A (Virtual) Tour Of Ten Magnificent German Cathedrals

Germany is home to many amazingly spectacular cathedrals. If you don’t have time to see them all during your visit here, you can take a virtual trip to ten of the most famous ones right now.

Aachen Cathedral

This ancient place was patronized by none other than Charlemagne himself, the first Holy Roman Emperor. The highlights of the Aachen Cathedral include relics that Charlemagne gathered, including the cloak of the Virgin Mary and the swaddling clothes of a baby Jesus Christ, among others. Pilgrims have flocked here for centuries to view these artifacts, which can still be found within.

Augsburg Cathedral

The Augsburg Cathedral is the High Cathedral of the Virgin Mary and can be dated back to the year 823 A.D.! From its soaring spires to the depths of its underground crypts, this is one destination you won’t want to miss.

Berliner Dom

The Berlin Cathedral was built for the Prussian Royal family. It was intended to be the Protestant version of the Roman Catholic St. Peter’s Basilica. Although heavily damaged during the war, it was reconstructed to its present condition in the 1970s.

Cologne Cathedral

The Gothic Cologne Cathedral was built in 1248 and not completed until over six-hundred years later, in 1880. This is a local joke, as renovations are still underway and residents joke that the end of the world will arrive before it is ever completed. Nevertheless, this UNESCO World Heritage Site (once the world’s tallest building) has plenty to see. A true highlight is the Shrine of the Three Magi, which is said to contain relics from these ancient pilgrims.

Erfurt Cathedral

This 14th century Gothic cathedral (with Romanesque towers that date back to 742) is where Martin Luther was ordained as a priest. Erfurt’s highlights include its stucco altar with a depiction of the Madonna and saints, as well as its superb stained glass window designs.

Hildesheim Cathedral

The Hildesheim Cathedral is a medieval masterpiece, allegedly constructed on the divine will of the Virgin Mary through Charlemagne’s son, Ludwig the Pious. Bernward’s Door, a set of beautifully decorated bronze doors, is one of the amazing treasures on display.

Magdeburg Cathedral

Magdeburg Cathedral’s official name is the Cathedral of Saints Catherine and Maurice. It is the resting place of Holy Roman Emperor Otto the Great and took over 300 years to construct.

Mainz Cathedral

Saint Martin’s Cathedral, or Mainz Cathedral, was constructed in 975 and is considered one of the finest examples of the Romanesque in Germany. This is where Frederick Barbarossa took up the call of Crusade, as Pope Gregory VIII proclaimed.

Münster Cathedral

This Münster sight is a 13th century Gothic and Romanesque-style cathedral. On the exterior of St. Paul’s, there is an astronomical clock with hand-painted zodiac signs. There’s a performance each day at noon as the clock plays a Glockenspiel song.

Like so many other ancient architectural marvels in Germany, it sustained heavy damage during the Second World War. It has since been restored, but the destruction is still documented in pictures found inside the Cathedral.

Worms Cathedral

This spectacular cathedral is known by many names: Worms Cathedral, Kaiserdom or Dom St. Peter, to name just a few. In its thousand year history, it has been a strong presence in the town with its soaring towers and spires. There are many highlights housed within these ancient walls. Be sure not to miss the Baroque altar created by Balthasar Neumann, the dark and spooky crypt or the Chapel of Saint Nicholas.

—Marcus