Untitled - Der Naumburger Meister

Organisers of the exhibition 

represented by 

Georg Graf von Zech-Burkersroda, 

Dean of the Chapter 

Principal sponsors of the Saxony-Anhalt State exhibition 2011 

Additional support 

Partners and supporters 

SEKTKELLEREI 

In cooperation with Musée du Louvre Paris; Musée des Monuments français Paris; 

Musée National du Moyen Âge Paris; Musées de la Ville de Strasbourg; Bischöfliches 

Dom- und Diözesanmuseum Mainz; Hochstift Meißen; Landesamt für Denkmalpflege 

und Archäologie Sachsen-Anhalt; Evangelisches Kirchspiel Naumburg; Domkantorei 

Naumburg; NAUMBUrG KoLLEG; LISA Landesinstitut für Lehrerfortbildung, 

Lehrerweiterbildung und Unterrichtsforschung; Theater Naumburg 

Enjoy a visit to “Der verschwundene Dom” (The vanished cathedral), 

a special exhi bition by Bischöfliches Dom- und Diözesanmuseum Mainz on 

the occasion of the Mainz Cathedral’s 1000-year anniversary from 

1st April to 31st october 2011 

“From Naumburg to Meissen”, a special exhibition by the Hochstift Meissen 

from 29th June to 2nd November 2011 in Meissen Cathedral 

Contact 

Exhibition office 

fon +49 (0) 3445 23 01 123 

info@naumburgermeister.eu 

represented by 

the Mayor Bernward Küper 

Public relations 

fon +49 (0) 3445 23 01 122 

presse@naumburgermeister.eu 

Under the generous auspices 

of the Chancellor 

of the Federal republic of Germany, 

Dr. Angela Merkel

T h e N a u m b u r g m a s T e r – 

sculpTor aNd archiTecT iN The europe of caThedrals 

The “Schlösschen” 

on the marketplace 

in front of the Church 

of St. Wenceslas 

Naumburg City Museum 

“Hohe Lilie” 

on the marketplace 

Entitled “The Naumburg Master – 

Sculptor and Architect in the Europe 

of Cathedrals”, the Saxony- 

Anhalt State Exhibition will be presented 

in Naumburg from 29th June 

to 2nd November 2011. It is organized 

by the city of Naumburg in cooperation 

with the United Chapters 

Foundations of the Cathedrals of 

Merseburg and Naumburg and the 

collegiate Chapter of Zeitz (Vereinigte 

Domstifter zu Merseburg und 

Naumburg und des Kollegiatstifts 

Zeitz). 

In close cooperation with a large 

number of museums, institutions 

and specialists from Germany and 

abroad, this international exhibition 

is dedicated to the work of the so 

called Naumburg Master and his ar- 

tistic position in the context of mid 

13th century Europe. outstanding 

works of art - including sculpture, 

treasury objects in gold and silver, 

stained glass and illustrated books 

from France, Germany, Poland, the 

United Kingdom, Austria and the 

USA – provide a unique insight and 

understanding of cultural and artistic 

exchange in medieval Europe. 

2 3 

Naumburg, apex of 

St. John‘s Chapel 

in the cathedral cemetery 

Naumburg, Chapel of St. Giles 

in a canon‘s house 

An exhibition area of 2500m² will be 

used, including the “Schlösschen“ 

on the market place, the Cathedral 

of St. Peter and St. Paul, the Church 

of St. Mary near the Cathedral, and 

the city museum “Hohe Lilie”. The 

St. John’s Chapel in the Cathedral 

cemetery as well as the St. Giles’ 

Chapel await the visitor. In addition 

to the exhibition space a highlight 

shall be the redesigned Cathedral 

garden including the children’s medieval 

stone masons’ lodge and the 

“Garden of the Naumburg Master” – 

a recreation of a medieval garden 

where the natural plant world which 

inspired the sculptor for the capitals 

of the rood screen in the Cathedral 

can be admired.

Naumburg caThedral 

The towers of the cathedral 

from the south west 

Naumburg Cathedral crypt 

under the east choir 

The Naumburg Cathedral of St. P eter 

and St. Paul ranks as one of the most 

important sacred cultural monuments 

from the time of the European 

High Middle Ages. Together with 

the cloisters, the chapel of the Three 

Kings, the Church of St. Mary and 

the surrounding canons’ houses, the 

impressive building with its four 

towers creates a magnificent architectural 

ensemble. 

The history of Naumburg Cathedral 

begins in 1028 with the transfer of 

the Bishop’s seat to Naumburg from 

Zeitz, which was founded by Em- 

peror otto the Great in 968. With 

the exception of a few remaining 

remnants of several walls, little is left 

of the 11th century cathedral. 

Sources indicate comprehensive 

building work on the cloisters and 

the cathedral church from 1211-1212 

at which time the decision was made 

for an ambitious rebuilding of the 

cathedral. By the time of the death of 

Bishop Engelhard II in 1242, the 

crypt, the east choir, the transept, 

nave and the ground floor of the two 

west towers had been completed. 

