Mainz Cathedral

Mainz Cathedral, formally known as St. Martin Cathedral or Mainzer Dom in German, is located near the historical center of Mainz, Germany.

Related Topics:
Mainz - Germany

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The massive structure looms over the largely pedestrianized center market square. Its enormous red-sandstone, six-towered body shelters the half-timbered houses of the old city and commands a prominent place in the skyline of Mainz.

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The cathedral's spacious interior, achieved by massive vaulted arches, houses the tombs and funerary monuments of former powerful prince-archbishops of the diocese. There are many statues, e.g. of St. Boniface and the Madonna, on the cathedral grounds.

Related Topics:
St. Boniface - The Madonna

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Mainz Cathedral, along with the cathedrals of Worms and Speyer, represents the highpoint of Romanesque cathedral architecture in the Rhine Region of Germany. These particular cathedrals are often called Kaiser-Dome, a reference to their consecration during the height of the Holy Roman Empire (the German word Kaiser, a variant of Caesar, means emperor, Dome is a german word for cathedrals and very large churches). Though predominantly Romanesque, later exterior additions to the cathedral, coupled with the influence of different artisans over the centuries on the cathedral's interior, have resulted in the appearance of various styles seen today.

Related Topics:
Romanesque - Cathedral architecture - Rhine Region

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