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Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
Since January 2025, the severely damaged tomb of Emperor Otto the Great in Magdeburg Cathedral has been in the center of a comprehensive project to document and conserve this important monument. This project is being carried out by the Kulturstiftung Sachsen-Anhalt (Saxony-Anhalt Cultural Foundation) and the State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology Saxony-Anhalt in close collaboration with the Evangelical Cathedral Parish and the Evangelical Church in Central Germany. Currently, the stone sarcophagus is being restored. At the same time, the tomb's location in the High Choir is being archaeologically investigated.
The tomb of Otto I in Magdeburg Cathedral – an endangered monument
Otto I, who laid the foundation for the later Holy Roman Empire by reviving the Roman Empire, is a central figure in European history. His tomb in Magdeburg Cathedral is therefore a monument of considerable cultural and historical value, extending far beyond the borders of Saxony-Anhalt. Its care and preservation are of paramount importance to the Kulturstiftung Sachsen-Anhalt (Saxony-Anhalt Cultural Foundation, KST), as owner of Magdeburg Cathedral, the Evangelical Cathedral Parish, as user of the church, and the State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology (LDA) Saxony-Anhalt, as the responsible heritage authority.
During the regular joint monitoring conducted by KST and LDA, alarming damage was observed on the tomb of Otto the Great in 2024. Both institutions therefore initiated measures to preserve this important monument.
Retrospective: Previous documentation and investigations
Due to its acute endangerment, the tomb of Otto the Great has been the focus of a joint project between KST and LDA since January 2025. As part of this project, the sarcophagus and its surroundings underwent comprehensive non-invasive documentation measures. In order to restore the stone sarcophagus, it was necessary to remove its marble cover slab of approximately 300-kilogram weight, open the inner, also severely damaged, wooden coffin, document its contents, and recover them. Anthropological and genetic analyses have confirmed that the remains found within the coffin can indeed be identified as those of Otto I (see the joint press release of March 18, 2026). They are to be reinterred on September 1, 2026, in a newly designed coffin, currently being created as the result of a competition initiated by the Saxony-Anhalt Art Foundation, in Magdeburg Cathedral.
Current measures I: Restoration of the stone sarcophagus
The acute endangerment of the stone sarcophagus was attributed, in conjunction with the significant climatic fluctuations and sometimes extreme humidity levels in the cathedral, to two main causes. Firstly, the progressive corrosion of iron nails and clamps, presumably inserted in the 19th century, threatened to crack the stone. Secondly, the damage is also due to moisture and salts rising from the subsoil.
Therefore, to ensure the long-term preservation, the tomb site has to be reinforced. To carry this out, the limestone sarcophagus was removed from its location in early 2026 using a custom-built transport structure and placed in a specially constructed second enclosure inside the cathedral. The careful restoration of the stone sarcophagus is currently underway there. This includes, in particular, the removal of the harmful, corroding iron components (nails and clamps). The marble cover plate is also cleaned of potentially dangerous iron clamp remnants inside the enclosure.
Current measures II: Archaeological investigation of the tomb site
In preparation for the reinforcement of the sarcophagus site, the LDA is conducting an archaeological investigation and documentation of the site until the end of June 2026.
The relocation of the sarcophagus allowed for research into its foundation for the first time. To the east and west, it rested on large sandstone blocks. The dimensions of these stones correspond to the width of the limestone sarcophagus. In the western foundation area, iron wedges had been inserted under the trough, but these are now heavily corroded and no longer serve their intended leveling function. As the excavation revealed, the visible foundation stones rested on significantly longer sandstone blocks, which are reused building stones. Two of the base stones bear late medieval stonemasons' marks. These indicate that the sarcophagus was moved several times over the course of time.
Layers of rubble and fill at and beneath the sarcophagus site bear witness to various medieval and early modern construction events in the High Choir. The excavation also uncovered the known, yet still enigmatic, system of passages beneath the High Choir floor. These passages, some of which likely date back to the Middle Ages, were largely filled in during the 19th century to prevent the floor from subsiding. The investigation yielded no evidence that the tomb of Otto the Great was also located at this site in the predecessor of the present cathedral. The question of the original location of the imperial tomb must therefore remain open for the time being.
A wide range of finds were discovered, particularly in the upper layers examined, including coins, glass beads, fragments of transparent crystalline gypsum, which were used, for example, as window glazing, glazed roof tiles, ceramics, and bones. Pins were once part of the clothing of churchgoers and were easily lost. A lead bullet, found not far below the floor, testifies to Magdeburg's eventful past. The majority of the finds consist of painted plaster fragments, which belong to the magnificent colorful decoration of the predecessor buildings of today's Magdeburg Cathedral.
The collaborative project
All work on the tomb of Otto the Great is being carried out in cooperation between the KST and the LDA, as well as in coordination with the Evangelical Cathedral Parish and the Evangelical Church in Central Germany. The liturgical use of the church is not affected. Restrictions for visitors to the cathedral are also kept to a minimum. Thus, both the choir stalls in the High Choir and the 13th-century sculptures of Saint Maurice and Saint Catherine remain visible. An information panel and a screen presentation at the tomb's enclosure explain the reason for the installation and will be updated as significant new developments and findings emerge. The public will continue to be informed about the progress of the work at appropriate intervals.
Background: The tomb of Otto the Great in Magdeburg Cathedral
Otto I the Great (born November 23, 912; died May 7, 973 in Memleben), of the Liudolfing dynasty, is a central figure in European history as the re-founder of the Roman Empire in Western and Central Europe, succeeding the ancient Roman Empire and the reign of Charlemagne. He was the driving force behind Magdeburg's elevation to an archbishopric in 968, to which the city on the Elbe River owed its economic and cultural prosperity. After his death in 973, he was buried in Magdeburg Cathedral in the presence of Archbishops Adalbert of Magdeburg and Gero of Cologne, alongside his wife Editha, who had died in 946. Since the cathedral's reconstruction in the 13th century, the emperor's tomb has been located centrally in the inner choir of Magdeburg Cathedral.
The tomb of Otto the Great in Magdeburg Cathedral is a sarcophagus made from a monolithic block of limestone, coffered on all four sides. The cover is a reused antique marble slab. The tomb was last opened in the 19th century, when it was repaired and structurally reinforced. In 1937, an openwork commemorative inscription made of cast metal was added to the marble slab. After 1945, a supporting metal structure was added to relieve the strain on the cover slab, which projects significantly along its long sides. However, this structure only partially fulfilled its purpose. Moreover, the 19th-century interventions contribute considerably to the aforementioned endangerment of the tomb, which the described measures are intended to address.
The excavation at the site of Otto I’s tomb in the High Choir of Magdeburg Cathedral, showing the sa ...
Source: Claudio Dähnel/Denis Dittrich
Copyright: Landesamt für Denkmalpflege und Archäologie Sachsen-Anhalt
Among the rare finds are fragments of transparent crystalline gypsum, which were used, for example, ...
Source: Claudio Dähnel/Denis Dittrich
Copyright: Landesamt für Denkmalpflege und Archäologie Sachsen-Anhalt
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English
The excavation at the site of Otto I’s tomb in the High Choir of Magdeburg Cathedral, showing the sa ...
Source: Claudio Dähnel/Denis Dittrich
Copyright: Landesamt für Denkmalpflege und Archäologie Sachsen-Anhalt
Among the rare finds are fragments of transparent crystalline gypsum, which were used, for example, ...
Source: Claudio Dähnel/Denis Dittrich
Copyright: Landesamt für Denkmalpflege und Archäologie Sachsen-Anhalt
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