The Vereinigten Domstifter zu Merseburg und Naumburg und des Kollegiatstifts Zeitz will close the Merseburg Cathedral, the Naumburg Cathedral and the Chapter Library in Zeitz for visitors from 16 March 2020 until presumably 8 May 2020. Furthermore, all events planned for the period will be cancelled. Also all conferences, mediation and educational offers of the KinderDomBauhütte and the KinderDomusMerseburch will be cancelled until 8 May 2020. There will be no visitor traffic in the archives and libraries of the foundation. The cathedral shops in Naumburg and Merseburg will be closed for the period.

Furthermore, with immediate effect there will be no church services in Merseburg or Naumburg Cathedral, and the events of the Naumburg Cathedral Choir and the Protestant parish of Merseburg have also been cancelled for the above-mentioned period.

The closures are intended to protect the visitors and employees of the foundation. The Vereinigte Domstifter hope to make a contribution so that the Corona Pandemic in Central Germany cannot continue to spread so rapidly.

"This is of course a difficult step for us as a foundation that lives largely on entrance fees, but we do not question it, because the health of our employees and guests comes first", emphasizes the director of the foundation, Dr Holger Kunde. "We hope for the support of the state and the federal government in order to support cultural institutions like ours in these times", Dr Kunde continues.

Guests can contact the visitor centre of Vereinigte Domstifter for questions concerning changes in bookings fuehrung@naumburger-dom.de . Press enquiries can still be made to presse@vereinigtedomstifter.de . The internal operation of the foundation is maintained.