Edification of the past – Magdeburg Cathedral and the rediscovery of the Middle Ages in Prussia

When King Frederick William III attended a concert in Magdeburg Cathedral in September 1825, he was made aware of the ruinous state of the important building. As a result, the monarch strongly advocated the restoration of the building. The Museum of Cultural History Magdeburg is using the start of this "Great Cathedral Repair" 200 years ago as an opportunity to place the work on the cathedral in a comprehensive historical context. In retrospect, the restoration proves to be a milestone for the emerging awareness of the preservation of history and monuments in Prussia in the early 19th century. This reference to an idealised and mythicised medieval origin also played a decisive role in the nation-building that was beginning at the time. The construction work begun in Magdeburg 200 years ago thus symbolises decisive historical developments that continue to have an impact in Europe to this day.

The special exhibition will cover around 600 square metres and be divided into various sections, which will focus, among other things, on the reference to medieval topoi and the associated search for identity, the beginning of systematic monument preservation in Prussia and the aims, planning and phases of the "Great Cathedral Repair" itself.