Altenberger Kultursommer — Cathedral Concerts

Altenberger Dom — the Cathedral of Bergisches Land

The Altenberger Dom (St. Mariä Himmelfahrt) is one of the most significant Gothic churches in Germany — a former Cistercian monastery church, built between 1259 and 1379. With its vast west rose window, slender nave pillars, and incomparable play of light, the Bergische Dom is one of the architectural highlights of the region. Nestled in the idyllic Dhünn valley north of Cologne, the cathedral also offers exceptional acoustics — the foundation of the concert offerings by Altenberger Dommusik.

Over 100 Concerts in the Half-Year Program

The half-year program March to August 2026 was published as a PDF on January 21, 2026 (AltenbergerDommusik2026.pdf, 1.7 MB) and can be accessed via altenberger-dommusik.de. A total of over 100 concerts and specially designed musical church services — an extraordinary density that makes Altenberg one of the most important church music destinations in Western Germany.

Three Venues — Cathedral, St. Pankratius, Schloss Strauweiler

The concerts are spread across three venues:

• Altenberger Dom — main venue, featuring the famous Klais organ (89 stops, Cathedral organist Rolf Müller), opening and closing concerts
• St. Pankratius Odenthal — the parish church in Odenthal, venue for smaller concerts and choral music
• Schloss Strauweiler — a historic moated castle in the region, hosting atmospheric chamber music concerts

Concert Formats

The programmed diversity includes:

• Organ concerts on the cathedral's Klais organ with national and international organists
• Choral and cantata concerts with the Altenberg Cathedral Choir and guest ensembles
• Chamber music in the smaller venues
• Symphonic concerts for special occasions
• Specially designed musical church services

Odenthal and Altenberg in Bergisches Land

Odenthal is a municipality in the Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis (Rhineland-Bergisches District) with about 14,000 inhabitants — north of Cologne in the Bergisches Land region. The district of Altenberg is famous for its cathedral and attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. The Altenberger Kultursommer utilizes the acoustically and atmospherically exceptional spaces of the cathedral and surrounding locations for a concert summer half-year of the highest quality.