Erfurt Cathedral

Erfurt Cathedral (German: Erfurter Dom, officially Hohe Domkirche St. Marien zu Erfurt,[1] English: Cathedral Church of St Mary at Erfurt), also known as St Mary's Cathedral, is the largest and oldest church building in the Thuringian city of Erfurt, central Germany. It is the episcopal seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Erfurt. The cathedral was mainly built in the International Gothic style and is located on a hillside overlooking the main town square (Domplatz, Cathedral Square),[2] directly next to St Severus' Church. As a unique architectural ensemble, both churches together form the city's landmark. Former German names include Marienkirche and Propsteikirche Beatae Mariae Virginis.

Erfurt Cathedral
Cathedral Church of St Mary at Erfurt
  • Erfurter Dom
  • Hohe Domkirche St. Marien zu Erfurt
  • Propsteikirche Beatae Mariae Virginis
Erfurt Cathedral (left) and St Severus's Church (right)
50°58′33″N 11°01′24″E
LocationErfurt, Thuringia
CountryGermany
DenominationRoman Catholic
Websitewww.dom-erfurt.de
History
StatusCathedral
DedicationSt Mary
Architecture
Functional statusActive
StyleGothic
Groundbreaking12th century
Specifications
Height81.26 m (266 ft 7 in)
Bells14
Tenor bell weight11.45 t (11.27 long tons)
Administration
DioceseDiocese of Erfurt
Clergy
ProvostGregor Arndt
Vicar(s)Bernhard Drapatz
Deacon(s)Matthias Burkert
Laity
Organist(s)Silvius von Kessel

History

The site of the present cathedral has been the location of many other Christian buildings, for example a Romanesque basilica and a church hall. In 742, Saint Boniface erected a church on the mound where Erfurt Cathedral is now sited. In the mid-12th century, the foundations of the original church were used for a Romanesque basilica. In the early 14th century, the mound was enlarged to make room for St Mary's Cathedral.[3]

Martin Luther was ordained in the cathedral on 3 April 1507.[4]

Architecture

The architecture of Erfurt Cathedral is mainly Gothic and originates from the 14th and 15th centuries. The building has many notable architectural features, including the stained glass windows and the interior furnishings. The central spire of the cathedral's three towers houses the Maria Gloriosa which, at the time of its casting by Geert van Wou in 1497, was the world's largest free-swinging bell. It is the largest surviving medieval bell in the world. It is known for the purity of its tone.

Relics and treasures

The cathedral houses many rare and rich furnishings and sculptures, including the tomb of the supposedly bigamous Count von Gleichen, accompanied by both of his wives, a stucco altar from around 1160, a bronze candelabra called Erfurter Wolfram, the oldest free standing cast work in Germany, and, out on the portal, statues of the Wise and Foolish Virgins.[5]: 50 

  • The altar
    The altar
  • The Foolish Virgins of the parable The Ten Virgins
    The Foolish Virgins of the parable The Ten Virgins
  • Wolfram candelabra
    Wolfram candelabra

Bells
No.
 		 Name
 		 Year
 		 Caster
 		 Diameter
(mm)		 Mass
(kg)		 Strike tone
(HT−1/16)		 Bell location
 
1Gloriosa1497Gerhardus de Wou, Erfurt2,56011,450e0 +3Middle Tower, lower
2Dreifaltigkeit1721Nicolaus Jonas Sorber1,9404,900g0 +12North tower
3Joseph1961Glockengießerei Schilling, Apolda1,8404,600a0 +8South Tower
4Andreas1961Glockengießerei Schilling, Apolda1,5402,600c1 +11North Tower
5Christophorus1961Glockengießerei Schilling, Apolda1,3601,900d1 +10South Tower
6Johannes Baptist1720Nicolaus Jonas Sorber1,1901,000e1 +7
7Cosmas und Damian1625Jakob König, Erfurt750200des2Middle Tower, upper
8Cantabona1492Hans Sinderam650300g2
9Engelchenabout 1475Claus von Mühlhausen, Erfurt550125as2
10Namenlose1475Meister Peter50075b2
11Wandlungsglocke1961Glockengießerei Schilling, Apolda550100f2Dachreiter (Hochchor)
12Paulusglocke2009Br. Michael Reuter, Maria Laach39042d3
IMartha1961Glockengießerei Schilling, Apoldae2Lantern
IIElisabeth1961Glockengießerei Schilling, Apoldagis2

See also

References
  1. Official website, retrieved 15 June 2018
  2. Stade, Heinz, et al. (2015) Erfurt: eine Stadt in Wandel, Leipzig: Edition Leipzig
  3. Christoph Engels, (2010) '1000 Sacred Places', Tandem Verlag GmbH, p 55
  4. Lull, Timothy, Nelson, Derek (2015) Resilient Reformer: The life and thought of Martin Luther, Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress
  5. Schmidt, Martin (2019). CityTrip Erfurt, Weimar. OCLC 1158500991. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
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