St. Stephen’s Cathedral: Gothic - Baroque

Architecture

The Baroque cathedral with the Gothic soul: While the main façade and the interior of the cathedral are lavishly Baroque, the chancel is dominated by a Gothic buttress. The "Stephanstürmchen" on the Residenzplatz side is striking. Its openwork crown, made by stonemason Hans Frank, is a masterpiece of southeast German late Gothic. Inside, the cathedral is considered the largest Baroque church interior north of the Alps. Masterful stucco work pervades it. One example is the row of atlases in the choir vault.

History

Since the early Middle Ages, various episcopal churches have stood where the cathedral now stands: the Agilolfing episcopal church around 720, the early Gothic cathedral, built from 1280, the late Gothic eastern section, built from 1407, and the new Baroque building, erected between 1668 and 1693. The Dombauhütte has been responsible for the preservation of the cathedral since 1928. Since 2020, it has been included in the UNESCO Intangible World Heritage List.

Nearby

Dombauhütte: As a gable-roofed building in solid wood construction, the stonemasonry workshop of the Dombauhütte adjoins the eastern cathedral. The new building was completed in 2021.

Max Monument: In the form of a bronze statue, Bavaria's first king Maximilian Joseph I stands on a granite pedestal in the Cathedral Square. It was erected between 1824 and 1828. Because of its outstretched hand, the Max Monument is also called "the rain tester".

Galerie

The 14 objects ...