Bremen Cathedral (St. Peter's Cathedral)

St. Peter's Cathedral in Bremen (St. Petri Dom) is the twin-spired church that towers over the city's Market Square, right beside the UNESCO-listed Town Hall. Its roots go back to the 8th century, and today the Lutheran cathedral combines Romanesque crypts, a free museum of medieval bishops' treasures, a tower climb with views across the Old Town and the famous Lead Cellar with its naturally preserved mummies. It is one of the essential things to do in Bremen.

A thousand years of history

A first church on this site is said to have been consecrated in 789 under Bishop Willehad. The current building was begun in the 11th century as a Romanesque basilica and later received Gothic vaults. When Bremen adopted Reformed Protestantism after the Reformation, the cathedral stubbornly remained Lutheran. Its present look, including the two tall west towers, comes from a major restoration between 1888 and 1901. Bombs damaged the cathedral in World War II, and repairs were completed in 1950.

What to see

• Crypts: two Romanesque crypts, among the oldest rooms in Bremen.
• Organs: five organs, including an Arp Schnitger instrument from the 1690s; check the parish concert calendar.
• Cathedral Museum: silk burial robes of medieval archbishops decorated with gold and gems, rings, chalices, altarpieces and a life-size Man of Sorrows by Lucas Cranach. Admission is free.
• Lead Cellar (Bleikeller): eight mummies from the 17th and 18th centuries rest in a cellar south of the cathedral, a quirky and slightly eerie highlight that may not suit young children.
• Tower: 265 steps lead up the south tower for a sweeping view over the Market Square and the Weser River. The climb requires full mobility and good fitness.

Opening hours and tickets

As of October 2026, per the official website:

• Cathedral: Monday to Saturday 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Sundays and holidays from about 11:30 a.m. (after the service) to 5 p.m.; free entry.
• Tower: Wednesday to Saturday 10 a.m.–5 p.m. (last climb 4:30 p.m.) and Sunday afternoons; closed November 1–8.
• Lead Cellar: Wednesday to Sunday 11 a.m.–5 p.m.
• Tower and Lead Cellar close for winter from December 23, 2026 to March 31, 2027.
• Prices: tower or Lead Cellar 5 EUR each (reduced 4 EUR, ages 6–18 3 EUR), combination ticket 9 EUR, family tickets 12 or 20 EUR; under 6 free.
• Museum: Monday to Friday 10 a.m.–4:45 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.–1:30 p.m., Sunday 2–4:45 p.m.

How to get there

Bremen is about an hour by train from Hamburg, and regional trains are covered by the Deutschlandticket. From Bremen Hauptbahnhof, walk roughly 15 minutes or take a tram to Domsheide. Tram line 6 runs directly from Bremen Airport into the center. Step-free access to the cathedral is through the Dom 1 entrance by the Bible Garden; crypts and the Lead Cellar are reached only by stairs.

Is it worth visiting?

Yes. Entry is free, the museum is free, and the tower and Lead Cellar add something you will not find in most German churches. Plan one to two hours, and combine it with the Town Hall and Roland statue (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), the Town Musicians of Bremen statue, Böttcherstrasse and the Schnoor quarter, all within a few minutes' walk.