Dear guests,

you are visiting one of the oldest simultaneous churches in the world. Since 1542, Catholic and Protestant Christians have shared Wetzlar Cathedral for denominational and ecumenical services. Today's coexistence developed over almost 500 years in several phases. For the first 300 years, there were conflicts in daily interactions, e.g., regarding service times, maintenance, and construction costs. A major renovation from 1904 to 1910 required more interaction with each other. Severe damage caused by an aerial bomb in March 1945 led to a joint reconstruction by the church communities. This resulted in a shared worship space, which promoted a fraternal life of faith. In recent years, this has resulted in:

mutually agreed rules for the use of the cathedral, governing ecumenical cooperation; equal ownership of Wetzlar Cathedral; equal distribution of maintenance costs; joint use of the entire church, including the altar, baptismal font, and Beckerath organ; concerts with the participation of the Protestant choir and the Catholic cathedral choir; an interdenominational commemoration of the deceased of both congregations; ecumenical work with children and young people, such as the design and use of an ecumenical Easter candle; ecumenical services, and many personal conversations and encounters.

The special features of this simultaneous church are manifold and unique in Germany.

Memorial plaque for Jewish citizens in the Middle Ages

Outside the entrance area, you will find a memorial plaque that contextualizes a sculpture at today's main entrance and distances itself from the original message. A devil is entwined around a Jew, recognizable by his Jewish hat, documenting the degradation of Jewish citizens in the 13th century.

Here at Wetzlar Cathedral
the early Gothic south portal originated in the 13th century.
Beneath the stone figure of Mary with Child
there is a depiction of the devil embracing a Jew.
Through such and similar representations have Jews been vilified by Christians
in the most terrible ways over the centuries.
In view of the pogroms against Jewish fellow citizens in the past
and in view of the millionfold murder of the European Jews
by the National Socialists, the depiction on the Wetzlar Cathedral
should serve as a reminder to us today.
We want to make sure that the dignity and rights of all people
are respected.
The Protestant Church Congregation                The Catholic Cathedral Church Congregation

The different architectural styles

Three different architectural styles characterize the church. Large parts of the Romanesque west facade, including the bell tower, date back to the 12th century. The existence of this Romanesque section is due to the fact that, during the construction of the Gothic church in 1490, all building work was halted due to a lack of funds, meaning that the north-west bell tower was never completed. A third architectural style can be seen in the spire of the south-west bell tower. After the wooden Gothic spire burned down as the result of a a lightning strike, a two-story tower apartment in the Baroque style was added.

The predecessor churches

Three predecessor churches can be traced back to the site of today's Gothic cathedral. Even before the 9th century, numerous trade routes ran from Frankfurt via Wetzlar to Cologne and on to Amsterdam. At the site of today's Wetzlar Cathedral, travellers could take a break and say a prayer for a successful onward journey in a small church. Later, in 897, a church dedicated to Jesus Christ was consecrated. Remains of this church were found during excavations in the choir area. In 1180, a Romanesque church was built, whose north-west facade with a tower still stands today. The present Gothic church was built between 1235 and 1490. Organ music in the church can be traced back to the 13th century

Organ music in the church since 13th century

Music in the church has a long tradition in Wetzlar Cathedral. The first evidence of an organ dates back to the 13th century. This makes Wetzlar Cathedral one of the oldest churches where organ accompaniment of church services is historically documented.

The sound of bells as early as the 13th century

Wetzlar Cathedral is also one of the churches where bells were used very early on to call the faithful to worship. One of the oldest written records of a bell in Wetzlar Cathedral dates back to 1262.

Extensive renovation over the centuries

Renovations, which were jointly funded by both parishes, took place four times since the end of the Thirty Years' War in 1648. This is particularly noteworthy because it was not until 1979 that ownership of Wetzlar Cathedral was transferred from the Catholic parish to the Protestant parish.

Four centuries of mourning culture

With its 53 tombstones and memorial plaques (epitaphs), Wetzlar Cathedral is a good example of a long tradition of mourning culture. The artistically crafted tombstones for nobles and clergymen as well as the memorial plaques for members of the Imperial Chamber Court are particularly striking. Selected tombstones and memorial plaques provide extensive information that can be accessed in German and English via a QR code.

Without the “Simultankirche”, there would be no Johann Wolfgang Goethe in Wetzlar

If you visit the old town of the former imperial city of Wetzlar today, you will magnificent buildings dating from the late 17th century to the early 19th century. These buildings were constructed by members of the Imperial Chamber Court. The Imperial Chamber Court was based here from 1689 to 1806. In 1689, the Imperial Diet decided to move its seat from Speyer to Wetzlar. One of the main reasons for moving the seat to Wetzlar was the “Simultankirche” (simultaneous church). This allowed members of the Imperial Chamber Court, regardless of their denomination, to celebrate their Catholic or Protestant services in Wetzlar Cathedral. Based solely on this decision, Johann Wolfgang Goethe stayed in Wetzlar in 1772 and, with his internationally successful novel “The Sorrows of Young Werther,” he created a literary monument to himself and the city of Wetzlar. To this day, the city of Wetzlar adorns itself with the name “Goethe City.” This is based solely on the following chain of thought:

“Simultaneous church – Imperial Chamber Court – Goethe in Wetzlar – literary monument.”

The wealth of special features and age that characterize the simultaneous church, and the active ecumenism that has been practiced since the end of World War II to the present day, mean that Wetzlar Cathedral can be described as one of the “most important and oldest simultaneous churches.”