Brunswick Cathedral

When Henry the Lion returned from his pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 1173, he had a church built opposite his castle, Dankwarderode, to serve as a burial place for himself and his wife. Brunswick Cathedral, officially the Cathedral of St Blasius, is still the city's most important church. Inside are the tomb of the ducal couple, a bronze candelabrum almost five metres tall and 13th-century wall paintings. It was consecrated in 1226, so 2026 marks its 800th anniversary.

History

Building began in 1173 and took decades. When Henry died in 1195 he was buried in the unfinished church beside his second wife, Matilda of England, who had died in 1189. The cathedral was built as a Romanesque basilica of limestone and was one of the first large churches in the region to be vaulted throughout. In 1472 the north aisle was replaced by a double late-Gothic hall with windows recalling English Gothic.

The Nazi period was a dark chapter: the regime declared it a "state cathedral", opened Henry's grave in 1935 and remodelled the interior as a cult site by 1938. After the war it became a Lutheran church again.

What to see

• Tomb of Henry the Lion and Matilda: larger-than-life effigies from around 1230; Henry holds a model of the cathedral.
• Seven-branched candelabrum: made of 77 bronze parts, almost five metres high and over 400 kg, probably from around 1190.
• Imervard Cross: a Romanesque crucifix from about 1150, older than the cathedral, inscribed "IMERVARD ME FECIT".
• Lady altar: consecrated in 1188 and still in place.
• Wall paintings: from 1230–1250, about 80 percent preserved, with 19th-century additions.
• Crypt: the oldest part of the church, holding the coffins of the Guelph dukes, including the "Black Duke", killed at Quatre-Bras in 1815.

Legends in the walls

Walk around the outside. The Lion Portal on the north-east side has deep scratch marks; legend says Henry's lion clawed at it to reach his dead master, though soldiers sharpening weapons are the likelier cause. A cannonball in the east wall is dated 20 August 1615, from a siege of the city.

Tours (as of October 2026)

• Public tours: Monday to Saturday at 14:00, no booking, not in January and February.
• Group tours: about 60 minutes, up to 7 people €15 in total, from 8 people €2 each.
• Anniversary: the Brunswick State Museum shows an exhibition on the cathedral from 13 November 2026 to 23 May 2027.

Tripto tip

Right outside is the Burgplatz with the bronze lion statue, the city's emblem, and Dankwarderode Castle. Allow about ninety minutes for cathedral and square.