naumburg yet, as neither castle nor the attached monastery were yet finished. Only once this was accomplished did his sons, the
Meissen
Meissen (in German orthography: ''Meißen'', ) is a town of approximately 30,000 about northwest of Dresden on both banks of the Elbe river in the Free State of Saxony, in eastern Germany. Meissen is the home of Meissen porcelain, the Albre ...
margraves
Hermann and
Ekkehard II
Ekkehard II (died 23 April 990), called ''Palatinus'' ("the Courtier"), was a monk of the Abbey of Saint Gall who became known for his sequence poetry.
Life
Ekkehard was probably born in the Saint Gall area; he and his cousin Ekkehard III were n ...
have his body and those of his ancestors moved to the ''Georgenkloster'' at Naumburg.
Ekkehard's sons founded a small parish church in the western part of the area around the castle. It was dedicated to the
Virgin Mary
Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jews, Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Jose ...
and was first mentioned in surviving texts of the
Merseburg bishopric chronicle in 1021. In 1028, after some encouragement from the two brothers they won approval from King
Conrad II and
Pope John XIX to move the Episcopal See from
Zeitz to Naumburg on the grounds that the castle would provide more protection for the see than it could get at Zeitz.
Early-Romanesque stage
Soon after the approval of the relocation of the Episcopal See, in the Spring of 1029, just to the east of the existing parish church the construction of the early-Romanesque cathedral was begun. In 1044, during the reign of Bishop Hunold of Merseburg, the church was consecrated and the patron saints of Peter and Paul were designated, adopted from Zeitz Cathedral.
This church stood in the same location where today's late Romanesque/Gothic edifice is located, but it was of smaller size. In c. 1160/70 a
crypt
A crypt (from Latin '' crypta'' " vault") is a stone chamber beneath the floor of a church or other building. It typically contains coffins, sarcophagi, or religious relics.
Originally, crypts were typically found below the main apse of a ...
was added to the building, the only room of the first cathedral to survive in the current structure more or less unaltered.
Late-Romanesque/Gothic stage
Rebuilding of the cathedral started around 1210. Of the old structure only the crypt survived and this lost its
apse
In architecture, an apse (plural apses; from Latin 'arch, vault' from Ancient Greek 'arch'; sometimes written apsis, plural apsides) is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome, also known as an '' exedra''. ...
, but was expanded to the east and west such that it now extends not just under the new
choir
A choir ( ; also known as a chorale or chorus) is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which s ...
but also under the
crossing.
This new cathedral was built under Bishop (1207-42). However, it did not remain in this late-Romanesque form long for by the mid-13th century the early-Gothic west choir was added, replacing the old parish church. It was likely finished by 1260. The western towers were raised by one floor shortly thereafter. In around 1330 the high-Gothic polygonal east choir was built, requiring the destruction of the Romanesque apse. Additional floors were added to the western towers in the 14th and 15th centuries. The ''Dreikönigskapelle'' was consecrated in 1416.
A fire damaged the cathedral in 1532, destroying the roofs. After that the eastern towers were raised. The fire also destroyed the three-aisled nave of the collegiate church dedicated to Mary next door to the cathedral, of which today only the choir remains. The collegiate church has its own cloister explaining the temporary presence of two of them, one to the cathedral's south and one to the north. The northern cloister is not extant but served to house the cathedrals clergy prior to the collegiate church's destruction.
Reformation
In the course of the
Reformation
The Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation) was a major movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church and i ...
, it became the see of the first German Protestant bishop,
Nicolaus von Amsdorf in 1542. Upon the death of his Catholic "antibishop",
Julius von Pflug in 1564, the Catholic Naumburg diocese was administrated by the
Electors of Saxony and finally dissolved in 1615.
Later construction
The copper roofs and lanterns of the eastern towers were added in 1713/4 and 1725/8.
Around mid-century the interior was turned into a Baroque church. This was undone by a "purification" in 1874/8 aimed at restoring the cathedral to a medieval, i.e. Romanesque/Gothic look, even at the price of replacing Baroque items with new Romanesque/Gothic Revival art.
The southwestern tower was boosted by three pseudo-Gothic floors in the late 19th century. At the same time gables and roofs were added to both western towers. A pseudo-medieval building was erected in the former location of the collegiate church's nave, initially used as a gymn for the cathedral school. Finally, the gate house was built only in 1940.
Description
The cathedral is a double-choir three-aisled basilica with a pair of towers at the east and west end, flanking the choirs. Due to the presence of choirs at both ends, the church is entered from the sides. The main entry is on the south side, from the cloister or gate house. The choirs are divided from the nave by two
rood screen
The rood screen (also choir screen, chancel screen, or jubé) is a common feature in late medieval church architecture. It is typically an ornate partition between the chancel and nave, of more or less open tracery constructed of wood, stone, ...
s.
Interior works of art
The ''Stifterfiguren'' (donor figures) by the artist called ''Naumburger Meister'' (Master of Naumburg) are probably the best-known work of art in the cathedral and are often referred to as the best-known work of early Gothic sculpture in Germany. Situated in the western
choir
A choir ( ; also known as a chorale or chorus) is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which s ...
, the twelve life-sized sculptures (eight men and four women) show nobles who were among the founders of the cathedral.
