The Erfurt Cathedral, properly the Hohe Domkirche St. Marien, occupies the high ground above Domplatz alongside the Severikirche. It has stood in various forms since the 8th century; the current Gothic building dates mainly from the 13th to 15th centuries. The choir, with its extraordinary stained glass windows from the 14th century, is among the finest in Germany.
The cathedral is climbed from Domplatz via a wide flight of 70 steps — the same steps where the DomStufen-Festspiele opera festival takes place each summer, with the cathedral as a backdrop. Inside, the Wolfram candelabrum (a bronze figure holding candles, from around 1160) is one of the outstanding examples of Romanesque metalwork in Europe. The bell tower houses the Maria Gloriosa, whose occasional tollings can be heard across the city.