4 5 

Naumburg Cathedral 

nave looking towards the west 

with a view of the west rood screen 

and west choir

i s h o p d i e T r i c h i i 

a N d T h e c o N s T r u c T i o N 

o f T h e w e s T c h o i r 

Statues of Ekkehard II, 

Margrave of Lusatia and Meissen 

and his consort Uta 

6 7 

Charter from 1249: appeal 

for the completion of the cathedral 

Naumburg, Domstiftsarchiv 

Statue 

of Count Syzzo 

The decisions made by Bishop Dietrich 

II (1243–1272) had a major 

i nfluence on the history of Naumburg 

Cathedral. Being a member of 

the House of Wettin as well as being 

a long term member of the Naumburg 

Cathedral chapter, Dietrich maintained 

a special and intermediary 

p osition in the tense network woven 

between the claims to power of the 

diocese and the attempts to contain 

and restrict diocesan power on the 

part of Margrave Henry the Illustrious 

of Meissen (1221–1288). Siegfried 

II, Archbishop of Mainz, ordained 

Dietrich II as bishop. This 

direct contact was a major contributing 

factor leading to the summons 

to Naumburg of the artist who had 

created the rood screen in the Cathedral 

of Mainz. The cooperative 

e fforts of Bishop Dietrich II, various 

representatives of the cathedral 

chapter, and the master craftsman 

from Mainz resulted in the agreement 

to complete the west choir of 

the cathedral and by so doing to fundamentally 

and symbolically manifest 

the secular and ecclesiastic legality 

of Naumburg as Bishop’s Seat. 

For this reason, it was the further 

agreed upon to commission a group 

of twelve statues: one each of twelve 

various benefactors who had endowed 

and gifted the Naumburg 

Cathedral. These twelve statues 

form the artistic basis of the west 

choir itself, all of which is embedded 

in a highly complex and comprehensive 

theological concept.

View 

of the 

west choir 

T h e w e s T c h o i r – a uNique eNsemble 

Christ before Pilate, relief 

on the west rood screen 

Due to their excellent artistic quality, 

the architecture, sculpture, stained 

glass and fresco of the west choir 

(completed approximately 1250) 

create a synthesis which is completely 

unified in both its iconographical 

and structural engineering aspects. 

This extraordinary artistic, architectural, 

and theological harmony can 

only have been achieved by giving a 

general directorship of the worksite 

to one responsible sculptor/architect 

– the “Naumburg Master” who 

came from Mainz. 

The composition of the Crucifixion 

group and the related reliefs detailing 

the Passion on the west rood 

screen, the design of the twelve benefactor 

figures in the west choir, as 

well as the deacon’s statue in the 

form of a pult-bearer, and the bishop’s 

monument tomb in the east 

choir – are all of consumate artistic 

mastery. Faces, gestures and movements 

are reproduced in an unusually 

lifelike and expressive manner. 

The extraordinary ability of the artist 

to give to all of his human figures 

a realistic expression of emotional, 

spiritual, and psychological conditions, 

imbues the figures with an inner 

life and soul. The uniquely realistic 

representations of plants in the 

capitals of the rood screen and those 

of humans and animals on the gargoyles 

of the west choir are examples 

of the astonishing naturalism of 

the Naumburg Master. Firmly anchored 

within an architectural 

framework, the statues of the benefactors 

in the west choir are spatially 

related to the Crucifixion group and 

the reliefs depicting the Passion on 

the west rood screen. In turn, these 

8 9 

figures and depictions are all in an 

immediate compositional relationship 

and interaction with the fresco 

of the Supreme Judge in the quatrefoil. 

In harmony with the depictions 

of the Naumburg Bishops and the 

saints triumphal over vice in the 

stained glass windows, the entire artistic 

and architectonic complex of 

the west choir manifests the central 

statement of faith in the theology of 

the High Middle Ages. 

How medieval works of art from 

various genres were compositionally 

Front view of the west 

rood screen 

Detail of St. John 

from the Calvary scene on 

the west rood screen 

Detail of the Virgin Mary 

from the Calvary scene on 

the west rood screen 

unified in order to express to believers 

an idea of salvation can still be 

examined today by virtue of the ensemble 

of sculpture, stained glass 

and painting in the west choir. Based 

upon the medieval ideal of creating 

an organic art work, the exhibition 

offers a survey of stylistic and programmatic 

relationships within the 

various genres of medieval art with 

comparative presentations of manuscripts, 

gold and silver objets d’art, 

and stained glass.

life aNd worK of The Naumburg masTer 

The Founders’ bay and the choir 

polygon in Meissen Cathedral 

As there are no written sources as to 

the life of the Naumburg Master, research 

into the history and work of 

the anonymous sculptor/architect 

and his workshop is dependent on 

the results of architectural research 

and artistic analysis. However, the 

results of this research and analysis 

indicate and recognize that the 

Naumburg Master is one of the most 

important sculptor/architects in Europe, 

embedded in a wide stream of 

east and west cultural exchanges. In 

the form of originals and copies, the 

exhibition in Naumburg manages to 

bring together a large number of 

works which manifest this cultural 

exchange so inherent to the art and 

architecture of mid 13th century Europe. 

As well as being based on the 

architect’s places of residence before 

and after Naumburg – Mainz and 

Meissen – it presents the foundation 

of the “Naumburg” workshop and 

its forerunners in reims, Noyon, 

Coucy and Metz. 

The Master’s specifi c style can be 

seen for the fi rst time in the west 

front of Noyon Cathedral, and also 

perhaps in the sculptural decorations 

of the donjon of the fortress of 

Coucy, the largest castle complex in 

France in the 13th century. Furthermore, 

he created in the Cathedral 

of Metz an artistically outstanding 

r elief. 

The appointment of the Master’s 

workshop by Siegfried III of Eppstein, 

Archbishop of Mainz, played 

an important part in the Master’s 

work within the Holy roman Empire. 

His work on the west and east 

choirs of Mainz Cathedral may have 

been contemporary to the design 

10 11 

and construction of the Templars’ 

chapel in Iben in the rhineland. His 

capability as an architect was comprehensively 

demonstrated with the 

complete design of the west choir at 

Naumburg, and with the bold and 

complex site of the Cathedral at 

Meissen, the substructure of which 

extends deep down a steep cliff. 

