Ancient southern German town Ulm located among the fertile plains of the left bank of the Danube, at the foot of the Swabian Alps, at the confluence of the Danube and Blau rivers. Once a fortified city and an important strategic point, Ulm still retains many medieval buildings of great historical and artistic value.
The Gothic style came to Germany quite late, and churches built before the 1230s still contain features of Romanesque architecture. However, having adopted new trends, German architects made their contribution to the development of Gothic. The temples created in Germany during the period of dominance of this style are distinguished by their distinct features. And one of the last great Gothic cathedrals in Germany became Cathedral in Ulm(built in 1377-1529).
Cathedral in Ulm, history of construction
The first church in Ulm was founded in 813 by Charlemagne, the founder of the Holy Roman Empire. It was located outside the city walls and was administratively subordinate to the Reichenau monastery. By the 14th century, Ulm had become one of the richest cities in medieval Germany.
Among its residents, dissatisfaction with spiritual dependence on the monastery grew. The last straw that broke the cup of patience was the siege of Ulm by the troops of Emperor Charles IV. And although it was successfully repelled, the townspeople were extremely unhappy that during the entire period of hostilities they were cut off from their church, which remained outside the city territory.
And in 1377, the Ulm burghers took an unprecedented step: they dismantled the church pebble by stone and reassembled it in six weeks - already inside the city fortifications.
In the same year, the burgomaster of Ulm laid the cornerstone of a new cathedral dedicated to the Virgin Mary - “Unser lieben Frau” (“To Our Beloved Lady”).
The construction of Ulm Cathedral lasted for half a millennium and was completed only in 1890. Famous dynasties of architects took part in its construction, whose creativity determined the character of German architecture of the 14th-15th centuries.
At the beginning of construction, Heinrich Parler and his son worked here, then they were replaced by master Ulrich from Ensingen and his son, then the building was expanded by Burkhart Engelberg, and at the end of the 15th century the temple was largely completed by master Matheus Böblinger.
The western tower, square at the base, began to be built by Ulrich von Ensingen at the beginning of the 15th century. Encouraged by the vanity of the townspeople, he conceived the idea of erecting a gigantic structure that was supposed to surpass the tallest tower of the cathedral in Strasbourg at that time. In 1474, the work was continued by Mateus Böblinger. At the beginning of the 16th century, work was interrupted and the tower remained unfinished. Only in the 1840s did work to complete it resume.
In the 1844-1890s, the tower was crowned with an additional octagonal tier and a massive openwork tent, built according to old drawings by Mateus Böblinger.
Today, the height of the west tower of Ulm Cathedral is 161.5 m, and it is the tallest church building in Christendom. The famous twin towers are 4 m lower in height.
Ulm Cathedral, architecture and interior
The giant western tower defines the appearance of the entire structure. The two towers of the eastern facade, built at the end of the 14th century and no less picturesque (their height is 84.5 m), are lost in the splendor of their mighty “sister”.
A very narrow spiral staircase leads to the top of the tower, on which two people can hardly pass each other. However, the efforts of the one who decides to overcome its 768 steps will be rewarded: a magnificent panorama of the Alps will open before his eyes.
Begun as a hall church, the cathedral acquired the form of a basilica during construction. Its external length is 140 m, width - 48 m. Due to the lack of building materials, a combination of stone and brick was used.
The choir was built first, then the central nave, 41 m high and 123 m long. Somewhat later, the side naves were added. The total width of all naves is 44 m and looks huge in comparison with the length of the temple.
The absence of upper row windows in the central nave was initially compensated for by high windows in the side naves, decorated with patterned frames. In the early 1500s, the side naves were divided by thin columns, and thus the cathedral became five-nave.
At the same time, the illumination of the central nave has deteriorated, and it looks much darker than other Gothic buildings. However, due to its impressive size - the cathedral can simultaneously accommodate up to 30 thousand people - the interior is dominated by a feeling of free space. The absence of a transept and the simplicity of the interior decoration reinforce this impression.
