Naumburger Dom
About This Site
The Naumburg Cathedral of Sts Peter and Paul has carried UNESCO World Heritage status since 2018, for architecture, stained glass and above all the west-choir founder statues the anonymous Naumburg Master carved around 1250 — Uta of Naumburg among them, long called Germany's "most beautiful woman of the Middle Ages".
Twelve founders, carved from life they never saw, around 1250
The Naumburg Master worked as architect and sculptor at once, carving twelve life-sized statues of the cathedral's original noble founders for the west choir around the middle of the thirteenth century — long after those donors had died, with almost nothing recorded of their real lives.[1] Margrave Ekkehard II and his wife Uta stand facing Margrave Hermann and his wife Reglindis; Uta's gilded headdress, lily crown and half-turned pose have made her the figure writers reach for as "die schönste Frau des Mittelalters".[2]
A cathedral with two rood screens
Two lettners — the choir screens that divide clergy from congregation — survive here, one of them carrying a life-sized crucifixion group. UNESCO listed the cathedral in 2018 for its architecture, stained glass and sculpture together, calling the combination unique in the world.[3]
Questions visitors ask
- What is the Naumburger Dom?
- The Naumburger Dom is the Cathedral of Sts Peter and Paul, UNESCO World Heritage since 2018 for its architecture, stained glass and above all the west-choir founder statues the anonymous Naumburg Master carved around 1250 — Uta of Naumburg among them, long called Germany's "most beautiful woman of the Middle Ages".[2]
- Why is the Naumburg Cathedral a UNESCO World Heritage Site?
- UNESCO listed it in 2018 for its architecture, stained glass and sculpture together, calling the combination unique in the world[3] — above all the twelve life-sized founder statues carved by the Naumburg Master around the middle of the thirteenth century.
- How much does it cost to visit the Naumburger Dom?
- €9.50 for adults, €6.00 for students and apprentices, €3.00 for children, and €23.00 for a family ticket.
- What are the opening hours of the Naumburger Dom?
- April to October: Monday to Saturday 9:00–18:00, Sunday 12:00–18:00; November to March: Monday to Saturday 10:00–16:00, Sunday 12:00–16:00.
Sources
- Naumburger Stifterfiguren — Wikipedia, retrieved 30 August 2026
- Die schönste Frau des Mittelalters — damals.de, retrieved 30 August 2026
- Naumburger Dom, retrieved 30 August 2026
Visit Information
€9.50 adults; €6.00 students/apprentices; €3.00 children; €23.00 family
Apr–Oct: Mon–Sat 9:00–18:00, Sun 12:00–18:00; Nov–Mar: Mon–Sat 10:00–16:00, Sun 12:00–16:00
Domplatz 16/17, 06618 Naumburg (Saale)