Atlas, supporting 

sculpture on the west front 

of Noyon Cathedral 

Procession of the damned 

on Judgment Day 

on the former west rood 

screen of Mainz Cathedral 

Mainz, Dom-und 

Diözesanmuseum 

Division of the coat 

of St. Martin in the parish 

church of Bassenheim

Choir 

of Notre-Dame 

Cathedral 

in reims 

reims 

The coroNaTioN caThedral 

of The KiNgs of fraNce 

From the time that remigius, Archbishop 

of reims anointed Chlodwig, 

King of the Franks at the end of the 

5th century in the cathedral, the 

c athedral at reims played a prominent 

role in the establishment and 

formation of the west Frankish – 

l ater French – kingdom. The new 

c athedral, which was built following 

a devastating fi re in 1211, refl ects the 

confi dence and the tradition of both 

the most important French archbishopric 

and the ambitious royal 

dynasty. New forms in sculpture 

and architecture are witnesses to the 

innovative power that spread out 

from the most infl uential cathedral 

building site of the time. Masks and 

tracery are the main elements for the 

individualization of the sculpture 

and the artistic sophistication of the 

building. From the beginning, architecture 

and sculpture were integrated 

in a hitherto unknown way – the 

origins of the “sculptor/architect” 

began here. 

12 13 

T h e i N f l u e N c e 

of reims caThedral 

The redeemed sinners in Abraham‘s bosom 

from the Prince‘s Porch of Bamberg Cathedral 

Bamberg, Diözesanmuseum 

The building of reims Cathedral 

was a magnet for stonemasons, 

a rchitects and craftsmen from all 

over Europe. owing to the rapidity 

of construction and the gigantic size 

of the undertaking, there was a high 

turnover of highly specialized workers. 

The groups of workers who 

moved from reims spread the new 

knowledge of architecture, sculpture 

and logistics throughout most 

of the Christian countries within a 

very short time. Using prominent 

originals and copies, the exhibition 

indicates the triumphal procession 

of this new style in Strasbourg, 

Trier, Bamberg and Magdeburg. And, 

the artistic and architectural sources 

which inspired the Naumburg Master 

are also a central theme of the 

e xhibition. 

Eve with the distaff, 

fi gure from the rose archivolt 

in the north transept 

of reims Cathedral 

reims, Palais du Tau 

Head of an angel 

Trier, rheinisches 

Landesmuseum

Atlas from Strasbourg Minster 

Strasbourg, Musée 

de l’Œuvre Notre-Dame 

The masTer builders of 

The goThic caThedrals 

Baptismal font from Hildesheim Cathedral 

Hildesheim, Cathedral of the Assumption of the 

Virgin Mary 

During the course of the 13th century, 

with the building of cathedrals 

that seemed to reach towards heaven, 

the scale of which transcended all 

building that had hitherto been conceived 

– including those of antiquity, 

the social status of the architect 

changed. Entrusted with development 

of construction to the highest 

standards, he was considered to be a 

“doctor lathomorum”, a highly qualifi 

ed stonemason. The names of the 

sculptor/architects of these new, 

massive buildings were often immortalized 

in the labyrinths, a symbol 

of pre-eminent architecture, 

which were inlaid in the stone fl oors 

of the cathedrals. 

Architectural sketches drawn on 

parchment were then passed from 

one building site to another builidng 

site which allowed the sculptor/architect 

to comprehensively study, 

analyse, and understand both his 

own and other building projects in 

their various stages. Microarchitectural 

positions, such as baldachins 

over fi gures, mirror, in a model-like 

manner, ideals of architecture. The 

“atlantes”, statues of the master 

builder often found fi guratively supporting 

an architectural element 

within the building are allegories of 

the humble, modest, and servile relationship 

of the master builder to his 

physically and spiritually overwhelming 

creation: the cathedral. 

14 15 

arT aNd academia – 

paradise regaiNed 

Capital with vines 

on the west rood screen 

of Naumburg Cathedral 

The foundation of universities in 

Europe – especially that in Paris 

around 1150 – brought about a new 

scientifi c understanding. The writings 

of the philosophers from antiquity 

were rediscovered: in particular 

those of Aristotle, which formed 

the basis of scholastic teaching. As a 

r esult of the thoughts and writings 

of Albertus Magnus, the Dominican 

friar from Cologne, scientifi c research 

concerning nature changed. 

research was now exclusively concentrated 

on visual experience. 

This empirical principle also fi nds its 

expression in art, in the naturalistic 

depiction of fl ora and fauna in the 

decoration of the capitals and in 

friezes of foliage. The plants on the 

Scenes from the life 

of Parisian pupils 

Paris, Archives nationales, 

recueil des titres de 

fondation du collège de Hubant 

west rood screen capitals in Naumburg 

are of particularly impressive 

vitality. In light of the sacrifi cial 

death of Christ as depicted on the 

west rood screen these plants symbolize 

the redemption of the entire 

cosmos. observation of nature is extended 

to humans and animals in the 

same way. Emulating the famous 

“masks” of rheims Cathedral, which 

are based on physiognomic studies, 

attempts were made in many locales 

to convey a sense of inner life in the 

rendering of faces. owing to this increased 

visual awareness and experience 

of nature, even mythical beings 

such as dragons appear to have a real 

existence. 

ornamental leaves 

from the rood screen 

in Chartres Cathedral 

Chartres, Kathedrale 

Notre Dame

siN aNd redempTioN – 

The humaN face of chrisT 

The crucified Christ 

at the entrance 

to the west rood screen 

in Naumburg Cathedral 

16 17 

Platter with the head 

of John the Baptist 

Naumburg, 

Treasury Vault 

The Eucharistic Christ 

private loan, 

Wolfenbüttel, Herzog 

August Bibliothek 

The concept of distinctive individual 

knowledge of guilt, combined with 

the question of the possibility of 

freeing oneself from the yoke of sin 

through one’s own efforts pervades 

the entire gothic time period. However, 

it was simultaneously maintained 

that it was possible to obtain 

salvation through the church. This 

salvation occurred, for example, 

by presenting endowments to the 

church or churchrelated institutions, 

and by so doing, avoiding eternal 

damnation. The representations on 

the rood screen point to the act of 

redemption though the crucifixion 

of Christ, which was mystically 

reenacted in the celebration of the 

Eucharist at the choir altar. The 

prayers of the congregation included 

the benefactors portrayed in the 

statues on account of their good 

deeds. 

