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St. Bartholomaus Cathedral
Frankfurt Cathedral was constructed in
the 14th and 15th centuries on the foundation of an earlier church
from the Merovingian time. It is the main church of Frankfurt. From
1356 onwards, kings of the Holy Roman Empire were elected in this
church, and from 1562 to 1792, emperors were crowned here.
Since the 18th century, Saint Bartholomeus' has been called "the
cathedral" by the people, although it has never been a bishop's
seat.
This historical religious site was originally built in 1235 as a
parish church. In 1356, it was decreed that all of the German emperors
were to be elected here. Because of this decree, church received
cathedral status. The cathedral suffered through two major destructions.
It had to be rebuilt after a devastating fire in 1867 and again
after World War II. To look at the reconstruction of the cathedral
after the World War, you will notice that the only parts of the
original church that survived the bombings are the frieze of St.
Bartholemew, the choir stalls and the Maria-Schlaf altar. Everything
else was reconstructed. Some of the treasures of the cathedral are
being held in the museums throughout Frankfurt.
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