The Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul in Naumburg

The history of the cathedral begins with the transfer of the diocesan seat from Zeitz to Naumburg, established by a papal document in 1028. Almost 200 years later, in the 13th century, the new building was erected under Bishop Engelhardt (1206-1242). The reason for this is unknown. The famous west choir was built around 1240/50, in which the founders became the central theme of the decoration, granting them saintly status as secular founders in an impressive and unique way. Of the 12 figures of the founders, Margrave Ekkehardt II (985-1046) and his wife Uta - famous worldwide as "the most beautiful woman of the Middle Ages" - are probably the best known. From the workshop of the Naumburg Master, they are among the most important works of 13th century European sculpture.

Monographic Appreciation of the UNESCO World Heritage Site

A two-volume monograph entitled "Der Dom zu Naumburg" (Naumburg Cathedral) has been published, which pays tribute to "the home of the most beautiful woman of the Middle Ages" with a comprehensive publication. "The two-volume Naumburg inventory is a milestone for the historiography of Naumburg Cathedral. The reader will find all the relevant information on the latest research for both the architecture and the entire furnishings," says Dr Holger Kunde, Director of the Combined Cathedral Foundations. For the new edition of the inventory, the architecture and furnishings of the cathedral were divided into individual sections, each of which has its own text.

The publication marks the successful conclusion of a research project lasting several years, based on a cooperation agreement between the Saxony-Anhalt State Office for the Preservation of Monuments and Archaeology (LDA) and the European Romanesque Centre e. V. (an affiliated institute of the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg) as well as the Combined Cathedral Founders of Merseburg and Naumburg and the Kollegiatstift Zeitz.

Volume 1 describes the complete architecture of the building according to topography and historical introduction as well as predecessor buildings. In Volume 2 the furnishings with altars, pews, pulpits, baptisms, tombs and epitaphs, monuments, individual objects, sculptures in stone and wood, crucifixes, bronze works, portraits of bishops, canons and administrators, objects in the depot, organs, bells, clocks and timepieces, stained glass, the cathedral treasure, liturgical equipment and monastic orders, liturgical textiles as well as chests and cupboards are comprehensively presented. The texts in both volumes are preceded in chronological order by sources, pictorial sources, literature and tradition. This is followed by a systematic description of the respective object. Both volumes are richly illustrated, giving the ensemble an appreciation worthy of its rank. "The comprehensive volumes are impressive; unique works of art of supra-regional importance are documented in an exemplary manner," says Dr. Martin Hoernes, Secretary General of the Ernst von Siemens Art Foundation. "The preparation of catalogues of holdings is the supreme discipline of museum work; they make the presented treasures accessible. The Ernst von Siemens Art Foundation supports the acquisition of valuable art, its restoration, exhibitions and inventory catalogues. The inventory volume of the Naumburg Cathedral received its extensive funding under this heading," says Hoernes.

Three main authors have contributed to the success of the publication with the support of a further 19 authors. With their scientifically sound contributions and rich illustrations, they have created an architectural source and reference work that also takes interdisciplinary issues into account. This standard work is aimed at scholars of art history, archaeology, building research, restoration, art technology, dendrochronology as well as liturgical, legal and musical history, but also at all those who are enthusiastic about this historic building.

The publication is available from the publishing house Schnell & Steiner and in bookshops.

Publisher: Holger Kunde, Harald Meller, Wolfgang Schenkluhn
Authors: Heiko Brandl, Matthias Ludwig and Oliver Ritter

with contributions by Walter Bettauer, Holger Brülls, Thomas Eißing, Bernadett Freysoldt, Markus Hörsch, Philipp Jahn, Olaf Karlson, Mathias Köhler, Holger Kunde, Anke Neugebauer, Daniel Parello, Barbara Pregla, Wolfgang Schenkluhn, Bettina Schüpke, Anja Seliger, Guido Siebert, Nicole Thies, Achim Todenhöfer, Tanja Ziemann

Hardcover (Efalin stitched with dust jacket), duplex print, size 24 × 30 cm, 1414 pages, 186 col. illustrations, 5 plan inserts, 1474 b/w illustrations, ISBN 978-3-7954-3399-4, Verlag Schnell & Steiner

Subscription price until 31 March 2019: 125,- €

Selling price as of 1 April 2019: 150,- €