The concept of salvation on the 

Judgement Day with a punishing 

God permeated cathedral sculpture 

of the first half of the 13th century. 

In the work of the Naumburg M aster 

the grace endowing Christ a ppears 

instead. Those entering the choir at 

the west rood screen confront the 

Saviour directly in a powerful manner 

that is not to be found in cathedrals 

either before or since. Many 

and various statues and reliefs of the 

13th century, in places far removed 

from one another, artistically indicate 

the theological concept of a 

spiritually renewed and noble humanity.

courTly culTure aNd 

The commemoraTioN of fouNders 

The Ascanians‘ Chalice 

Berlin, Evangelische 

Kirchengemeinde 

St. Petri und St. Marien 

Golden brooch from the 

Erfurt treasure trove 

Thüringisches Landesamt 

für Denkmalpflege und 

Archäologie 

Influenced by developments in 

France and England, a high culture 

of courtly nobles flourished in Saxony 

and Thuringia in the 13th century, 

and found expression in poetry and 

music as well as the fine arts. In the 

same context an concept of spiritual 

salvation developed which was artistically 

represented with the assistance 

of an hierarchically organized 

classification system, as seen for example, 

in the west choir of the 

Naumburg Cathedral. The sculptures 

of the founders in Naumburg 

evoke the characteristics and distinctions 

developed by and inherent to 

the knightly class since the 12th century. 

These class characteristics and 

distinctions were to be seen in weaponry, 

heraldry, costume and jewellery, 

and particularly in the standards 

of courtly behaviour. 

Tomb figure of Margrave 

Dietrich of Meissen (died 1307) 

Leipzig, Kustodie der Universität 

In this epoch, the commemoration 

of cathedral founders via an artistic 

process increased considerably. 

Founders and benefactors often long 

dead were memorialized in the form 

of monuments or, as in Naumburg, 

as statues. These memorials serve as 

a reminder of the everlasting, perpetual 

powers as well as the venerable 

age of ecclesiastic institutions. In the 

statues of the founders, intended as 

models to emulate, the prospect and 

promise of salvation appears to be 

honoured by good works. 

18 19 

sacred figures 

iN colour aNd lighT 

Mary Magdalene 

in the north window 

of the west choir of 

Naumburg Cathedral 

Christ‘s descent into hell 

The Wolfenbüttel 

Pattern Book, 

Herzog August Bibliothek 

Wolfenüttel 

The resurrection 

Hamburg, Staats-und 

Universitätsbibliothek, 

Cod. 1 in scrinio 

The stained glass windows of the 

west choir, which to a large extent 

have survived in their original condition, 

have not hitherto been sufficiently 

valued or recognized for 

their artistic importance. Their artistic 

importance, however, the windows 

should be as much appreciated 

as the sculpture and the architecture, 

whereby the images in the windows 

have completely different origins. 

The “Zackenstil”, which spread 

from the rhineland to North and 

Central Germany, is based upon 

Byzantine motifs. As the “Wolfenbüttel 

pattern book” indicates, these 

various patterns were formalised and 

compiled in Constantinople. The exhibition 

highlights the significance 

of the Naumburg stained glass, 

which is then compared to a selection 

of unique examples of stained 

glass and illustrated manuscripts.

caThedral rood screeNs 

iN The 13Th ceNTury 

The representation of the Passion of 

Christ on the rood screen is a key 

position within the overall concept 

in Naumburg. The sacrificial death 

on the Cross is the source of redemption 

for the penitent. Who wished to 

further the salvation of his soul could 

do so by contributing to the church 

in the form of financially-oriented 

endowments. The Passion of our 

Lord is a particularly common theme 

on other rood screens from the 13th 

century, an architectural barrier 

which separates the congregation in 

the nave from the clergy in the choir. 

Fragments of complete and identifiable 

rood screens of France and the 

rhineland will be placed alongside 

the work of the Naumburg Master. 

The dream of the Three Wise Men, 

relief from the rood screen in 

Chartres Cathedral 

Notre-Dame Cathedral, Chartres 

The sacrifice of Isaac, relief from the 

rood screen of Strasbourg Minster 

Strasbourg, Musée de l’Œuvre 

Notre-Dame 

Mary Magdalene 

from the rood screen of 

Amiens Cathedral 

Amiens, Musée du Picardie 

20 21 

a New courTly ideal – arT 

uNder sT. louis of fraNce 

King Childebert I, statue from the Abbey 

of Saint-Germain-des-Prés in Paris 

Paris, Musée du Louvre 

The complex development of courtly 

aspects and the associated physical, 

human appearances seen within 

the sculptural cycle of the Cathedral 

Founders in Naumburg are determined 

by and are a reception of artistic 

ideas and forms firstly manifested 

at the Cathedral of rheims. 

These particular stylistic forms and 

modelling are indubitably a reception 

of rheims, and yet these forms 

were also rooted in the cultural heritage 

and objectives of the commissioners 

of the statues in Naumburg. 

So palpable in the Naumburg benefactor 

statues, the artistic ideal and 

objective of creating unique, individual, 

human forms shall find in 

Naumburg and in Meissen its final 

expression. 

