The Site
Naumburg Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul, located in Middle Germany, is one of the most noteworthy cultural monuments of the High Middle Ages in Europe. Recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2018, the cathedral represents an exceptional synthesis of architecture, sculpture, and stained-glass artistry. Among its most renowned features is the western choir, completed in the mid-13th century, which houses the celebrated twelve donor figures. These sculptures are remarkable for their lifelike expressiveness, with the figure of Margravine Uta von Ballenstedt often revered as the epitome of medieval beauty. The beautiful and enigmatic sculpture of Uta von Ballenstedt famously served as the inspiration for Walt Disney’s Evil Queen in the classic Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937). Equally striking are the cathedral’s two surviving medieval rood screens, which spatially separate the choirs from the nave, an architectural configuration that is unparalleled worldwide.
The cathedral is managed by the Vereinigte Domstifter zu Merseburg und Naumburg und des Kollegiatstifts Zeitz Foundation, one of Germany’s oldest ecclesiastical foundations, whose origins date back to the diocesan reforms of Emperor Otto the Great in 968. The foundation continues to preserve a remarkable ensemble of historical sites, among them the Naumburg Cathedral Cemetery, which bears witness to centuries of burial practices and ecclesiastical history.
The Naumburg Cathedral Cemetery was established in 1542 as the Freiheitischer Gottesacker (Free Cemetery) for the deceased members of the Mariengemeinde, the parish community of the Domfreiheit. Domfreiheit is a historical German term referring to the area surrounding a cathedral that was under the jurisdiction and authority of the cathedral chapter or bishop, rather than the local municipal government. In Naumburg, the Domfreiheit was the fortified semi-autonomous district surrounding Naumburg Cathedral, which functioned as the administrative and residential centre for cathedral canons, clergy, and other church officials. It was distinct from the civic town of Naumburg, reflecting the medieval division between ecclesiastical and secular authority.
Prior to the relocation of the cemetery, burials took place within the immediate surroundings of the cathedral, particularly in the area now occupied by the cloister courtyard. However, during the mid-16th century, in response to recurrent epidemics and increasing urban populations, burial grounds were systematically relocated outside the medieval city walls, a practice seen in many European towns during this period. Consequently, the Cathedral Cemetery was situated just beyond the fortified perimeter of the cathedral district, adjacent to the civic burial ground of St. Wenceslas Church, which is today a municipal park.
Originally, the cemetery was entirely enclosed by walls, remnants of which still survive. Numerous epitaphs once adorned these walls, the oldest of which date back to the mid-16th century. By the late 16th century, high-ranking ecclesiastical dignitaries began to be interred here, even though they retained the right to be buried within the cathedral itself. Well into the 20th century, Naumburg’s cathedral canons, preachers, and senior administrators were entitled to complimentary burial plots in the cemetery.
In 1834, the cemetery underwent a major transformation in response to concerns over its deteriorating condition. Under the direction of Merseburg’s court gardener, a systematic redesign was implemented, introducing structured pathways lined with rows of acacia and birch trees. Avenues of fruit trees, including pear and apple, as well as ornamental plantings of dahlias and hollyhocks, enhanced the cemetery. The refurbishment also included the stabilisation of the boundary walls, which incorporated sections of the former city fortifications. This intervention sought to reconcile aesthetic refinement with practical cemetery management, ensuring a dignified resting place for the deceased.
By the early 20th century, the establishment of Naumburg’s municipal cemetery in 1901 gradually diminished the Cathedral Cemetery’s significance. Nevertheless, distinguished figures, such as deans of the cathedral chapter, continued to be laid to rest here. The last recorded burial occurred in the 1950s or 1960s, after which the cemetery was largely abandoned.
An architectural highlight within the cemetery is the Chapel of St. John, which was relocated to its present site in 1866. Originally built in the latter half of the 13th century, this chapel exhibits stylistic affinities with the renowned Naumburg Master workshop. It originally served as the private chapel of a cathedral canon’s residence, which later functioned as an episcopal residence from the 14th to the 16th centuries. Despite periods of neglect, the chapel remains an important example of medieval ecclesiastical architecture.
During the mid-20th century, the cemetery suffered from repeated acts of vandalism, particularly between 1954 and 1972, further contributing to its state of decline. However, a renewed interest in its heritage value emerged in the post-reunification period. Contributing to its rediscovery was the European Heritage Day in 1993, which brought public attention back to this overlooked historic site.
Since 2014, the Cathedral Cemetery, under the guardianship of the Vereinigte Domstifter zu Merseburg und Naumburg und des Kollegiatstifts Zeitz Foundation, has once again been accessible to the public as a place of reflection and contemplation. Since 2016, it has resumed its role as a burial ground, offering a link between past and present, where historical continuity is preserved within an evocative landscape.
The Project
The European Heritage Volunteers Project at the Naumburg Cathedral Cemetery will centre on the documentation and preservation of the site's historic burial monuments, complemented by an educational programme that situates the site within the broader context of its connection to the UNESCO World Heritage property.
The Cathedral Cemetery, with its enclosing walls, tombstones, Chapel of St. John, and landscape design, is a protected heritage site of great historical and architectural value. Despite its importance, decades of neglect, damage from Second World War bombings, and vandalism have affected the cemetery’s condition. Many burial monuments remain partially buried under vegetation or in an advanced state of deterioration. Today, the cemetery serves as a tranquil green space within the city, where ivy-covered tombstones emerge from the overgrowth, and its elongated layout is divided by the medieval Chapel of St. John into two burial sections. The project will concentrate on the south-eastern part of the cemetery, where work will focus on the exposure, documentation, and assessment of historic tombstones, contributing to the broader conservation strategy for the site.
The project seeks to improve the overall condition of the cemetery while ensuring that further weathering and damage to the historic grave markers are prevented. The participants will engage in a systematic process of uncovering and documenting burial monuments, recording their dimensions, material composition, and state of preservation. Special attention will be given to the identification and the development of recommendations for future conservation and restoration measures. Alongside the hands-on work, the project will also involve historical research on the individuals buried in the cemetery, enhancing knowledge of the site's broader cultural and social relevance.
The project will be accompanied by an educational programme that introduces participants to the historical, architectural, and conservation-related aspects of the site. Guided tours of the ensemble of Naumburg Cathedral, as well as visits to other heritage sites in the town and the region, will provide insights into the development of medieval religious architecture and burial traditions. These excursions will allow the participants to explore the cathedral precinct’s history and its transformation over time, helping them relate their hands-on conservation work to broader heritage management and preservation strategies.
The programme will also include participants’ presentations, encouraging intercultural exchange and professional dialogue. Each participant will prepare and deliver a presentation on a site from their countries or origin. The theme for these presentations is "The Conservation of Historic Burial Grounds and Their Role in Cultural Memory." Through these presentations and accompanying discussions, participants will compare how burial sites and historic cemeteries in their countries of origin are preserved, documented, and integrated into wider perceptions of cultural heritage.
The project will take place from August 17th to August 30th, 2025, and is jointly organised by European Heritage Volunteers and the Vereinigte Domstifter zu Merseburg und Naumburg und des Kollegiatstifts Zeitz Foundation.