The sculptures are thought to represent the following people (from northeast to southeast):
* Count Konrad of Camburg, a nephew of Ekkehard II and Hermann I
* Countess Gepa (or
Adelheid von Gernrode)
* Margravine
Uta von Ballenstedt and Margrave
Ekkehard II of Meissen (as a couple)
* Count
Thimo of Wettin, brother of Konrad
* Count Wilhelm of Camburg and Brehna, nephew of Thimo
* Count Sizzo of Schwarzburg, cousin of Wilhelm
* Count Dietmar
* Margravine
Reglindis and Margrave
Herman I of Meissen, brother of Ekkehard (as a couple)
* Count Dietrich of Brehna, nephew of Thimo, and Gerburg, his wife
The sculptures were created in the middle of the 13th century out of
Grillenburg Sandstone
Grillenburg Sandstone (german: Grillenburger Sandstein) and Niederschöna Sandstone (''Niederschönaer Sandstein'') belong to the Elbe Sandstones of central Europe. There used to be a number of sandstone quarries in the Tharandt Forest and its nei ...
. Ten of the figures are merged with the walls, two are free-standing. They were originally painted but those remains of paint visible today date from restoration work in the 16th to 19th centuries.
For early Gothic sculptures, these figures are extremely realistic and show a large amount of individual detail. The character of the sculptures and the very presence of figures of lay people in such a prominent place in the church make these unique in 13th-century European sculpture.
Also by the same artist, the ''Westlettner'' (western
rood screen
The rood screen (also choir screen, chancel screen, or jubé) is a common feature in late medieval church architecture. It is typically an ornate partition between the chancel and nave, of more or less open tracery constructed of wood, stone, ...
) features sculpture from the
Passion of Christ.
Together, ''Westlettner'' and founder figures are considered "one of the most important works of early Gothic art in Germany".
The ''Elisabethkapelle'', a chapel dedicated to
St. Elisabeth
Elizabeth of Hungary (german: Heilige Elisabeth von Thüringen, hu, Árpád-házi Szent Erzsébet, sk, Svätá Alžbeta Uhorská; 7 July 1207 – 17 November 1231), also known as Saint Elizabeth of Thuringia, or Saint Elisabeth of Thuringia, ...
contains the oldest known stone sculpture of the saint. It was likely created shortly after Elisabeth's
canonization
Canonization is the declaration of a deceased person as an officially recognized saint, specifically, the official act of a Christian communion declaring a person worthy of public veneration and entering their name in the canon catalogue of ...
in 1235, only four years after her death. The statue's head used to hold relics of the saint.
The cathedral's windows feature work by
Neo Rauch
Neo Rauch (born 18 April 1960, in Leipzig, East Germany; ) is a German artist whose paintings mine the intersection of his personal history with the politics of industrial alienation. His work reflects the influence of socialist realism, and owe ...
in the ''Elisabethkapelle'' and by in the
crypt
A crypt (from Latin '' crypta'' " vault") is a stone chamber beneath the floor of a church or other building. It typically contains coffins, sarcophagi, or religious relics.
Originally, crypts were typically found below the main apse of a ...
and the
baptistery
In Christian architecture the baptistery or baptistry ( Old French ''baptisterie''; Latin ''baptisterium''; Greek , 'bathing-place, baptistery', from , baptízein, 'to baptize') is the separate centrally planned structure surrounding the baptisma ...
. It also retains medieval windows, notably in the east choir.
Today
Naumburg Cathedral remains a
Protestant
Protestantism is a Christian denomination, branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Reformation, Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century agai ...
parish church.
It is a part of the
tourist route ''
Romanesque Road''. Since 1999, 'Naumburg Cathedral and the landscape of the rivers
Saale
The Saale (), also known as the Saxon Saale (german: Sächsische Saale) and Thuringian Saale (german: Thüringische Saale), is a river in Germany and a left-bank tributary of the Elbe. It is not to be confused with the smaller Franconian Saale, ...
and
Unstrut – an important dominion in the High Middle Ages' are included in the candidate list for UNESCO
World Heritage Sites in Germany.
In 2017, the nomination of 'Naumburg Cathedral and the High Medieval Cultural Landscape of the Rivers Saale and Unstrut' as a
World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...
will be discussed at the 41st meeting of the
World Heritage Committee
The World Heritage Committee selects the sites to be listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the World Heritage List and the List of World Heritage in Danger, defines the use of the World Heritage Fund and allocates financial assistance ...
in Krakow, Poland (2 until 12 July 2017).
On July 1, 2018, Naumburg Cathedral was listed as a
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. I ...
World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...
. The German officials were indifferent about the decision of excluding the
surrounding landscape.
References
Further reading
* Gerhard Straehle: ''Der Naumburger Meister in der deutschen Kunstgeschichte. Einhundert Jahre deutsche Kunstgeschichtsschreibung 1886-1989.'' Dissertation at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München 2009
(full text)* Gerhard Straehle: ''Der Naumburger Stifter-Zyklus und der Erschlagene im Westchor (Synodalchor) des Naumburger Doms.'' Verlag Langewiesche, Königstein 2012, .
External links
Naumburg Cathedral UNESCO Official Website
{{World Heritage Sites in Germany
Lutheran cathedrals in Germany
Protestant churches in Saxony-Anhalt
1028 establishments in Europe
Naumburg (Saale)
11th-century churches in Germany
Former cathedrals in Germany
Romanesque Road
Buildings and structures in Burgenlandkreis
World Heritage Sites in Germany