The tympanum of the main (western) portal of the cathedral (1380) deserves special attention. Contrary to the classical tradition of depicting scenes of the Last Judgment (which are still present in the background in the three corners of the tympanum), the main motif here is the myth of the creation of the world. An interesting fact is that in the bas-relief the Lord holds in his hands the Earth, depicted in the shape of a ball. Thus, the tympanum shows the beginning and end of world history, which are united by the image of Christ.
Christ himself in the crown of thorns by the famous sculptor Hans Mulcher (1429) is installed on the middle column of the portal (this is a copy; the original is in the interior of the cathedral, at the southwestern support of the choir).
The columns supporting the entrance to the cathedral are also decorated with statues of saints - St. Anthony with a bell, John the Baptist with a lamb, Mary with a child, and St. Martin with a sword.
The walls of the cathedral, like Noah's Ark, are decorated with sculptures of animals, fish and birds from all over the world.
The small northwestern Small Portal of Mary (kleinen Marienportal) is dedicated to the birth of Jesus Christ and the adoration of the Magi. The tympanum (1356) was moved here from the old parish church of Ulm. The northeast portal, Reformationsportal; 1370, depicts scenes of the passion of Christ.
On the southeastern portal (1360) you can see scenes of the Last Judgment. It was also moved here from the old parish church. The most magnificent and largest portal of the cathedral is the southwestern Great Portal of the Virgin Mary (große Marienportal), which, apparently, was intended to be the main one. Tympanum (1380) depicts scenes from the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Below are three bas-reliefs (circa 1400). The left depicts the adoration of the Magi, the right the birth of Christ, and the middle the procession of the three wise men to the holy child.
The most interesting thing about the interior decoration of the church is the medieval stained glass windows. Six of the nine stained glass windows have survived intact to this day (in the apse). The oldest is the stained glass window of Anna and Maria (1385), created with funds from the weavers' guild. The stained glass window depicts the life of the Virgin Mary, as well as the birth and childhood of the baby Jesus.
In the central bay of the choir there is a stained glass window of the city council (Ratsfenster) depicting the resurrection of Christ, and to the left of it is a stained glass window of merchants (Kramerfenster) with a depiction of the Nativity, made in a late Gothic style close to realism (1480). The 19th century stained glass windows of the side naves were lost during the Second World War and replaced with transparent glass, and in 2001 two windows were decorated with modern stained glass windows by the artist Johann Schreiter.
The main jewel of the cathedral is the famous carved seats in the choir, which are the best examples of medieval German wooden sculpture. They were created in 1469-1474 in the workshop of Jörg Sirlin the Elder, where outstanding masters of the Swabian school worked.
The carved design of the benches is based on a single concept. On the canopies above the benches there are relief images of New Testament characters and saints: on the north side - male, on the south - female.
Below, on the backs of the chairs, are carved figures of Old Testament prophets. The seats themselves are decorated with busts of pagan philosophers of Ancient Rome and Greece. For the sixth century now, Seneca and Cicero, Ptolemy and Pythagoras have been conducting their endless dialogue here. Their images are individual and highly expressive.
The main altar of the cathedral is also known as the Hutz altar, named after one of the most prosperous families in the city. The creator of the altar is Martin Schaffner (1521). In the central part (box) of the altar the holy family is depicted - the Virgin Mary with the baby Jesus and her mother Anna, in the chapel - the Last Supper.
Numerous stone sculptures from the 19th century are installed on the columns separating the central nave from the side ones. But it’s not them that are interesting, but the consoles on which they are installed. Consoles were created between 1381 and 1391. Perhaps the most remarkable of them are a pair of angels playing music and a maiden, whose hair forms the main volume of the console. In the central nave there is a pulpit by Jörg Zirlin the Younger (1510).
In the south side nave there is a bowl of holy water (1507), made in the late Gothic style and decorated with leaves, but since the Reformation, since 1530, the bowl has stood empty. Not far from the bowl is an octagonal font (1474), installed under a canopy decorated with statues of six prophets, two kings and the coats of arms of the electors and the empire. The font rests on four lions.
