Overview

Originally built as a parish church in 1235, an edict of 1356 decreed that all German emperors be elected here, thus conferring cathedral status upon the church. The cathedral was rebuilt several times over the years: after a devastating fire in 1867 and after World War II. The only parts of the original interior which survived are the frieze of St. Bartholemew, the choir stalls and the Maria-Schlaf altar. The tower contains a masterpiece of the early Renaissance period: a sculpture by Hans Backoffen portraying a scene from the crucifixion. The museum houses some of the cathedral's treasures.