St Peter's Cathedral (Petridom)

Germany's oldest Simultankirche — a single church shared by Catholic and Protestant congregations since 1524

Address An der Petrikirche 6, Bautzen

The Petridom is the most unusual major church in Saxony — a single Gothic building shared between Catholic and Protestant congregations since 1524, divided by a low screen between nave (Protestant) and choir (Catholic). The interior is a curious assembly of Reformation pulpits and Baroque Catholic altars under the same roof, with both traditions clearly visible.

The church itself was built in stages between the 13th and 15th centuries, with a tower that was capped with its current bulbous baroque dome only in 1664. Free entry; quiet during weekday mornings. The view from the cathedral square looking down Reichenstraße is the classic Bautzen old-town view.

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A story
When the Reformation swept through Saxony in 1524 the Bautzen town council could not agree which confession should keep St Peter's, so they split the building down the middle. A short wooden screen still divides the nave from the choir today, and the two congregations have shared the church for over 500 years — the longest-running such arrangement anywhere in Germany.