Erbauung (an) der Vergangenheit – Der Magdeburger Dom und die Wiederentdeckung des Mittelalters in Preußen

In the organizer's words:

When King Friedrich Wilhelm 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 historical and monument preservation in Prussia in the early 19th century. This reference to an idealized and mythicized medieval origin also played a decisive role in the nation-building that was beginning at the time. The construction work that began in Magdeburg 200 years ago is thus emblematic of decisive historical developments that continue to have an impact in Europe to this day.

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