Die Westtürme des Meissner Domes

The Cathedral of Meissen is dedicated to Saints John and Donatus of Arezzo and, along with Albrechtsburg, forms part of the castle hill ensemble that rises above the old town of Meissen. The actual construction of the cathedral began around 1260 in the style of a Gothic hall church. For centuries, the cathedral was adorned by a single tower, known as the Humpback Tower on the east side, which underwent extensive renovation in 1909. The two towers of the west facade, now largely visible at a height of 81 meters, were built between 1903 and 1909 in the style of Neo-Gothic according to designs by the Karlsruhe architect Carl Schäfer, under the guidance of the local architect Joseph Schäffler, who served as the cathedral's construction supervisor. However, this project was preceded by a bitter dispute with recognized art historians such as the author of this volume, Cornelius Gurlitt, and Georg Dehio, who opposed the modifications to the cathedral. Illustrated with numerous black-and-white images. Reprint of the original edition from 1902.