World Heritage Centre
A new place for history, culture and encounters
The new World Heritage Centre will open opposite Naumburg Cathedral in August 2026. In the historic building of the former bishop's curia, a modern centre will be created that vividly conveys the UNESCO World Heritage concept and offers visitors an introduction to the cultural landscape of Saale-Unstrut.
From historic building to modern visitor centre
The carefully restored bishop's curia at Domplatz 1 combines past and present: the listed building will become a central point of contact for all guests who want to discover Naumburg Cathedral and the World Heritage region. In addition to the reception area, the newly designed curia garden is located outside - a place to rest, meet and relax in the centre of the historic ensemble.
In future, the World Heritage Centre will be the first point of contact for guests and will offer:
· Information service on the cathedral, world heritage site and region
· Barrier-free visitor guidance
· Inviting lounge areas and entrances to the Kuriengarten
Exhibition
A multilingual exhibition is being created on the upper floor of the World Heritage Centre, which can be visited free of charge. It conveys
- the idea of a UNESCO World Heritage Site,
- the special features of the World Heritage Sites in Saxony-Anhalt,
- the extraordinary universal value of Naumburg Cathedral,
- and the importance of the cultural landscape along the Saale and Unstrut rivers.
Interactive stations invite guests to discover the region's cultural heritage in greater depth and recognise connections to other World Heritage Sites around the world.
Space for events, education and exchange
A multifunctional conference and event room will enable seminars, workshops, readings and lectures in future. This will also make the World Heritage Centre a place for education, research and cultural encounters - open to groups, associations, schools and interested parties from all over the world.
Contact
Juliane Spielberg
United Cathedral Foundations of Merseburg and Naumburg and the Kollegiatstift Zeitz
Domplatz 19 | 06618 Naumburg
Phone: +49 (0) 3445 23 01 117
Mail: j.spielberg@vereinigtedomstifter.de
Curia garden
The neighbouring historic Curia Garden will be renovated in line with its listed status and made accessible to the public. In the middle of the cathedral square, a sheltered place of tranquillity is being created that invites visitors to sit, marvel and take a deep breath.
Episcopal Curia
The modern World Heritage Centre is concealed in an incredibly exciting historic building. The episcopal curia Curia Episcopalis with its Romanesque residential tower and curia garden is the most historically valuable ensemble on the cathedral square alongside the cathedral and the Ägidienkapelle chapel. In terms of both its architectural and cultural-historical development, it has a formative effect on the square opposite the east choir. The palatial main building was constructed in the 16th century under the last Catholic bishop, Julius Pflug, in the Renaissance style. The curia was later used by canons and remodelled several times. Significant changes were made in the 18th century (representative interiors, pavilion etc.) and 20th century (disfiguring but reversible conversions to clinical facilities). The Romanesque residential tower is a particular gem of the entire complex. The core of the complex dates back to the 12th century, has been remodelled many times and shows a high degree of visible changes to its surfaces. Fragments of valuable paintings have been preserved inside.
Promotion
The handover of the funding decision from the state of Saxony-Anhalt and the placement of the time capsule on 10 March 2023 marked the official start of construction of the World Heritage Centre. The state of Saxony-Anhalt is funding the project with funds from the joint programme „Improvement of the regional economic structure“ (GRW). The Burgenland district is also supporting the construction project. No structural change funds are being channelled into this project. The Ostdeutsche Sparkassenstiftung and the Sparkasse Burgenlandkreis, the state of Saxony-Anhalt and the Friede Springer Stiftung support the museum production in the Bishop's Curia.
service
Contact
World Heritage Centre | Visitor Service Naumburg Cathedral
Cathedral Square 1
06618 Naumburg
Phone: 03 44 5/23 01-133
E-mail: fuehrung@naumburger-dom.de
Postal address: Domplatz 19 / 06618 Naumburg
(Opening hours, admission regulations and barrier-free information will be published before the opening).
