Cathedral steps

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The cathedral steps

The cathedral steps in Erfurt's old town form the outside staircase that has led from the Cathedral Square to the Domberg to the Erfurt Cathedral and Severikirche since the 15th century .

The medieval name of this staircase was Graden , derived from Gradus , the Latin word for step. In the 17th century , the place in front of these stairs was called before the Graden , later also called Gradenmarkt for short . A short stretch of road west of the cathedral is still called An den Graden .

The construction of the cathedral choir required an artificial expansion of the building area by extending this area to the east by the required amount by means of powerful supporting pillars and vaults. The staircase was built to connect the main entrances to the cathedral and Severikirche with the old town. It also served the ceremonial and representative needs of the canons at liturgical celebrations . Older images show a monumental crucifix in the upper part of the stairs , which rose there in the middle of the top staircase. The cathedral steps lead to the triangle portal of the cathedral.

The cathedral steps consist of a total of 70 steps, these were structured like a cascade , in that the staircase is divided into five sections by four inserted paragraphs. The width of the stairs decreases noticeably towards the top.

From above there is a good overview of the old town of Erfurt with its church towers and the cathedral square.

The DomStufen Festival , which traditionally takes place in August, is one of the cultural highlights of city life. The cathedral steps are also used for church services, for example after the rampage in Erfurt or for the diocese pilgrimage.

Views

  • Erfurt Cathedral (1840)

  • After the rampage at Gutenberg-Gymnasium (2002)

  • As the "stage" of a diocese pilgrimage (2004)

  • The cathedral steps on a winter night (2009)

Web links

Commons : Cathedral Stages  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Remarks

  1. ↑ Wolfgang Landgrebe: "Erfurt" . In: Freizeitführer Thuringia . tape 1 (Central and North region). Wartberg Verlag, Gudensberg-Gleichen 1999, ISBN 3-86134-550-1 , p. 61 .
  2. ↑ See the illustration from 1840.

Coordinates: 50 ° 58 ′ 34.3 "  N , 11 ° 1 ′ 24.8"  E