Lübeck Cathedral

Lübeck Cathedral stands in the heart of the old town of Lübeck, a large brick-built Lutheran church and part of the city’s World Heritage Site. It was begun in 1173 by Henry the Lion for the Bishop of Lübeck and completed in the 13th century as a Romanesque building. Between 1266 and 1335 the nave was raised to the same height as the side-aisles, giving the interior a Gothic unity. On Palm Sunday 1942 a bombing raid destroyed the eastern vault and the 1696 altar, and the towers collapsed in the afternoon. A fire from the cathedral museum spread to the roof, consuming the Arp Schnitger organ, yet much medieval art survived. The cathedral is worth the journey for its surviving medieval works and its place in Lübeck’s history. Bernt Notke’s 17 m crucifix, erected in 1477, and his carved rood screen remain in the church. The Flemish sculptor Thomas Quellinus created Baroque memorials in the southern aisle chapels. A famous anonymous poem inscribed on the walls asks why people call Christ master yet do not obey him. The cathedral also holds notable medieval polyptychs, though Hans Memling’s altar now belongs to the St Annen Museum. Inside, visitors find a lofty nave where side-aisles reach the same height as the central space. Notke’s crucifix dominates the crossing, and the rood screen shows his intricate carvings. The southern aisle chapels contain Quellinus’s memorials in marble and stone. The poem on the walls offers quiet reflection amid the brick vaults. Outside, the rebuilt towers frame views of the old town, linking past and present.