Sankt Blasien

St. Blasien Cathedral

Image: Hamsterkiste

The town of St. Blasien is about 50 kilometers southeast of Freiburg. It is home to a large cathedral. Originally, there was a monastery church here, where devout monks lived. In 1768, the old church was destroyed by fire. The abbot of the monastery wanted to create something special with a new building.


He appointed a French architect who took the famous Pantheon and St Peter’s Basilica in Rome as his inspiration. A domed design was chosen. The dome is 62 metres high and spans 36 metres. This makes it one of the largest church domes in the world.


The monks left the monastery long ago. In the 19th century, several factories operated in the monastery buildings. After a major fire in May 1979, St Blasien Cathedral was restored once again. Its interior was given the appearance it has today. The white rows of chairs are unusual and enhance the wonderfully bright feel of the space.


Another well-known monastery in the Black Forest is St. Trudpert, in the municipality of Münstertal. It lies about 20 kilometres south of Freiburg. This monastery was founded more than 1,000 years ago by the Irish monk Trudpert.

Find out:

  1. Where is the town of St. Blasien?
  2. What important landmark is there in this city?
  3. What happened in 1768?
  4. Which buildings inspired the architect of the new church?
  5. How high is the dome, and how wide is its span?
  6. What was housed in the monastery buildings in the 19th century?
  7. What is unusual about the interior of today’s cathedral?
  8. Which monastery is about 20 kilometers south of Freiburg?

Inside the cathedral

Image: Hamsterkiste

The dome has a span of 36 m

Image: Hamsterkiste

The white rows of chairs in the cathedral are very unusual

Image: Hamsterkiste

The Monastery of Saint Trudpert

Image: Hamsterkiste

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