Detailed description

Henry the Lion laid the foundation stone for Lübeck Cathedral on the southern edge of the Old Town, near the Mühlenteich pond. After Lübeck became a bishop’s seat in 1160, he commissioned the construction of this magnificent three-aisled brick basilica in 1173. Before that, a wooden church had stood on the same site.

During the air raid on Lübeck in 1942, the cathedral was completely destroyed by fire, and its vaults collapsed. Reconstruction did not begin until 1960 – after St. Mary’s Church had been rebuilt. In 1973, Lübeck Cathedral was consecrated anew, and the restoration of the Paradiseporch in 1982 marked the crowning completion of its reconstruction.

Today, Lübeck Cathedral houses numerous artistic treasures, including the 17-meter-high Triumph Cross by Bernt Notke (1477), the finely carved pulpit, and the Lettner clock. From the former monastery, only the cloister remains – now leading visitors directly to the Museum am Dom.

You can also read more about the cathedral in our cultural magazine Lübeck ZWISCHENZEILEN.