Freiberg Cathedral
Freiberger Dom St. Marien50°55′ N 13°21′ E
Freiberg Cathedral suits music lovers who want Bach in a late-Gothic hall church with two Silbermann organs, and in Advent its concerts sell tickets in tiers up to 27 euros. Bach's Christmas Oratorio plays twice on 5 December 2026, the day of Freiberg's torchlight miners' parade.
Photo Paulae · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 3.0 and others, credited in the gallery
Freiberg's cathedral grew from a Romanesque basilica of the late 12th century, which Pope Sixtus IV raised to cathedral rank in 1480. After the town fire of 1484 it was rebuilt as a late-Gothic hall church and consecrated in 1501. The Golden Portal of 1225 survives from the older church. Inside you'll find the miners' pulpit and the tulip pulpit, and the electors of Saxony lie in the burial chapel.
Music draws most visitors in winter. The cathedral has two organs by Gottfried Silbermann, and the parish counts about 25 organ concerts a year and up to 400 short organ recitals during tours. In Advent 2026 the program runs from candlelit organ music to Bach's Christmas Oratorio on 5 December and Italian Christmas music with the Dresdner Barockorchester on 19 December.
Worth knowing
- Pick the 16:00 Christmas Oratorio on 5 December 2026 if you also want to see the 17:00 torchlight parade on the Obermarkt.
- Winter hours are short: the cathedral closes at 16:00 from November to April.
Quick answers about Freiberg Cathedral
When is the Christmas Oratorio in Freiberg Cathedral in 2026?
Freiberg Cathedral performs parts I to III of Bach's Christmas Oratorio on Saturday 5 December 2026 at 16:00 and 19:30. Tickets cost from 13 to 27 euros.
What are Freiberg Cathedral's winter opening hours?
From November to April Freiberg Cathedral opens Monday to Saturday from 11:00 to 16:00 and on Sundays and church holidays from 11:30 to 16:00.