Naumburg - Dom

Naumburg has a population of around 33,000 and is the center of the northernmost German wine-growing region Saale-Unstrut. The first written record of Naumburg dates from 1012. It was founded at the crossing of two trade-routes, Via Regia and the Regensburg Road. The successful foundation not long beforehand of a Propstei Church on the site of the later Naumburg Cathedral was mentioned in the Merseburg Bishops' Chronicles in 1021. Already in 1028 Pope John XIX gave his approval for the transfer of the bishopric from Zeitz to Naumburg. Until 1568, during the Reformation, Naumburg was the seat of the bishops

A late Romanesque new building was started around 1210. The new construction began in the nave. Of the old structure only the crypt survived. However, the construction of the new nave was soon abandoned. Instead, the construction of the new eastern parts of the cathedral began and the new building was then gradually continued to the west. It did not remain in this late-Romanesque form long for by the mid-13th century the early-Gothic west choir was added. It was likely finished by 1260. The western towers were raised by one floor shortly thereafter. In around 1330 the high-Gothic polygonal east choir was built. Additional floors were added to the western towers in the 14th and 15th centuries.