The space above the choir arch is decorated with a huge fresco of 145 square meters depicting the Last Judgment (1471). Presumably the painting (130 figures!) was created by the master Hans Schuchlin.
The pride of Ulm Cathedral is the largest organ in Germany, created in 1856. During the tourist season, on weekdays at noon the cathedral hosts an organ concert.
Ulm Cathedral is the tallest in Europe and one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in Germany. This Lutheran cathedral has dominated the surrounding area for hundreds of years and is closely associated with the city of Ulm
Construction of the cathedral began in 1377 and was financed by city residents. As with many other large-scale construction projects, the process dragged on for a long time, and after another long stagnation, in 1543 the church became Lutheran, construction resumed, and in 1890 the spire was completed 
The cathedral's large Gothic spiers rise 161 meters in height. (the height of Cologne Cathedral, the second tallest in Europe - 157 meters). Those who dare to climb the 768 ancient steps will be rewarded with a magnificent panoramic view of Ulm, and in good weather conditions even green alpine pastures will be visible. As you may have guessed, the building tops the list of the tallest cathedrals in the world
In 1944, most of Ulm and its historical center were completely destroyed by bombing, but the cathedral miraculously remained virtually untouched 
Ulm Cathedral is open every day; thousands of believers and tourists visit it every day, as it is the main attraction and symbol of the city. There is an Orthodox Church nearby on the square. 
The cathedral is so huge that it is impossible to photograph it in full size at one time; it simply does not fit into the lens. No photographs can convey the grandeur that emanates from this building. You should definitely see it live and go up to the observation deck - you will experience an incredible sensation. Many people confuse Ulm Cathedral with St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague, pictured below 
"Deutsche Welle" (German: Deutsche Welle), a media company of the Federal Republic of Germany, published the results of an online study that determined the rating of German attractions. The TOP 100 list consists of 100 objects, which we describe in detail on the pages of the site.
- (German: Ulmer Münster) is located in the beautiful medieval city of Ulm in the federal state of Baden-Württemberg. In 2015, the TOP-100 took 60th place in the list of popular tourist attractions.
Ulm Cathedral is located in the city center on Münsterplatz. This is the tallest cathedral in Europe and one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in Germany. The cathedral has been the main attraction of the city of Ulm for hundreds of years.
The cathedral's bell tower is the tallest church tower in the world and is nicknamed "the finger of God." The height of the bell tower tent is 161.53 m. Visitors are given the opportunity to climb to the very top of this structure. Those who dare to climb the 768 ancient steps will be rewarded with a magnificent panoramic view of Ulm, and in good weather conditions even green alpine pastures will be visible.
Ulm Cathedral is visible from any point. It flaunts over the city, defining its appearance. From the embankment of the Danube River, a beautiful panorama opens up, where, against the backdrop of ancient German houses, the tallest spire of a Gothic cathedral soars upward in Europe.
The cathedral was founded on June 30, 1377. The construction of Ulm Cathedral took place in two main stages. The design of the cathedral was developed by the architect Heinrich Parler: it was planned to build a hall church with two equal naves, one western tower and two towers on the choir side. Parler managed to erect the choir and the lower tiers of the towers on the choir side.
Over the next 150 years, about 6 architects changed during the construction of the cathedral, each of whom brought his own changes to the original plan. The cathedral now has a third nave, and construction has also begun on the main tower, which, according to the plan of the architect Ulrich Enzingen, was supposed to rise to a height of 150 m. In 1543, due to insufficient funding, the tense internal political situation and the outbreak of the Reformation, construction was frozen. The main tower of the cathedral at that time reached a height of 100 m, and the choir towers - 32 m.
The second stage of construction began only 300 years later. In 1844, general work was carried out in the cathedral to strengthen the structure, and the construction of the choir towers was completed, and in 1880, after preparatory work, the construction of the main western tower was continued, which was completed on May 31, 1890 with the installation of a crucifer on its spire. The height of the tower was 161.5 m. The cathedral has survived to this day in this form.
