UNESCO-World Heritage Naumburg Cathedral

Naumburg Cathedral - interior view to the west (Rutkwoski)

Naumburg Cathedral is one of the most important cultural monuments of the European High Middle Ages. The greatest attraction is the west choir with its twelve donor figures. The interplay of architecture, sculpture and stained glass - created by the hand of a sculptor-architect - is a masterpiece of human creativity. The Naumburg Master and his workshop set up at the beginning of the 13th century reveal the cultural exchange that was already taking place in Europe during the Middle Ages.

With their vibrancy and expressiveness, the 12 donor figures cast a spell over every visitor. Margravine Uta in particular is regarded as the symbol of the ‘most beautiful woman of the Middle Ages’. The two high medieval rood screens, which separate the choirs from the nave, are also impressive. Two preserved rood screens in one church are unique in the world! Masterpieces from the Romanesque and Gothic periods combine with masterpieces of contemporary art to form an impressive ensemble. The building has been a visitor magnet on the ‘Romanesque Road’ in Saxony-Anhalt for many years.

The restored and redesigned cathedral garden combines old ponds, bastions of the medieval immunity wall, rampart and kennel gardens as well as the ‘Garden of the Naumburg Master’. There, visitors can find the plants that served as models for the sculptor's capitals, friezes and keystones in the cathedral. (Source: gartentraeume-sachsen-anhalt.de)