The beautiful small town of Königslutter with its 17 communities is a city with a relaxing atmosphere and is an alluring destination for visitors. There is plenty to see and to explore: first and foremost the famous Romanesque cathedral, founded by the Roman Emperor Lothar III. Also historical mechanical musical instruments, richly adorned half-timbered buildings and colorful houses from many eras with surprising details.
The Elm range is ‘right at the doorstep’. The extensive Elm-Lappwald nature preserve will put the visitors in the mood for hiking, strolling, cycling or riding. The adventure paths in the UNESCO Geopark and the open-air museum take the visitors to especially beautiful excursion destinations and old stone quarries.
Kaiserdom Königslutter
The Königslutter cathedral – formerly Saints Peter and Paul Benedictine Monastery Church – is a remarkable building of the Romanesque era in Germany. With its high-rising towers looming over the northern edge of the Elm Mountains, the Kaiserdom is visible for miles around. The building remains an impressive, stately sight, even today.
At the time of its construction, in the middle of the 12th century, it was the biggest building in Northern Germany. The cathedral is a perfect example of the additive principle of Romanesque architecture: The massive west front, nave and transept, main and side choirs, apses and towers are clearly distinguishable within the overall composition. Half-columns, round arch friezes and windows structure and punctuate the wall surfaces – a typical characteristic of the Romanesque style, along with massively thick walls. Its monumental groin vaulting above the lofty choir and the transept is among the earliest of its kind. The interior of the church is decorated with colorful paintings, which date back to the last decade of the 19th century. The outstanding quality of the stonework of the eastern parts, the monumental vaults within and the extraordinary architectural sculpture, are all expressions of the imperial demand that Lothair III made for the church that he founded.
