The Romanesque cathedral, consecrated in 1114 by Bishop Herwig of Meissen as the Church of Mary, is one of the oldest and most interesting ecclesiastical buildings in Saxony and the oldest surviving building in the city.
Over the course of history, it experienced many changes. In 1470, it fell victim to flames. Only the lower surrounding wall and the foundations of the towers remained. In 1508, part of the cathedral was rebuilt. Bishop von Salhausen completed the construction of the cathedral in 1513. After the Thirty Years´ War, the towers received their baroque-style caps. In 1817, the cathedral was renewed in the Gothic Revival style. The cathedral acquired its current appearance in 1931/32, including among other changes the relocation of the entrance to the tower. That year, Professor Wrba of Dresden created the expressive Crucifixion group, among other things.
Directly adjacent to the west choir is the birthplace of the fable writer Magnus Gottfried Lichtwer (1719 - 1783), which was fully renovated in 1997.



























