Paderborn - Dom

After, during the Saxon Wars, Charlemagne´s soldiers had burnt down a Saxon settlement, a stronghold was erected next to the sources of the river Pader. At that time existed already a small church next to the palace, dedicated to "Salvator Mundi".

The Saxons returned and of course a couple of times and burnt down, what was built, but finally a new church was erected, that was visited by Pope Leo III, when he met Charlemagne here in 799. This was the start of the diocese.

This church got enlarged under the first bishops, especially, when under Louis the Pious, the relics of St. Liborius were transfered to Paderborn from Le Mans. The Carolingian cathedral burnt completely down in 1000.

Bishop Rethar (+1009) and Bishop Meinwerk (+1036) managed the erection of the new cathedral, that (probably not completed) got consecrated in 1015. This cathedral burnt down with most of the town in 1058.

The cathedral Bischof Imad (+1076) built was much larger and had probably a similar volume as the Paderborner Dom of today. It was consecrated in 1068. Another fire destroyed in 1033 roofs and ceilings. When the cathedral was rebuilt, it got the first vaulting.

Most of the Paderborner Dom, seen today, dates to the 13th century. The "Paradies Portal" (Paradise Portal), a narthex, was built end of the 12th century. It combines late Romanesque and early Gothic statuary.