St. Peter's Cathedral
- Visit: about 1 h
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Why go
- See eight 17th-century mummies in glass-topped coffins in the lead cellar beneath the nave.
- The western crypt, Bremen’s oldest room, has decorated Romanesque capitals and a bronze font dating to 1229.
- The cathedral museum displays finds from medieval bishops’ graves excavated in the 1970s.
- Queen Christina of Sweden gave Bremen the pulpit in 1638; it remains in its original position.
- Climb 265 steps up the south tower for views across Bremen; the north tower is closed to the public.
Opening hours
Today11:30 – 17:00Show all
Know before you go
- Closed 23–30 September and 2 October 2026.
- Regular hours: Monday–Saturday 10:00–17:00; Sunday 11:30–17:00.
- Also closed on 1 May and 3 October. Church services and parish events can require visitor closures.
Legends and hidden details
- Unmarried men who turn 30 traditionally sweep the cathedral steps until a young woman kisses them.
Services and visiting hours
- Baptisms
- The western crypt is used for baptisms.
- Parish rites
- The cathedral hosts confirmations, weddings and funerals.
- Guided visits
- Explore independently or take a guided tour.
- Music
- The cathedral sometimes hosts organ concerts, particularly in summer.
Interesting facts5
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The eastern crypt holds nearly ninety graves of bishops, archbishops and other notable people.
Bremen Cathedral - Wikipedia (part 2) -
Nine carved choir-stall wings made in the 1360s are displayed in a chapel.
Bremen Cathedral - Wikipedia (part 2) -
89 metres
The two western towers are each 89 metres tall, excluding their weather vanes.
Bremen Cathedral - Wikipedia (part 2) -
The cathedral has five organs in different parts of the building.
Bremen Cathedral - Wikipedia (part 2) -
2022
The cathedral has six bells; two were added in 2022, and its oldest surviving bell, Gloriosa, dates to 1433.
Bremen Cathedral - Wikipedia (part 2)
Shorts
History
Excavations beneath the nave revealed successive stone churches, including a three-aisled building associated with Bishop Ansgar’s consecration in 860. The later medieval rebuilding produced a cathedral at least twice as large as its predecessors.
- Around 789A timber church attributed to Willehad is thought to have stood here.
- 792Saxons destroyed the timber church.
- 805Bishop Willerich rebuilt the church in stone.
- 1041A fire destroyed much of Bremen, the cathedral and its library.
- 1049The east choir and its crypt were already built by the high altar’s consecration, although work may have remained unfinished.
Show all
- 11th centuryArchbishop Adalbert rebuilt the cathedral as a pillared Romanesque basilica with a timber ceiling; his successor Liemar completed the building.
- By about 1250Nave vaulting was completed in two phases, helped by an indulgence approved in 1224.
- 1502A late Gothic hall-church conversion began, but only a new north aisle was completed before the Reformation halted expansion.
- 1522–1528Bremen accepted the Reformation, and Lutheran worship was established in the cathedral.
- 1561–1638The cathedral was closed amid political complications.
- 1888–1901A major restoration rebuilt the western towers and much of the façade; the cathedral reopened in 1901.
- 1943–1950Wartime bombing damaged the cathedral, collapsing part of the north aisle vaults in 1945; the building was stabilized and its vaults reconstructed by 1950.
- 1972–1981Restoration included archaeological examination of foundations and graves beneath the floor.
Accessibility
- Cathedral entry Access for visitors with limited mobility is via Dom 1 and the Bibelgarten.
- Stairs-only areas The crypts, high altar and lead cellar can only be reached by stairs.
- Museum upper rooms Step-free lift access is through the parish house at Sandstraße 10–12.
Sources: Bremen Cathedral - Wikipedia · Bremen Cathedral - Wikipedia (part 2) · Bremen Cathedral - Wikipedia (part 3) · Bremen - Wikivoyage (see) · St. Petri Dom Bremen · Besucher-Info - St. Petri Dom · Führungen - St. Petri Dom · Bremer Dom - Wikipedia · Cathédrale Saint-Pierre de Brême - Wikipedia · checked 29 Sep 2026
- Website
- stpetridom.de/
- Phone
- +4942136504020
Questions and answers
What is St. Peter’s Cathedral’s address?
Sandstraße 10–12, 28195 Bremen.
How can I contact St. Peter’s Cathedral?
Call +49 421 36504020.
Is there a virtual tour of St. Peter’s Cathedral?
A virtual tour is available.
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