A unified standardization replaced 

the goal of artistically registering 

and portraying individual traits: a 

direct result of a uniforming and 

unifying of courtly etiquette and life 

under Louis IX of France, commonly 

referred to as Saint Louis (1226– 

1270). Within this courtly context, a 

sophisticated elegance was developed. 

In association with this new 

codification of courtly life and towards 

the middle of the 13th century 

in Paris, a concept of art was developed 

that henceforth would dominate 

taste throughout much of Europe. 

In the exhibit, works of art 

carried out in France at this time or 

inspired by the French model illustrate 

this new concept of art. 

The exhibition presents major works 

produced at this time in Paris, among 

them the statue of King Childebert 

from the abbey of Saint-Germaindes-Prés 

and the apostles from Sainte- 

Chapelle. The Sainte-Chapelle, a central 

building project under Louis IX, 

was built at this time to house the 

r elic of Christ’s crown of thorns 

which Louis IX had acquired. The 

Sainte-Chapelle was erected as a 

“transparent” home for this extraordinary 

relic at the same time as the 

Naumburg west choir and also, in the 

interior, contains a cycle of statues. 

Apostle from the cycle of 

statues in Sainte-Chapelle 

Paris, Musée National 

du Moyen Âge

iNTerpreTaTioNs of The 

Naumburg caThedral: pasT aNd preseNT 

Evil Queen 

Scene from the DVD 

“Snow White and the seven Dwarfs” 

© Disney 

Without a doubt, Naumburg Cathedral 

and the work of the Naumburg 

Master are unique. And yet it could 

be maintained that there are as many 

Naumburg Cathedrals, as many Utas 

and Ekkehards and as many Naumburg 

Masters to be found as there 

are viewers, readers and scholars 

who study them. 

For a good 150 years art history has 

been concerned with the “stone marvel” 

of Naumburg with multifarious 

and often contradictory results. Popular 

reception – at that time vehement 

– began at the end of the 1920s 

with a flood of publications and reproductions, 

among which the expressive 

photographs by Walter Hege, 

a native of Naumburg and a pioneer 

in the photography of architecture 

and nature, played a central 

part. 

A diversity of interests of problematic 

contradictions (romanesque/ 

Gothic, introverted/extroverted, Ger - 

man/French etc.) provided the matrix 

for a kaleidoscopic mix of pictures: 

the “Master” as a born again 

Pygmalion, as a wandering genius, as 

God seeking mystic, as a Waldensian 

heretic, and finally as a prosaic collective 

of stonemasons. Uta, whose 

fame soon outstripped the fame of all 

the other Naumburg likenesses, has 

been portrayed as a faithful wife, as 

an unapproachable aristocrat and as a 

mysterious diva. 

The Naumburg statues have been 

abused as a symbol of the would be 

superiority of the Germans over everything 

foreign; while the reproductions 

in plaster and clay in West German 

living rooms after the World 

War II served as a reminder of their 

compatriots in the East. Today the 

Naumburg Master and his works appear 

to stand for European integration, 

a concept which had already 

been achieved in the Middle Ages. 

22 23 

The first illustration of Ekkehard and Uta 

(detail). Copper Engraving from: Johann 

Schamelius. Historische Beschreibung von 

dem ehemals berühmten Benedictiner- 

Kloster zu St. Georgen. Naumburg 1728 

“A culture fights for its existence”. 

Uta as an icon of World War II 

perseverance and endurance rallying 

speeches, from: “Kultur-Sonderausgabe” 

of the Leipziger Illustrierten Zeitung, 

December 1944 

Uta in the Cold War: as allegory of the “Eastern 

Colonisation” as seen on a German Federal Post 

stamp released during the annual conference of 

the East German Cultural Council in Berlin-West, 

1957 

The entertaining part of the exhibition 

in the City Museum “Hohe 

L ilie” (a building that dates back to 

the middle of the 13th century) is 

concerned with the interesting question 

of how such constructs of interpretation 

are formed and what manifest 

results they have produced. Under 

what conditions can works of art 

which are totally alien to the modern 

world be brought to life? How do 

the pictures appear in the eyes of the 

beholder? What do these works contribute 

to the process of interpretation? 

What does the beholder bring 

with him? And how much is owing 

to the “spirit of the age”?

Anemone ranunculoides L., 

ranunculaceae: Buttercup flower, 

yellow anemone 

The Naumburg Cathedral garden 

surrounds a large area immediately 

to the southwest of the Cathedral. 

This garden of approximately two 

and a half acres invites the visitor to 

stroll and enjoy the park, and perhaps 

indulge in a cup of coffee. 

Until the opening of the 2011 exhibit, 

this area of the Cathedral grounds 

was not open to the public. Unified 

within it are historic pond and pool 

complexes, the bastions of the medieval 

“Immunity Walls”, as well as 

the gardens of the former homes of 

the canons. 

The gardeN of The Naumburg masTer 

Naturalistic capital on the Western 

rood screen in Naumburg Cathedral 

In harmony with the newly redesigned 

Cathedral Garden, the garden 

of the Naumburg Master manages 

to create a relaxing and atmospheric 

ambience in which the Cathedral 

itself is situated and embedded. 

Within the park complex, in close 

proximity to the west Choir, the 

“Garden of the Naumburg Master” is 

situated in which the visitor may 

study and admire the local plant 

world. Exactly these plants served to 

inspire the Naumburg Master; he 

used these plants as models for the 

capitals, the friezes, and the keystones 

of the west rood screens and 

the west choir. on both the west 

rood screen and in the west choir of 

the Cathedral are over 150 original 

capitals on which botanically correct 

and identifiable foliage are to be 

found. 

