Freiberg Cathedral

Geschichte

The Freiberg Cathedral or Cathedral of St Mary is a church of the Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Saxony in Freiberg in Saxony. The term Dom, a German synecdoche used for collegiate churches and cathedrals alike, is often uniformly translated as cathedral into English, even though this church here was a collegiate church, not a cathedral .HistoryAround 1180, the basilica "of Our Lady" was built in Freiberg, which was developing rapidly due to the silver that had recently been found in the Ore Mountains. Two significant works of art that are still conserved were added very early: the Triumphkreuzgruppe crucifixion group (around 1225) and the Goldene Pforte (Golden Gate). In 1480, the church was turned into a Collegiate church, which earned the church the naming Dom, in German used for collegiate churches and cathedrals alike. However, the college was dissolved after only 57 years due to the reformation in the Electorate of Saxony.In the great fire of 1484, the church was almost completely destroyed. However, the crucifixion group, golden gate, and parts of the quire were preserved. The Cathedral of St. Mary was built at the same location as a triple-naved Gothic hall church. A remarkable feature are the two adjacent pulpits in the central nave: the free-standing Tulpenkanzel (Tulip pulpit) from 1505, made by sculptor Master H.W. of a light type of the Tuff from Chemnitz-Hilbersdorf and the Bergmannkanzel (Miner's pulpit) of 1638 created by Hans Fritzsche of a Saxon sandstone.