Merseburg Travel Tip:
Castle and Cathedral of Merseburg
Merseburg Cathedral
The impressive palace complex from the German Late Renaissance was thoroughly altered by Melchior Brenner in 1605-08, who included substantial sections of the Late Gothic castle of bishop Tilo von Trotha. Interesting features include coats of arms, portals, oriels from the Late Gothic and Renaissance periods (most notably the ornamental oriel on the northern wing) and the spiral staircase of the Kammerturm. The palace houses the Museum of Cultural History with exhibits on prehistory and early history and with information on the palatinate and bishopric in the Middle Ages, on art and culture in the Duchy of Saxony-Merseburg and on municipal history in more recent times.
Merseburg Cathedral is known in musical circles for its large romantic organ, built by Friedrich Ladegast. A hall-church with four towers, it has a sumptuously furnished interior. In the west porch is a Late Gothic doorway with sculptured figures (including a bust of the Emperor Henry II with a model of the Cathedral). Notable features of the interior are the Baroque high altar (1668), the richly decorated Late Gothic pulpit and choir-stalls, a Romanesque font (c. 1150) and numerous monuments (11th-18th C.). Of particular quality are the bronze grave-slab of Rudolf of Swabia (d. 1180) and the sarcophagus of Bishop Thilo of Trotha (by Hermann Vischer the Elder). On the south side of the Cathedral lies the cloister, with an Early Gothic west wing and the Romanesque chapel of St John.
Hours: March–October Mon–Sun 9am - 6pm.; Nov.–February Mon–Sun 10am - 4pm.
[ Source: http://saaleunstrut.com/web/en/content/content.php?areaID=6&menuID=20&contentID=457&active_menu=1&vhm= ]
Address: http://www.merseburg.de/index.php?id=1440
Tags: Merseburg, Cathedral, Castle, Museum
Location of Castle and Cathedral of Merseburg
More Merseburg Travel Tips
Merseburg is a town in the south of the German state of Saxony-Anhalt on the river Saale, approx. 14 km south of Halle (Saale). It is the capital of the Saalekreis district. It had a diocese founded by Archbishop Adalbert of Magdeburg. The University…
Related: Merseburg travel guide
Where to stay in Merseburg?
We have a collection of charming and inviting vacation rentals in Merseburg.