24 25 

Cathedral stonemason's 

hut for children 

Naumburg Cathedral garden 

North Cathedral Sqaure 

Within the grounds of the Cathedral 

garden and in the course of the Exhibition 

a recreation of a medieval 

a rtisans’ and artists’ workshop (Bauhütte) 

shall be opened in which visitors 

may study and experience both 

the administrative and artistic processes 

of building and creating a 

m edieval Cathedral. Here visitors 

may experience, for example, the 

creation of a copy of a statue of a 

founding cathedral capital member 

such as Uta or Ekkehard, perhaps 

the most wellknown of the twelve 

figurative sculptures. 

Moreover, the Naumburg Cathedral 

garden will be the location of many 

artistic performances. Here the 

Naumburg Theatre will perform the 

special highlight “Lichtschatten tänzer” 

with figures, masks, music and 

dance. 

Garden of the 

g 

a 

l 

Naumburg Master 

e 

b 

h 

c 

u 

r 

b 

n 

i 

e 

t 

S 

3 Stg. 15/33 

4 Stg. 15/33 

5 Stg. 15/33 

West choir 

West enclosure 

Cathedral 

South enclosure 

The following sponsors and 

patrons have financed the 

reconstruction and restoration 

of the Naumburg Cathedral 

garden: 

St. Mary's Church 

Marienkapelle 

Cathedral Square 

Höhe Bestand 

Höhe geplant 

Brüstungshöhe geplant

elaTed sTaNdpoiNTs aNd places 

Merseburg 

Zeitz 

You may wish to consider visiting historically 

corresponding places in the 

Saale-Unstrut region with superb 

historical building ensembles and 

equally important works of medieval 

art. These corresponding positions, 

both in terms of towns and buildings 

and art works, are all closely related to 

the historic and artistic developments 

of the Naumburg Cathedral, the Cathedral 

Chapter, and the Naumburg 

Bishops. And in the scenic landscape 

of the vineyards of the Saale-Unstrut 

wine growing region, results of decisions 

of the Naumburg Bishops are 

still to be experienced. 

Merseburg 

The ensemble of Palace and Cathedral 

dominates the city of Merseburg, 

and both invite visitors to explore 

and to view the numerous art treasures 

which are maintained in this 

unique ensemble. For the Merseburg 

Cathedral the Naumburg Master created 

the tomb figure of Hermann the 

Freyburg 

Knight of Hagen. Valuable stained 

glass windows and a monumental 

triumphant cross bear witness to the 

artistic glories of the high middleages 

contained within the Cathedral. 

www.merseburger-dom.de 

www.merseburg.de 

Zeitz 

The Bishop’s Seat of Zeitz was created 

in 968 and was moved to Naumburg 

in the year 1028. The early medieval 

crypt of the former Cathedral 

in Zeitz is today integrated in the 

historical palace church of Moritzburg. 

The remarkable Gate House 

of the Moritzburg Palace houses the 

collegiate library with the extraordinary 

book collections of the last 

Naumburg Bishop Julius Pflug 

(1499–1564). International curiosities 

are the editions of reformatory 

writings of Martin Luther and 

Philipp Melanchthon. 

www.vereinigtedomstifter.de 

www.zeitz.de 

26 27 

Schulpforte 

Freyburg 

The castle of the Thuringian Landgraves, 

founded in 1090 and related 

to the Wartburg Castle, conveys the 

flair of the courtly life under Margrave 

Henry the Illustrious to this 

day. Important personages such as 

Emperor Barbarossa, St. Elisabeth of 

Thuringia, and poets such as Heinrich 

von Veldecke emboss the castle 

with a unique history. In addition, 

the remarkable Town Church of 

Freyburg is considered to be the “little 

sister” of the Naumburg Cathedral. 

www.schloss-neuenburg.de 

www.freyburg-tourismus.de 

Bad Kösen Schönburg 

Schulpforte 

The Monastery Pforta is a former 

Cistercian abbey in the Naumburg 

city district of Schulpforte. This abbey 

has been used as a public school 

for gifted students since 1543. The 

Monastery Church with its original 

building forms and substance is an 

excellent example of 13th century 

Cistercian architecture. Built in approximately 

1251 the choir of the 

church is architecturally related to 

developments experienced on the 

west choir of the Naumburg Cathedral, 

indicating an influence of the 

Naumburg Master. 

www.stiftung-schulpforta.de 

Bad Kösen 

High over the Saale river Valley the 

picturesque ruins of the Castles of Saaleck 

and rudelsburg commemorate 

their founders, the Bishops of Naumburg. 

Built Bishops in the High Middle 

Ages, this castle served to protect the 

trading routes, such as the Via r egia. 

Saaleck Castle lies just a few hundred 

meters distance from the rudelsburg 

upstream on the Saale r iver. 

www.rudelsburg.com 

www.burg-saaleck.info 

Schönburg 

The Fortress with the imposing round 

Tower was in the medieval era an extremely 

important possession of the 

Naumburg Bishops. of the original 

12th and 13th century building substance 

remain today the enclosing 

walls, the fortress keep, and the Courthouse 

of the Naumburg Bishops. 

www.schoenburg.de

Young craftsmen in the 

Stonemason‘s Lodge 

The 2011 state exhibition has a special 

attraction for school classes to the 

Naumburg Cathedral: a day in a medieval 

cathedral stone masons’ lodge 

and workshop. Hands on experience 

lies in the foreground: faithful copies 

of the original tools can be used. The 

pupils can slip into the roles of a medieval 

master builder or craftsman, 

and experience the fascinating world 

of a stonemason’s lodge of the 13th 

century, and even try out medieval 

working technology. opportunities 

to build a vault with model bricks or 

to reconstruct a Gothic window from 

soft porous concrete blocks and give 

it a lead glazing will abound. In addition, 

a large, wooden model of the cathedral 

may be used to indicate to the 

children the different construction 

phases of the church. The concept for 

this innovative project is currently 

being developed in cooperation with 

the Landesinstitut für Lehrerfortbildung, 

Lehrerweiterbildung und Unterrichtsforschung 

von Sachsen-Anhalt 

(LISA) [Saxony-Anhalt state Institute 

for the Continuing Education 

of Teachers and research of 

Teaching Methods]. 

