Guest survey launched: The altar of Mary in Naumburg Cathedral touches visitors 

Since the consecration of the Marian altar in the west choir of Naumburg Cathedral on July 3, 2022, 25,880 people have visited Naumburg Cathedral, which is 10 percent more than the previous year. The Vereinigte Domstifter assume that the new altar is a main reason that more people explore the cathedral. This is also confirmed by the number of visitors to the special tours of the altar, which are offered every Sunday. In addition, this is confirmed above all by the numerous feedbacks that have reached the foundation since the consecration. For example, Holger Baumann from the Rheinkamp parish on the Lower Rhine wrote by mail after his visit in August 2022: 

"I would like to express extraordinary appreciation and thanks for the CranachTriegelAltar at its current location in the cathedral. While the naturally impressive founder figures primarily serve as a tourist attraction daily tourists as a photo motif, the CranachTriegelAltar has touched us Christian-spiritually and brings back into this space often unsettled by photo tourists Christian-church atmosphere and through the moving directness and confrontation of the figures of Triegel with the visitor a reflection on the worthy church space. For this we thank you expressly - also in the name of other tourists who were only looking for Uta, but found church."

And Dr. Susanne Reisser and Prof. Dr. Christoph Reisser from Vienna wrote after their visit to the cathedral on July 4, 2022:

"Not only the Uta and all the other figures known to us from previous visits but above all the so successful redesign of the Cranach altar impressed us very much. The combination of modern art with Cranach has succeeded impressively in the present form. The Risen Christ as "one of our time" is a very strong sign to "our time"."

After the suggestion of the guests, there is a visitor survey in the west choir to the Marian altar since August 9, 2022 to record more opinions. Questions in it are for example:

How do you feel about the (re)installation of the Marian altar in the west choir of Naumburg Cathedral? (multiple answers possible)

I feel ...

• the altar as an enrichment of the west choir
• that the altar harmoniously forms a central focal point for the donor figures
• that the altar detracts too much from the effect of the founder's figures

What is your opinion on the installation period and location? (Please tick only one answer!)

I am of the opinion that the Marian altar ...

• that the Marian altar should remain permanently installed in the west choir of Naumburg Cathedral.
• that the altar of Mary should be placed in the west choir of the cathedral for a maximum of 3 years.
• that the Marian altar will be displayed in the west choir of the cathedral only until December 4, 2022 at the most.
• that the altar of Mary should be placed in the west choir only for a limited period of time (weeks) each year.
• That the Marian altar be displayed permanently, but outside the west choir.
• that the altar of Mary must be removed from the west choir immediately!

So far, nearly 150 visitors have filled out the questionnaire, of which over 70 percent are in favor of leaving the altar in the west choir, 13 percent are in favor of displaying the altar elsewhere in the cathedral, and only 3 percent are in favor of removing the altar from the west choir immediately.

"I am encouraged by the many positive responses of the visitors, on the one hand the enthusiasm for the artistic work, and on the other hand, and this weighs even more for me, the confrontation that now arises with the visitors, with the west choir, with the church as a whole, the new visual relationships that arise for them and the liturgical significance of the space, which now becomes more important for the guests," emphasizes the director of the United Cathedral Foundations, Dr. Holger Kunde on the feedback.

The visitor survey will continue until December 4, 2022. There will also be a scientific colloquium in November to discuss the altar.