Krämer Bridge
Krämerbrücke

The Krämerbrücke is a bridge that stands as Erfurt’s most famous structure. It was built in stone in 1325 after earlier wooden bridges were destroyed by fire. The bridge quickly became the center of the city’s trade, as it connected the most important trade routes between East and West. In the Middle Ages, the bridge was inhabited by merchants, especially the peddlers who gave the bridge its name, who sold goods from small shops. Today, the Krämerbrücke is the longest fully built and inhabited bridge in Europe and a unique cultural and historical attraction.

The bridge is 120 meters long and consists of stone foundations with 32 arches spanning the Gera River. On top of it stand 32 half-timbered houses from the 15th to 18th centuries. Most of the houses are narrow and tall structures, giving the impression of a medieval street rather than a bridge. Many of the houses have been beautifully restored and now house small shops, galleries and workshops. The architecture combines a Gothic basic structure with later Renaissance and Baroque details.

Today, the Krämerbrücke is one of Erfurt’s biggest tourist attractions and part of the historic city centre. Every year, the Krämerbrückenfest is held, attracting thousands of visitors. The bridge is therefore a living monument that is an active part of the Erfurt experience.

Fish Market
Fischmarkt

The Fischmarkt is Erfurt’s central marketplace, where trade in fish, grain and other goods took place from the Middle Ages onwards. The square was a hub for trade between north and south and over the years was surrounded by representative buildings that reflected the prosperity of the citizens. It was during the Renaissance and Baroque that the Fischmarkt acquired its characteristic character of richly decorated town houses.

The buildings on the square are particularly well-known for their rich Renaissance-style facades, often with stucco, sandstone ornaments and colourful paintings. One of the most striking buildings is the Zum Roten Ochsen from 1562, whose facade is decorated with figures and coats of arms. In the middle of the square you can see a copy of the statue of Erfurter Roland, a symbol of the city’s trading rights.

Town Hall
Rathaus

Erfurt’s current town hall was built in the 1870s to replace an older town hall from the Middle Ages that had become too small for the city’s growing administration. The construction coincided with a period when Erfurt was integrated into Prussia and grew as an industrial city. The town hall quickly became a symbol of the city’s new self-understanding and the modernity that emerged in the second half of the 19th century.

The town hall was built in neo-Gothic style, inspired by medieval town halls in northern Germany. The facade has pointed gables, towers and richly decorated windows, which create an almost cathedral-like impression. Inside there are large halls with murals depicting scenes from Erfurt’s history and legends. The Festsaal in particular is known for its artistic decoration.

The Rathaus still houses the city administration, as the name suggests, but is also open to the public, so you can take a look at the impressive halls in the old building for yourself. The town hall also serves as a setting for concerts, lectures and ceremonies, and is one of the most striking buildings on the central square, Fischmarkt.

Old Synagogue
Alte Synagoge

The Alte Synagoge in Erfurt was built around 1100 and is thus one of the oldest preserved synagogues in Europe. The building was expanded in the 13th and 14th centuries, until the pogroms of 1349 brought an abrupt end to the development of the Jewish community in the city. Subsequently, the synagogue was used for various purposes, including as a warehouse and dance hall, which unwittingly helped to preserve it.

The building contains Romanesque and Gothic elements such as thick stone walls, pointed windows and vaulted halls. Several of the original details, including window frames and brickwork, are still visible. Today, the Alte Synagoge functions as a museum, where you can see the famous Erfurter Schatz as a highlight. It is a collection of medieval silver jewelry, coins and objects that were hidden during the pogroms. The museum also tells the story of the Jewish community in Erfurt through time.

Angermuseum

The Angermuseum opened in 1886 as Erfurt’s first public art museum. It was housed in a Baroque building that had originally served as a warehouse and armory. The museum was founded on the basis of private collections and quickly grew to become an important institution in the state of Thuringia.

The building was built in 1705 in Baroque style with a symmetrical facade, high central pediment and classical ornaments. Inside, the rooms are adapted for art exhibitions with high halls, large windows and a central staircase. The collection includes works from medieval religious art to modern paintings and graphics. A particular highlight is the extensive collections of works from German Romanticism and Expressionism.

Cathedral Hill
Domberg

The Domberg is the name of the cathedral hill in Erfurt, and it has been a religious center in the city since the early Middle Ages. Church buildings were already located on the site in the 8th century, and during the Middle Ages the hill was built with a cathedral, monasteries and residences for clergy. For centuries, the Domberg was the spiritual and political center of the city.