The most interesting thing about the interior decoration of the cathedral is the medieval stained glass windows. Six of the nine stained glass windows have survived intact to this day (in the apse). The oldest is the stained glass window of Anna and Maria (1385), created at the expense of the weavers' guild. The stained glass window depicts the life of the Virgin Mary, as well as the birth and childhood of the baby Jesus. In the central bay of the choir there is a stained glass window of the city council (Ratsfenster) depicting the resurrection of Christ, and to the left of it is a stained glass window of merchants (Kramerfenster) with a depiction of the Nativity, made in a late Gothic style close to realism (1480). The 19th century stained glass windows of the side naves were lost during the Second World War and replaced with transparent glass, and in 2001 two windows were decorated with modern stained glass windows by the artist Johann Schreiter.
Ulm Cathedral, stained glass
When in the course of communication or some kind of quiz game like “What? Where? When?”, the question arises about the tallest church in the world, many immediately remember the cathedral in Cologne, and are mistaken. This is wrong! The construction of the two towers of Cologne Cathedral was completed in 1880 with a height of the northern tower of 157.38 meters, which at that time really gave the cathedral the right to be called the tallest church in the world. But just ten years later, on May 31, 1890, in the small city of Ulm on the banks of the Danube, a church tower was erected as much as 4 meters 15 centimeters higher! Since then we can say that of all the Christian churches in the world Ulm Cathedral (Ulmer Münster) came closest to God. The height of its tower is 161 meters 53 centimeters!
Ulm Cathedral (Ulmer Münster). The construction of this huge building lasted more than five hundred years and began back in 1377. The city of Ulm was at that time an imperial city and was often subjected to all sorts of sieges, during which the burghers experienced not only physical suffering, but, as true and devoted Catholics, experienced great torment of a spiritual nature, because it somehow happened that the city parish church was located outside city walls. And 10 thousand residents of the city unanimously decided, at their own expense (!), to build a new church inside the city.
Master Heinrich Parler began construction. Subsequently, the master replaced the master, each contributed something different to the project, but adhered to the main, initially given direction: a hall church built in the Gothic style.
In 1392, Ulrich von Ensingen got down to business, then his son and grandson. After about a hundred years of construction, probably due to errors in calculations, some collapses of walls and vaults occurred, but the Augsburg builder Burkhard Engelberg managed to fix everything, somewhere strengthening the foundation, somewhere lightening the vault and arches.
While the construction was unhurried, an event occurred in church life that radically changed its course; the Reformation movement arose. In 1530, the parishioners of Ulm decided to support the teachings of Martin Luther. The not yet fully built Ulm Cathedral (Ulmer Münster) became Protestant.
In 1543, due to lack of funds, construction was suspended. By this time the main western tower had been raised to a height of approximately 100 meters, and the two choir towers to a height of 32 meters.
The cathedral stood in this unfinished state for three hundred years. It was only in 1844 that the second, final stage of construction finally began, led first by Ferdinand Tran and then by Ludwig Schey. 46 years later, on May 31, 1890, the top of the main tower was decorated with cruciferous flowers and the cathedral acquired the appearance that we can see today: a three-nave hall Gothic church with one tower of the main facade and two choir towers.
Model of Ulm Cathedral (Ulmer Münster). There are many churches with two towers on the main facade, but these are usually episcopal churches or monasteries. Ulm Cathedral was never planned to be an episcopal cathedral; it was initially planned to build one Main Tower and two choir towers. Therefore, the name of this church “cathedral” (“Münster”) is incorrect, since the residence of the bishop of the Evangelical Church of Bad Württemberg is not here, but in Stuttgart. The name "Ulm Cathedral (Ulmer Münster)" is probably retained out of respect for the size of the church building, which is truly stunning.
The height of the western tower, the tallest church tower in the world at this time, is 161.53 meters. The two choir towers, although almost half as low, also belong to the group of the highest church towers - 86 meters. The length of the building is 123.56 meters, width - 48.8 meters. The height of the central nave is 41.6 meters, and the side naves rise to a height of 20.55 meters.
