Bremen - Cathedral

Charlemagne founded, during the Saxon Wars, the diocese of Bremen. In 787 Saint Willehad became the first Bishop. He erected the first (wooden) church here in 789. Three years later Saxons attacked Bremen and burned down its timber cathedral. The "new" cathedral, erected by Willehad´s successors burnt down with many buildings around in 1041, due to arson.

The cathedral was rebuilt as a pillared basilica. A (still existing) crypt was built under the west part of the nave. The archbishop even brought craftsmen from Lombardy to embellish the cathedral. This may have been expensive, so he tried to be pennywise, by tearing down parts of the fortification and using the stones for the cathedral. This was not wise, as it lead to the return of the Saxons, sacking Bremen and the cathedral in 1064.

The cathedral again was rebuilt probably within the 12th century, the lower storeys of the western façade and towers are constructed in Romanesque style. Continuing the construction over the next centuries, the styles changed.

What is seen today is largely the result of a reconstruction of the 19th century, after the citizens had decided to restore the cathedral to its medieval glory. The cathedral was reopend in 1901. The northern tower had collapsed in the 17th century, it was newly erected from its foundations. The two now identic towers were completed in 1892.