Dom (Cathedral)

Description:

• About A.D. 800, Emperor Charlemagne built the "octagon," the core of the Imperial Cathedral. Within stands the marble Königsstuhl, Charlemagne's throne, one of the most venerable monuments in Germany. (Visitors to the cathedral can view the throne only with a guide; request one at the treasury or call ahead.) The Holy Roman emperors were crowned here from 936 to 1531, when Frankfurt became the coronation city.

  The cathedral is an unusual mixture of Carolingian (the well-preserved dome), Gothic (the choir, completed in 1414), and baroque (the Hungarian chapel), all united into a magnificent upward sweep of architecture. The treasury, in the adjoining house (entry: Klostergasse), is the most valuable and celebrated ecclesiastical treasure trove north of the Alps. But the cathedral itself holds its own share of wealth. The elaborate gold shrine (1215) in the chancel contains the relics of Charlemagne. The pulpit of Henry II (ca. 1002) is copper studded with precious gems.

• © Frommer's 2012

Awards:

Frommer's

•  Highly Recommended 2010