Documentation and conservation measures on the tomb of Otto the Great
Emperor Otto the Great died in 973. Since the 13th century his tomb is centrally positioned in the High Choir of Magdeburg's Gothic cathedral. As the ‘founder’ of the Archbishopric of Magdeburg, the emperor was a figure who shaped the identity of the people of Magdeburg - and still is today. Accordingly, his grave has a particularly prominent place in the Gothic cathedral.
The tomb itself consists of a coffered limestone sarcophagus, which is over 2 metres long and about 60 centimetres wide, that may even date back to the 10th century. An ancient marble slab rests on top of it. Inside the sarcophagus is a wooden coffin containing the emperor's bones and remains of garments. This we know from the report on the opening of the tomb in 1844.
Examinations of the condition of the limestone sarcophagus reveal some major damage. This is partly the result of corroding iron components that were incorporated during restoration and securing work on the tomb in the 19th century. These pose a significant risk of causing damage. Furthermore, the marble slab, which weighs several hundred kilograms, is partially resting directly on the thin-walled sarcophagus. It is also to be expected that the strong internal climate fluctuations measured in the cathedral will have a negative impact on the condition of the tomb.
The current on-site professional preventive and conservational measures are now taking the necessary steps to preserve the famous tomb of Otto the Great - the heart of Magdeburg Cathedral - in the long term for future generations. The work is being carried out as a cooperation project between the Kulturstiftung Sachsen-Anhalt as the owner of Magdeburg Cathedral and the State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology Saxony-Anhalt (Landesamt für Denkmalpflege und Archäologie Sachsen-Anhalt) as the expert authority on heritage, as well as in close coordination with the Magdeburg Cathedral parish. The goal is to complete the documentation and conservation of the tomb in 2025.
