Dom und Domschatz Halberstadt

About the museum

The origins of the Halberstadt diocese go back to the Carolingian era; a first major cathedral was consecrated in 859. The present Cathedral of St. Stephen and St. Sixtus was begun around 1236, took roughly 250 years to build on the model of French Gothic, and was consecrated in 1491. Among the elements preserved from earlier buildings are the baptismal font of 1195 and the triumphal cross group from around 1220.

From the 9th century on, the cathedral treasury grew through donations from canons, bishops, nobles, and emperors. Especially significant was the gift of Bishop Konrad of Krosigk, who in 1204 brought relics, Byzantine goldsmith work, and silk fabrics back from Constantinople after the Fourth Crusade. Because the cathedral chapter remained of mixed denominations from the Reformation in 1591 until secularization in 1810 and continued to use the furnishings liturgically, the treasury remained largely intact on site.

In the 19th century, parts of it were already displayed in the chapter house and treasury, and a cathedral museum opened in 1936. Removed to safety during World War II, the treasury survived the war almost undamaged, while the cathedral was badly hit in 1945 and rebuilt until 1956. The cathedral has belonged to the Kulturstiftung Sachsen-Anhalt since 1996, and the cathedral treasury since 1998. In 2008, a new permanent exhibition with around 300 works opened in the historic rooms of the cathedral cloister complex and a new museum building; since 2020 the foundation has run the cathedral treasury itself, and a visitor center was added in 2023.

Highlights

• Romanesque tapestries of the 12th century, including the Abraham and Angel Tapestry
• Byzantine reliquaries and goldsmith work from the Fourth Crusade
• Liturgical vestments of gold and silk
• Historic treasury and chapter house
• Triumphal cross group from around 1220 and baptismal font of 1195 in the cathedral
• Around 290 colored stained-glass windows in the Gothic cathedral

Permanent exhibitions

• Domschatz Halberstadt – Around 300 selected works – tapestries, vestments, reliquaries, manuscripts, altarpieces, and sculptures – in the treasury, chapter house, and cathedral cloister complex.
• Der Dom St. Stephanus und St. Sixtus – The Gothic cathedral with largely original medieval furnishings, including the triumphal cross group, rood screen, Romanesque baptismal font, and colored stained-glass windows.

Founded

1936

Operated by

Kulturstiftung Sachsen-Anhalt

Director

Dr. Uta-Christiane Bergemann

Admission & discounts

Free admission with, among others, the HarzCard, the Kulturpass of the city of Halberstadt, for new residents of Halberstadt, federal volunteer service participants, members of ICOM, ICOMOS, the German Museums Association, the Museum Association of Saxony-Anhalt, and the friends' association, as well as for bus drivers and tour guides. Online tickets in advance or at the ticket desk.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials
• Audio description: no information

Visitor entrance accessible via the north portal; the cathedral and cloister are step-free. In the cathedral treasury, only the refectory vestibule and chapter house are step-free; the tapestry and vestment rooms are reached via short flights of stairs, and the medieval treasury is not accessible. Tours are also available in Plain Language (Einfache Sprache). Guide and assistance dogs are permitted, other animals are not.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops

Children and young people up to age 18 have free admission. For daycare and school groups there are tours and project days, such as a discovery tour through the cathedral treasury, dragon-and-knight stories in the cathedral, or a scriptorium for writing and painting as in the Middle Ages (ages 5 and 6 and up, respectively).

Getting there & parking

By car via the B79 (from the direction of Wolfenbüttel or Quedlinburg) or the B81 (from the direction of Magdeburg or Wernigerode).

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Restaurant: not available
• Museum shop
• Lockers

Dom|Schatz visitor center (opened 2023) on the north side of the cathedral with a café and shop. Free lockers in the visitor center and in the new cathedral treasury building; bags and backpacks larger than A4 and umbrellas must be stored in lockers.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.

Plan your visit