Merseburg Cathedral

Merseburg Cathedral is the proto cathedral of the previous Bishopric of Merseburg in Merseburg, Germany. The commonly Gothic church is considered an artistic and ancient spotlight in southern Saxony Anhalt. Merseburg received significance beyond the instant area in the 10th century when it came to King Heinrich I through marriage.

He constructed a Kaiserpfalz there overlooking the Saale and founded a church next to it, consecrated in 919. His son and successor, Otto I swore an oath on 10 August 955 to establish a diocese at Merseburg if God could provide him victory at the imminent Battle of Lechfeld. In 968, the Diocese of Merseburg was established but dissolved in 981. In 1004 it changed into reestablished via King Heinrich. Construction of the early Romanesque cathedral was all started by means of Bishop Thietmar of Merseburg in 1015. It was consecrated on 1 October 1021 inside the presence of Emperor Heinrich II and his wife, Kunigunde. However, the eastern part of the constructing collapsed twice inside a few years and needed to be rebuilt.