Essen Travel Tip:
Essen Cathedral and Treasury
The Golden Madonna of Essen
The former collegiate church of Essen Abbey and nowadays seat of the Bishop of Essen is a Gothic hall church made from light sandstone. The first church on the premises dates back to between 845 and 870; the current church was constructed after a former church had burnt down in 1275. However, the important westwork and crypt have survived from Ottonian times. The cathedral is located right in the center of the city, which evolved around it. It is not spectacular in appearance and the adjacent church St. Johann Baptist, which is located directly at the pedestrian precinct, is often mistakenly referred to as the cathedral. The cathedral treasury, however, ranks amongst the most important in Germany since only few art works have been lost over the centuries. The most precious exhibit, located right within the cathedral, is the Golden Madonna of Essen (around 980), the oldest known sculpture of the Madonna and the oldest free-standing sculpture north of the Alps. The Madonna is commonly referred to as Essen sein Schatz or Essen its treasure, to translate literally. Other exhibits include the alleged child crown of Emperor Otto III, the eldest preserved seven-branched Christian candelabrum and several other art works from Ottonian times.
Hours: Monday - Saturday 10am - 5pm. Sundays and holidays 11:30 am - 5pm.
Admission: Adults 3 €, Concessions 1 €.
[ Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essen ]
Related: http://www.domschatz-essen.de/
Address: Burgplatz 2, 45127 Essen
Tags: Essen, Cathedral, Treasury, Golden Madonna
Location of Essen Cathedral and Treasury
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Essen is a city in the center of the Ruhr Area in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Located on the Ruhr River, its population of approximately 579,000 (as of June 30, 2008) makes it the 7th- or 8th-largest-city in Germany. The city was appointed European…
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