Wurzen Cathedral

Wurzen Cathedral of the Virgin Mary ( German: Dom St. Marien zu Wurzen ) is an evangelical church in the German city ​​of Wurzen in the federal state of Saxony .

Collegiate church
Wurzen Cathedral
him. Dom St. Marien zu wurzen
A country	Germany
Federal state , city	Saxony , Wurzen
Denomination	Saxony Evangelical Lutheran Land Church
Architectural style	romance , gothic
Established
Status	evangelical collegiate church
Site	dom-zu-wurzen.de

The collegial church of the Wurzen chapel is located on a hill in the southwestern part of the old city of Wurzen, and since the end of the 15th century, when the Meissen bishops set up their residence in the castle next door, it is called the cathedral. Since 1542, the church has been used to conduct evangelical services.

The first church building in the name of the Virgin Mary in this place was consecrated on August 16, 1114 by Bishop Herwig Meissen ( German: Herwig von Meißen, † 1119 ). At the same time, the chapter of the Virgin Mary was founded, which was transferred to the new church, which took the place of the middle nave of the future cathedral.

In 1260–1290 and in the middle of the XIV century the church was rebuilt and expanded; the flat wooden ceiling was replaced with a Gothic vaulted . In 1470, the church was badly damaged by a big fire, and was rebuilt and expanded around 1500 again under Bishop Johann VI von Saalhausen ( German Johann VI von Saalhausen ), who planned his future burial place here, and shortly before that he had already built on the neighboring with the church plot its new residence, Wurzen Castle . From that moment on, the Church of the Virgin Mary became a cathedral, and the chapter received the status of a dome (i.e., a cathedral).

Since 1542, evangelical services began to be sent to the cathedral, although - which is unusual - Meissen bishops who adhered to Catholicism continued to live in the castle for some time. Also, the house chapter, which joined the Reformation , did not lose its power, becoming only subject to the Elector Augustus .

Over the following centuries, the cathedral almost invariably retained its medieval appearance, until 1817 when, in accordance with the new fashion, its interior was decorated in the Neo - Gothic style. At the same time, a new altar and organ was arranged, additional windows were punched, and the walls were whitewashed, which gave the whole building a certain lightness.

Neo-Gothic elements of decoration were removed already in 1931-1933; at the same time, the church housed the work of the expressionist sculptor Georg Vrba ( German: Georg Wrba , 1872-1939), adorning it to this day.

Currently, the Wurzen Cathedral is under the control of the evangelical house chapel, and without its own community of believers, it depends on state support and private donations. The church is open daily for visits; in addition, classical music concerts are regularly held within its walls (including with the participation of the cathedral choir led by Johann Dickert).