Overview

Construction work began in 1173 and despite later architectural changes,the Dom cathedral still resembles a monumental religious fortress. Gothic elements like the steeple roofs, the chancel and western wing were added in the 13th and 14th centuries. The Reformation in the 16th century did not change the status of the cathedral, except that the bishop was Protestant rather than Catholic. Like much of the Old Town, the cathedral was heavily damaged in a 1942 air-raid, but several priceless treasures survived including the 17m-high Christus Triumphator from 1477 and the Gothic balcony and clock from 1628.