Domberg is dominated by two monumental buildings, located side by side. These are the Erfurt Cathedral and the Severikirche. The 70-step staircase leads up to the plateau, where you get an impressive panoramic view of the city. The area is characterized by Gothic and Romanesque architecture, and the medieval buildings still stand close to the churches.

Domberg is today one of Erfurt’s biggest landmarks and the center of many cultural events, including the famous Domstufen-Festspiele, where classical operas and plays are performed on the steps in front of the cathedral. The area is also a popular tourist attraction, where you can experience centuries of architectural history in one place, and where the large churches dominate.

Erfurt Cathedral
Erfurter Dom

Erfurt Cathedral, also known as St. Mary’s Cathedral, is the city’s Catholic cathedral. Its history dates back to 742, when the missionary Boniface founded a bishopric in Erfurt. The first church on the site was a small wooden building, which was later replaced by a stone building in the Romanesque style. In 1154, the church was elevated to a collegiate church, which meant that it gained great importance as the center of church life in Thuringia. During the Middle Ages, Erfurt grew into a rich trading city, and the church elite wanted a representative cathedral.

The current Gothic Erfurt Cathedral was therefore built from the 14th to the 15th century, when the choir building and the high vaults in particular were built as an expression of the city’s prosperity. Erfurt Cathedral also became an important place in the history of the Reformation, as Martin Luther was ordained here in 1507, which closely links the church to one of Europe’s greatest religious upheavals.

Erfurt Cathedral is a masterpiece of High Gothic architecture, but bears traces of several styles from its long history of construction. The cathedral’s impressive west tower rises above the city and can be seen from afar, while the large choir windows with stained glass from the 14th century are considered among the most important medieval stained glass windows in Germany.

Inside, the cathedral is characterized by enormous vaulted ceilings, slender columns and a solemn, light-filled atmosphere. One of the most famous elements is the 11-ton Gloriosa bell, cast in 1497 by master bell-maker Geert van Wou. The Gloriosa is considered the world’s largest free-swinging medieval bell and is valued for its particularly pure sound. The cathedral also contains a number of Gothic and Baroque altars, valuable frescoes, sculptures and choir stalls, which together bear witness to almost a thousand years of art history.

Today, Erfurt Cathedral is both an active church and one of Thuringia’s most important cultural heritage monuments. It is used for regular services, festivals and church activities, but also serves as a place where culture and religion meet. The cathedral is known as the setting for the annual Domstufen-Festspiele, where large-scale opera productions and classical concerts are performed on the monumental steps in front of the cathedral, attracting thousands of visitors from all over the world.

Severi Church
Severikirche

The Severikirche in Erfurt, officially called Kirche St. Severi, is a Protestant church dedicated to the holy bishop Severus of Ravenna, and dates back to the 12th century. The current building was begun in the early 14th century after a previous Romanesque church had been demolished. It was completed during the 15th century. The church was built as a monastery for the Augustinian Order and served as their religious center for centuries.

After the Reformation, monastic life was dissolved, but the Severikirche survived as an active parish church during a time when Erfurt largely followed Luther and the ideas of the Reformation. The Severikirche became Protestant, while the Erfurt Cathedral remained Catholic. This long history means that the Severikirche both has roots in the Romanesque tradition and stands as one of the most important Gothic church buildings in Thuringia.

The Severikirche is distinguished by its striking location on the Domberg, where it stands right next to the Erfurt Cathedral and together with it forms one of Germany’s most iconic church complexes. The church is a three-nave Gothic hall church structure, where the nave and side aisles are almost the same height, which creates a special spaciousness and light effect. The building is particularly known for its elongated nave, its five-sided choir and the five slender spires, which give the silhouette a light and sky-striking feel.

Inside, you will find, among other things, a richly decorated Gothic baptismal font from 1467, which is considered a masterpiece of medieval stone art. Frescoes, wooden sculptures and Baroque additions also bear witness to how the church has been continuously renewed over the centuries, without losing its basic Gothic character.

Today, the Severikirche still functions as a parish church, and it has become Protestant. It is a central part of Erfurt’s cultural identity and stands, together with Erfurt Cathedral, as the city’s most photographed landmark. Its location on the Domberg, where the two churches flank the wide Domstufen staircase, makes the place a natural stage for large events – especially the annual Domstufen-Festspiele, where thousands of guests gather in front of the backdrop of the two medieval churches.