Erfurt Cathedral

Erfurt Cathedral
The Cathedral and Collegiate Church of St Mary
Domberg zu Erfurt
Erfurt Cathedral (left) and St. Severus Church (right)
Erfurt Cathedral Location in Germany
50°58′33″N 11°01′24″E / 50.9759°N 11.0233°E / 50.9759; 11.0233Coordinates: 50°58′33″N 11°01′24″E / 50.9759°N 11.0233°E / 50.9759; 11.0233
Location	Erfurt
Country	Germany
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Website	Website of the Cathedral
History
Founded	14th century
Architecture
Status	Active
Functional status	Cathedral
Architectural type	Church
Style	Gothic
Administration
Diocese	Diocese of Erfurt
Clergy
Provost	Gregor Arndt
Vicar(s)	Bernhard Drapatz
Deacon(s)	Matthias Burkert
Laity
Organist(s)	Silvius von Kessel

The Catholic Erfurt Cathedral is a 1200-year-oldchurch located on Cathedral Hill of Erfurt, in Thuringia, Germany. It is of an International Gothic style, and is also known as St Mary's Cathedral, and is located, uniquely, on a hillside.

It is the episcopal seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Erfurt.

The site of the present Cathedral has been the location of many other Christian buildings, for example a Romanesque basilica and a church hall. Martin Luther was ordained in the cathedral in 1507. Saint Boniface erected a church in the year 724 on the mound which the Erfurt Cathedral now sits. The foundations of the original church were used for a Romanesque basilica in the mid 12th century. The mound was then enlarged in the early 14th century to make room for the St. Mary's cathedral.

The architecture of the Erfurt Cathedral is mainly Gothic and stems from around the 14th and 15th centuries. There are many things of note as far as the architecture is concerned, not least the stained glass windows and furnishings of the interior of the cathedral. The central spire of the three towers that sit aloft the cathedral harbours the Maria Gloriosa which, at the time of its casting by Geert van Wou in 1497, was the world's largest free-swinging bell. It is the largest existing medieval bell in the world. It is known to have purity and beauty of tone.

The cathedral houses many rare and rich furnishings and sculptures, including the tomb of the bigamous Count von Gleichen, accompanied by both of his wives, a stucco altar, a bronze candelebra of Romanesque antiquity called Wolfram, the oldest free standing cast work in Germany, and, out on the porch, several statues of the Wise and Foolish Virgins.