Halberstadt Cathedral Festival

Halberstadt — the Cathedral City in the Harz District

Halberstadt is located in the foothills of the Harz Mountains, shortly before the Brocken rises from the plain, in the Harz district. The city has an unusual history: it was a bishop's seat for almost 800 years, the capital of the Prince-Bishopric of Halberstadt, and its cathedral was one of the most important Marian and episcopal churches in Northern Germany. The famous Cathedral Treasury, with its goldsmith work, reliquaries, and liturgical textiles, is considered the richest of its kind in northern Germany — and is publicly accessible in the Cathedral Cloister Museum.

Even though the Second World War destroyed large parts of Halberstadt's old town, the cathedral ensemble was preserved. Today, together with the Cathedral Square, the Church of Our Lady, the Cathedral Cloister, and the Monastery Courtyard, it forms one of the most impressive church complexes in Saxony-Anhalt. It is precisely here that the city anchors its annual cultural festival — the Cathedral Festival, a three-day season opener sometimes also called the 'Halberstadt Festival'.

Concerts, Cathedral Treasury, Town Festival

The format of the Cathedral Festival combines two worlds: on the one hand, high-culture concerts and special openings at the Cathedral (organ music in the Church of Our Lady, tours of the Cathedral Treasury, vespers in the choir), and on the other hand, a classic town festival on the Cathedral Square and the Cathedral slope. Stages with local bands, regional food, a children's area, and live programs in the evening. The free admission and the balancing act between sacred space and festival meadow make the format unique.

Season Opening at the Cathedral

The Cathedral Festival also marks the season opening for the Cathedral Cloister Museum. Special exhibitions are opened every year on this date. Those planning the festival weekend can easily combine it with a Halberstadt tour — the town church of St. Martini, the Burchardi Monastery with John Cage's 'Organ²/ASLSP' (the longest piece of music in the world, running until 2640), and the nearby cliffs of the Harz foothills make the region attractive for a weekend.

Cathedral Slope and Festival Meadow

The Cathedral slope is the sloping meadow below the cathedral. During the festival, the city sets up the main stage here, and the largest crowd gathers here on Saturday evening. With a view of the apse of the cathedral, the format develops an atmosphere that lies between a folk festival and a high celebration.