At a time when European churches had not yet installed benches, the size of Ulm Cathedral (Ulmer Münster) made it possible to accommodate 20 thousand people. Today there are much fewer seats - about 2 thousand, but if necessary, it is possible to add additional chairs.
During the construction of the cathedral, natural sandstone was used, but mostly the walls and part of the main tower were built of brick, which allows Ulm Cathedral (Ulmer Münster) to be classified as a brick church.
The main western portal of Ulm Cathedral (Ulmer Münster). The tympanum (the space above the doors) of the main western portal on the main square is unconventionally decorated with a bas-relief on the theme of the myth of the creation of the world, and it is depicted here that God makes the Earth initially spherical. That is, already in the 15th century, when this bas-relief was created, the parishioners of the city of Ulm had no doubts about the shape of the Earth. On the columns of the Main Portal there are sculptures of St. Anthony with a bell, John the Baptist with a lamb, the Virgin Mary and Child and St. Martin with a sword.
Tympanum of the main western portal and sculptures on the columns. Inside the cathedral, all the columns supporting the vault are also decorated with sculptures made of sandstone. Almost all of them were created in the 19th century by the sculptor Karl Federlin, who lived in Ulm. But the consoles on which the sculptures are installed were made at the end of the 14th century and show the high level of art of the masons of that time.
Side northern nave. 
Central nave. 
The sculpture "Apostle Paul" in the central nave. 
Sculpture "Johann Sebastian Bach" in the south side nave. The huge fresco above the choir arch, depicting the Last Judgment, dates from 1471.
Fresco above the choir arch. 
Stained glass. Most of the cathedral's windows were decorated with stained glass in the 19th century. All of them were lost during the Second World War, so today the windows are mostly covered with ordinary glass, but as production progresses, artistic stained glass windows, works of contemporary artists, are inserted into them. Of the nine medieval stained glass windows that decorated the windows of the cathedral, six have survived intact to this day.
Stained glass. Ulm Cathedral (Ulmer Münster) boasts the largest collection of knightly coats of arms in Germany. 133 historically valuable coats of arms adorn its walls.
Knight's coats of arms on the walls of the cathedral. 
The main organ is on the west wall of the central nave. In Ulm Cathedral (Ulmer Münster), services are conducted to the sounds of quite modern five organs. The largest of them, the main organ, was installed in 1969 on the western side of the central nave under the main tower of the cathedral. During the period from May to September, when there is the greatest influx of tourists, almost every day, except Mondays, you can listen to an organ concert in the cathedral at lunchtime. Thirteen bells of different sizes are suspended from the main tower of the cathedral.
The southeastern “wedding” portal of the cathedral. In the tympanum of the south-eastern portal, a bas-relief made in 1360 depicts scenes of the Last Judgment. This portal is called the “wedding” portal, since usually couples enter into life through it immediately after the wedding.
Buttresses, turrets, gargoyles. The buttresses of Ulm Cathedral (Ulmer Münster) are traditionally decorated with pointed turrets on which gargoyles are installed - shaped figures of animals, people or mythological creatures, through which waste water from the roofs is discharged outside the walls of the building.
Gargoyles, turrets, buttresses. A sparrow with a straw in its beak is planted on the roof ridge of the main nave of the cathedral - a symbol of the city of Ulm. It can barely be seen from the ground.
View of the cathedral from the south side, south choir tower. On the roof ridge of the central nave, a small sparrow with a straw in its beak is barely visible. The most courageous tourists can buy a ticket from the machine and climb to the small platforms located on the western main tower Ulm Cathedral (Ulmer Münster) successively at a height of 70 meters, 102 meters and 143 meters from ground level. To do this, you need to overcome 392, 560 and 768 steps, respectively, of a rather narrow and steep staircase. But you will see a beautiful panorama of the city of Ulm and its surroundings with all the fields and forests, with the Danube running below, crossing the border of Bad Württemberg and Bavaria. In these places it is not at all as wide and deep as in Passau, where the Danube leaves Bavaria and quickly rushes into the mountains of Austria.
