NAUMBURG CATHEDRAL

This is a visit that is definitely worth a visit. Naumburg has one of the most beautiful cathedrals in Germany, and even in Europe if you believe some of them! This major religious monument, of great beauty and finesse, combines late Romanesque and early Gothic styles. It has the austerity of the novel, which emphasizes stone, bas-reliefs and sculptures, and gives intimacy and proximity to the site; but it is also strong in the majesty and grandeur of the Gothic. Its construction began in 1213, but the church was modified until the 19th century. One of its major contributors, whose civil name is unfortunately ignored today, is called the Naumburger Meister, master of Naumburg. This sculptor was the master of an exceptional work of art. In addition to its two choirs, four towers and beautiful Romanesque crypts, much of the cathedral's fame comes from its astonishing sculptures of the twelve founders, located in the west choir, created by the master in the 1260s. These disturbing statues, especially the Ekkehard and Uta couple, with their incredibly true looks, have made the most beautiful hours of German romantic singing. We can also see two very beautiful altarpieces and a superb frieze that traces the Passion of Christ. The visit to the cathedral, the former residence of the bishops of Naumburg, who religiously ruled an important region covering the south of present-day Saxony-Anhalt and parts of Saxony and Thuringia until the region became Protestant in the 1540s, is worth a visit in each part of its building, as its interior is rich and has a fundamental historical and artistic dimension. In 2015, the splendour of the cathedral served as a strong argument for Germany to include the geographical area of Saale-Unstrut (of which Naumburg is the heart) on UNESCO's World Heritage List.