Erfurter Dom

Top choice in Erfurt


Erfurt's cathedral, where Martin Luther was ordained a priest, grew over the centuries from a simple 8th-century chapel into the stately Gothic pile of today. Standouts in its treasure-filled interior include the stained-glass windows; the 'Wolfram' (an 850-year-old bronze candelabrum in the shape of a man); the 'Gloriosa' (the world's largest free-swinging medieval bell); a Romanesque stucco Madonna; Cranach's The Mystic Marriage of St Catherine; and the intricately carved choir stalls. Group tours start at €4.50 per person.

The steps buttressing the cathedral provide a dramatic backdrop for the popular Domstufen-Festspiele, a classical-music festival held in August.