Drawing of the main tower of the cathedral indicating the height of the inspection platforms. Ticket vending machines. How to get to Ulm Cathedral (Ulmer Münster)
Location diagram of Ulm Cathedral (Ulmer Münster) in the city of Ulm. - By car.
From Munich you need to take the A8 motorway in the direction of Stuttgart, after driving 119 kilometers along it, turn onto the B19 road in the direction of Ulm-Ost. The entire journey from Munich to Ulm, 142 kilometers long, will take approximately one and a half hours.
- By rail
By train from Munich Main Station you can reach Ulm Main Station in about two hours. You need to get off at the station “Hauptbahnhof Ulm” (that is, in the state of Baden-Württemberg), but in no case at the station “Neu Ulm” (Bavaria), from which it is quite far to the Ulmer Cathedral (Ulmer Münster).
From Ulm Main Station (Hauptbahnhof Ulm) you need to exit onto Friedrich-Ebert-Straße street, cross to the other side of this street and exit onto the short street Bahnhofstraße, perpendicular to it, which goes in an easterly direction and turns into Hirschstraße street, and it already leads to the square Münsterplatz, on which the cathedral stands. The cathedral tower stands out so much among the low buildings in comparison with it that it can be seen already at the very beginning of Bahnhofstraße and it itself serves as a beacon and landmark. It is very difficult to get lost and not find the cathedral here, you have to be able to do it.
Ulm Cathedral (Ulmer Münster) is open to the public:
January/February - 10.00 - 16.45 hours.
March - 09.00 - 17.45 hours.
April/May/June - 09.00 - 18.45 hours.
July/August - 09.00 - 19.45 hours.
September - 09.00 - 18.45 hours.
October - 09.00 - 17.45 hours.
November/December - 10.00 - 16.45 hours.
On Christmas Day - 10.00 - 18.45 hours.
The organ concert at Ulm Cathedral (Ulmer Münster) can be heard from May to September:
On Sundays - 11.30 - 12.15 hours.
Tuesday to Saturday
- religious ceremonies at lunch - 11.30 - 11.45 hours.
- organ music at noon - 12.00 - 12.30 hours.
Ulm Cathedral, or Münster, is one of the famous architectural monuments in Germany. It is one of the hallmarks of Ulm. Its slender spiers reach towards the sky with all their might, the highest point is marked at 161.5 meters.
Speaking from a historical point of view, Munster managed to see a lot during different periods of its construction. The first stone was laid back in the 14th century, and the completion of construction took place in the turbulent and eventful 19th century. Construction management was initially carried out by Ulrich von Ensingen, who is known for his incredible accuracy in calculations. The central part of Munster was built quite quickly, during the period from 1392 to 1405, but with the side naves - and the cathedral is five-nave - it was more difficult: the vaults could not withstand the load, so their construction was temporarily stopped.
It is also worth saying that the spire of the cathedral was not immediately so high. For example, in those days, when Munster fell into the hands of the Lutherans, they completed its construction in height and the spire reached a hundred meters. But the final changes appeared already in the 19th century, at which time the cathedral acquired its current appearance. Among the real masterpieces here are the unique stained glass windows, as well as the famous choirs carved by Jörg Sirling Jr. The latter are famous for being built from oak, which was soaked in the waters of the Danube for a century and a half and acquired an amazing strength. It is also worth paying attention to the sculptures of Hans Multscher, one of which - Christ the Sufferer - adorns the main portal of the cathedral.
The entire ingenious composition is completed by a sculpture of a sparrow: an invisible bird at first glance is of great importance in the history of the entire city. According to legend, it was the little sparrow who showed the builders how to carry huge logs for construction through the gates, which were made too narrow. The industrious bird carried straws for its nest, placing them across rather than lengthwise, and it was this method that allowed builders to provide Ulm with materials for building houses. Now the sparrow is comfortably perched on the roof of Ulm Cathedral, observing the life of the city from a great height.