T h e c a T h e d r a l 

sToNemasoN’s huT 

f o r c h i l d r e N 

Schoolchildren 

creating a tracery window 

28 1 

Curators 

Prof. Dr. Hartmut Krohm 

Dr. Holger Kunde 

Direktor und Stiftskustos 

der Vereinigten Domstifter 

Dr. Siegfried Wagner 

Direktor des Stadtmuseums Naumburg 

Academic advisory board 

Prof. Dr. Enno Bünz 

Universität Leipzig 

Dr. Julien Chapuis 

Skulpturensammlung und Museum 

für Byzantinische Kunst Berlin 

Dr. Cécile Dupeux 

Musée de l‘Œuvre Notre-Dame Strasbourg 

Prof. Dr. Jeffrey Hamburger 

Harvard University 

Prof. Dr. Christian Heck 

Université Charles de Gaulle Lille 

Prof. Dr. Leonhard Helten 

Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg 

Andreas Höfflin 

Ministerium für Wirtschaft, Magdeburg 

Dr. Martin Hoernes 

Kulturstiftung der Länder, Berlin 

Prof. Dr. Jarosław Jarzewicz 

Instytut Historii Sztuki, 

Uniwersytet Adama Mickiewicza Poznań 

Dr. Norbert Jopek 

Victoria & Albert Museum London 

Dr. Hans-Jürgen Kotzur 

Bischöfliches Dom- und Diözesanmuseum 

Mainz 

Dr. Pierre-Yves Le Pogam 

Musée du Louvre Paris 

Prof. Dr. Heinrich Magirius 

radebeul 

Prof. Dr. Harald Meller 

Landesamt für Denkmalpflege 

und Archäologie Sachsen Anhalt, Halle 

Ingo Mundt 

Kultusministerium, Magdeburg 

Prof. Dr. Joachim Poeschke 

Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster 

Bettina Quäschning 

Investitions-und Marketinggesellschaft, 

Magdeburg 

Domherr Prof. Dr. Arno Sames 

Halle (Vorsitzender des Beirates) 

Prof. Dr. Dany Sandron 

Université de Paris-Sorbonne 

Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Schenkluhn 


Prof. Dr. Ulrich Schießl 

Hochschule für Bildende Künste Dresden 

Prof. Dr. Manfred Schuller 

Technische Universität München 

Dr. Bettina Seyderhelm 

Kunstgutbeauftragte der Kirchenprovinz 

Sachsen, Magdeburg 

Prof. Dr. Hans-Georg Stephan 


Reinhard Schmitt 

Landesamt für Denkmalpflege und Archäologie 

Sachsen-Anhalt, Halle 

Christophe De Winter 

Französischer Kulturattaché 

in Sachsen-Anhalt, Magdeburg 

Prof. Dr. Jean Wirth 

Université de Genève, 

Unité d’histoire de l’art, Genf 

Prof. Dr. Harald Wolter-von dem Knesebeck 

rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität 

Bonn 

Editor Vereinigte Domstifter zu Merseburg und Naumburg und des Kollegiatstifts Zeitz 

Graphic ott+Stein, Berlin 

Printed by Grafisches Centrum Cuno, Calbe 

Photo credits Bildarchiv der Vereinigten Domstifter (Matthias rutkowski, Guido Siebert); 

Musée de Picardie Amiens (Hugo Maertens); Diözesanmuseum Bamberg (Konrad rainer); rheinisches 

Landesmuseum Trier; région Centre Inventaire général, ADAGP (Mariusz Hermanowicz, Aldo 

Abbinante); SCN Archives nationales; Harald Wolter-von dem Knesebeck; Herzog-August-Bibliothek 

Wolfenbüttel; Staats- und Universitätsbibliothek Hamburg; Dom-Museum Hildesheim; Thüringisches 

Landesamt für Denkmalpflege und Archäologie; Patrick Fock; Kustodie der Universität Leipzig 

(Karin Kranich); Walt Disney Company; Elisabeth Harting; Stiftung Dome und Schlösser in 

Sachsen-Anhalt, Museum Schloss Neuenburg (Thomas Tempel); Museum Schloss Moritzburg Zeitz 

(Schütze-rodemann, Halle/Saale), Schönburg (Christian Günther, Leipzig) ); LISA 

Catalogue A catalogue of about 900 pages with numerous illustrations in colour will be published 

on the occasion of the exhibition; Michael Imhof Verlag; ISBN No. 978-3-86568-600-8.

Visitor Services 

Domplatz 16/17 

D-06618 Naumburg 

fon +49 (0) 3445 23 01 120 

fax +49 (0) 3445 23 01 121 

fuehrung@naumburgermeister.eu 

www.naumburgermeister.eu 

Opening Hours 

Daily: 10.00 a.m. – 7.00 p.m.; long Fridays: 10.00 a.m. – 10.00 p.m. 

Guided tours for individual visitors 

Audio-Guide Languages: German, English, French 

Guided tours for the public 

Meeting point: 

Schlösschen 10.30 a.m. and 2.30 p.m. 

Naumburg Cathedral 11.30 a.m. and 3.30 p.m. 

