The Gothic tower of the "Kaiserdom" (strictly speaking, it is not a cathedral, as it was never the seat of a bishop) dominates the image of Frankfurt's old town.
The Gothic parish church of St. Bartholomew, dedicated to St. Bartholomew in 1239 and rebuilt into a Gothic hall church, received its honorary name "Kaiserdom" only in the 18th century.
It dates back to a Carolingian foundation of 852, and was designated the elective church of the German kings in the "Golden Bull" of 1356, and also of the emperors of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation from 1562.
From 1562 to 1792, 10 imperial coronations took place in Frankfurt Cathedral.
The 96m high late Gothic tower was only completed in the course of a fundamental restoration after the great fire of 1867.
All the historic bells of the cathedral also melted in the fire.
With the bombing of 1944, many post-1870 paintings were lost.
With the restoration from 1992 to 1994, the cathedral found its current appearance.
Cathedral tower open again
After 13 years of closure and renovation, the cathedral tower can be climbed again since 21/08/2010.
After sweaty stair climbing (318 steps) you are rewarded with a fantastic view. The fun costs three euros for adults. Children pay half.
Domo treasures
Among the cathedral's treasures are the 15th-century Bartholomew Frieze, the mid-14th-century choir stalls, the Maria-Schlaf-Altar (1434) and the crucifixion group of the sculptor Hans Backoffen from 1509. It is considered a masterpiece of the early Renaissance.
The nine-part ringing of the cathedral was cast by Hermann Große in Dresden in 1877. The total weight of the bells is 23384.5 kilograms, half of which is accounted for by the Gloriosa.
The nine bells of the cathedral also take part in the great Frankfurt city ringing, in which the 50 bells of all ten inner-city churches unite for a unique half-hour concert before the major church festivals.
Dommuseum
The Dommuseum, opened in 1987, is presented in the medieval cloister of the Kaiserdom.
A walk through the museum provides insights into the eventful history of this church, which was so important for German history until the 19th century. The royal elections since 1356 and imperial coronations since 1562 play an important role here.
Among the outstanding objects in the permanent exhibition, besides the liturgical devices and vestments of the cathedral treasury, are valuable finds from a Merovingian girl's grave of the 7th century.
The permanent exhibition is supplemented by temporary exhibitions in the inner courtyard "Quadrum"of the Cathedral Museum.
Opening hours of the cathedral: Daily 9am-8pm (Friday 12pm-8pm)
Regular services in the cathedral: Mon.-.Fri. 8am + 12pm, Sat. 6pm,
Sun. 10am + 6pm, (12pm Croatian)
Dommuseum · Domplatz 14, Frankfurt-Altstadt · Tel. 069-13376184
Opening hours: Tues.-.Fri. 10am-5pm + Sat./Sun./holidays 11am-5pm, Mon. closed
Text from: Frankfurt-Tipp.de
