Schwerin Cathedral

The origins of the cathedral trace back to Henry the Lion, who, after subduing the Obotrites, re-established the diocese on Mecklenburg and appointed Bishop Berno. Berno relocated the episcopal seat to Schwerin in 1167. There, on September 9, 1171, the foundation stone was laid for a Romanesque predecessor building, consecrated in 1248, which was among the significant works of Brick Romanesque. A crucial impetus for the construction of the current cathedral was the donation of a precious Holy Blood relic in 1222 by Count Henry of Schwerin. This relic transformed the church into an important pilgrimage site in Northeast Germany. To accommodate the flow of pilgrims and in competition with the flourishing Hanseatic cities, construction of the Gothic-style cathedral began around 1270. The new choir was completed by about 1327, and by the end of the 14th century, the transept and nave were largely finished. Stralsund builders completed the work on the nave and its vaulting in 1416. The current Neo-Gothic west tower was only added between 1889 and 1893.

Schwerin Cathedral is located in the city of Schwerin, within the eponymous urban district in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It stands at an elevation of approximately 70 meters above sea level.

Today, Schwerin Cathedral serves as a bishop's church of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Northern Germany. The impressive edifice can be visited, and with its 117.5-meter-high Neo-Gothic west tower, it is the tallest church building in Eastern Germany.

• Neustädtisches Palais (Residence), approx. 0.2 km away
• Oertzen Palais (Residence), approx. 0.2 km away
• Brandensteinsches Palais (Residence), approx. 0.3 km away
• Altes Palais Schwerin (Residence), approx. 0.4 km away