Description of the attraction
One of the most recognizable symbols of the city of Kaliningrad is the building of the Königsberg Cathedral, located in the historical center of Kneiphof, on the island of Kant, surrounded by the Pregolya River. A small picturesque island with the main architectural landmark of the city today is surrounded by greenery and is connected to the mainland by two bridges.
The first cathedral of Königsberg was built in the thirteenth century in the southwestern part of Altstadt (the area of the settlement of German colonists). In 1327, a new site was allocated for the construction of a more spacious main temple of the Konigsberg fortress on the Kneiphof island (now the Kant island). The first documentary mention of the cathedral dates back to September 1333, when the master of the Teutonic Order Lutger approved the continuation of the construction of the magnificent structure. The bricks of the Altstadt Cathedral served as the material for the construction of the new church, and a temporary bridge and gate, called the Cathedral, were built to transport them to the island. The bridge, which had served for about fifty years, was dismantled, and the temporary gate in the city wall of Altstadt stood safely until the bombing of the Second World War (more than six hundred years). In 1335, the cathedral was consecrated in honor of the Body of Christ.
Until the sixteenth century, the religious building was the main Catholic church in the city. Later, the territory of the cathedral and the altar part of the temple functioned as a burial place for representatives of the higher hierarchy. For five hundred years, the building of the cathedral was rebuilt, the interior was supplemented and changed: in 1380-1400, the cathedral was completely painted with frescoes, in 1553 towers were added to the facades, on one of which a mermaid weather vane was installed, and a three-nave building was added to the western part, in 1640 a striking clock was installed in one of the towers, and in 1695 an organ appeared. In the 1520s, the building of the University of Albertina was erected nearby and the temple functions as a university. Immanuel Kant was the last to find peace in the cathedral tomb for university professors.
During the Second World War, the Königsberg Cathedral was badly damaged and in the post-war years it was in ruins. The cult building was saved from demolition in Soviet times by the grave of the philosopher Kant. Since 1960, the building has been an architectural monument (of republican significance), but no restoration work was carried out in it until the 1990s. In 1989, the building of the former cathedral was included in the list of UNESCO World Cultural Monuments.
Today the Königsberg Cathedral is a cultural and religious center. The restored building houses the Orthodox and Evangelical chapels, the cathedral museum and the Immanuel Kant museum. Concerts of religious and classical music are held regularly in the Königsberg Cathedral, as well as international organ competition.