Naumburg Tourist Board 

Markt 12 

D-06618 Naumburg 

fon +49 (0) 3445 27 31 25 

fax +49 (0) 3445 27 31 28 

tourismus@naumburg.de 

www.naumburg-tourismus.de 

The Naumburg Cathedral garden with the “Garden of the Naumburg 

Master” may be visited during the regular opening hours. 

Admission charges 

Adults/Group concessions 12/11 € 

Concessions (students, trainees) 8 € 

School children 2 € 

Season ticket for adults*/for schoolchildren* 30/5 € 

*not valid for special events and without supplement for guided tours 

Place 

“The world of the Gothic Cathedral” 

Duration 

Price per person** 

Guided tour through the Schlösschen 

“Way and works of the Naumburg Master” 

30 minutes 1.50 € plus admission 

Guided tour through the Cathedral & cloisters 

Combined guided tour 

60 minutes 2.50 € plus admission 

through the Schlösschen, Cathedral & cloisters 90 minutes 3.50 € plus admission 

**no surcharge for children and adolescents under 18 years of age when accompanied by an adult 

Guided tours for group visitors 

reservation required 

Languages: German, English, French 

Meeting point: by arrangement, Schlösschen (Markt 6) or Naumburg Cathedral (Domplatz 16/17) 

Number of persons in a group: max. 25 persons, 1 tour guide and 1 bus driver free 

Place 

“The world of the Gothic Cathedral” 

Guided tour through the Schlösschen 

“Way and works of the Naumburg Master” 

Guided tour through the Cathedral & cloisters 

Combined guided tour 

through the Schlösschen, Cathedral & cloisters 

Education programs 

Guided tours for school classes 

reservation required 

Meeting point: by arrangement 

1 teacher & 1 escort free 

Duration 

30 minutes 

60 minutes 

120 minutes 80 € plus admission 

(including walking time) 

Duration 

45 minutes 

60 minutes 

Price per group 

School projects 

Further information about the medieval Cathedral stonemason’s hut and 

workshop for children is published in separate folders and on our homepage: 

www.naumburgermeister.eu 

25 € plus admission 


Price per group 



Arrival 

3 

Hannover v A2 

Göttingen v A38 

Roßbacher Straße 

B 87 

11 

100m 

Erfurt 

Frankfurt a. M. v A4 

B 180 

Moritzberg 

7 

8 

P 

MORITZ 

PLATZ 

Hospitalstraße 

Schulpforte 

Bad Kösen 

Weimar 

Freyburg 

Naumburg 

Lindenhof 

Neuengüter Hinter d. Dom 

München v A9 

3 

Aegidiengasse 

Moritzstraße 

Dompredigergasse 

P WC 

Freyburger Straße 

Neuer Steinweg 

Windmühlenstraße 

Poststraße 

MichaelisstraßeSalzstraße 

Weimarer Straße 

Magdeburg 

A14 A14 

Jena 

Weißenfels 

Schönburg 

2 

Schulstraße 

12 

KRAMER 

PLATZ 

Jenaer Straße 

Exhibition tour 

1. Schlösschen on the marketplace 

2. Cathedral of St. Peter 

and St. Paul 

3. Canon’s house 

with St. Giles’ Chapel 

4. St. John’s Chapel 

5. City Museum “Hohe Lilie” 

Merseburg 

A4 

A38 

DOM 

PLATZ 

Steinweg 

OTHMARS 

PLATZ 

15 

B 88 

Halle 

Zeitz 

14 

Lindenring 

4 

Neumauer 

Seilergasse 

gasse 

Brunnen 

A2 

Reussenplatz 

P 

Neustraße 

A9 

Leipzig 

DOMFRIEDHOF 

Salzgasse 

A4 k Dresden 

Mühlgasse 

Lindenring 

Rosengarten 

Herrenstraße 

Berlin 

A14 k Dresden 

5 

13 

J.-Gutenber-Straße 

Fischgasse 

Wenzelsmauer 

Wenzelsring 

i 

MARKT 

1 

6 

TOPF 

MARKT 

Other sights worth seeing 

6. Town Church of St. Wenceslaus 

7. to the railway Station 

8. Provincial High Court 

9. St. Mary’s Town Gate 

10. Church of St. Mary Magdalen 

Jüdengasse 

P 

Postring 

MARIENPLATZ 

Fischstraße 

By InterCity from Berlin, 

Frankfurt/Main and 

Nuremberg 

or by local train 

from Halle and Eisenach. 

By air from airports 

of Halle-Leipzig, Erfurt 

and Berlin 

The travel destination Saxony- 

Anhalt impresses its visitors 

with numerous buildings on 

the “romanesque road”, with 

idyllic parks and gardens in 

the “Garden Dreams”, with 

various opportunities for outdoor 

activities at the rivers and lakes 

of the “Blue ribbon” as well as 

with sensational archeological 

discoveries on the “Sky Paths”. 

Please contact us for travel offers: 

fon +49 (0) 391/562-83820 

www.sachsen-anhalt-tourismus.de 

Naumburg 

Mariengasse 

Marienstraße 

Jakobsstraße 

Jakobsgasse 

Wenzelsgasse 

Wenzelsstraße 

16 

9 

10 

Thainburg 

HOLZ 

MARKT 

Weingarten 

Jakobsmauer 

L 205 

Marienmauer 

Marienring 

Jakobsring 

Hallesche Straße 

THEATERPLATZ 

B 180 

VOGELWIESE 

P WC 

B 87 

Weißenfelser Straße 

11. Church of St. Maurice 

12. Church of St. othmar 

13. Town Hall 

14. Catholic Church of St. Peter 

and St. Paul 

15. Naumburg Theater 

16. Nietzsche House

Untitled - Der Naumburger Meister

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