Tour of the Cathedral

The Cathedral's History

Kant's Museum 2. Floor: Kneiphof's History 3. Floor: The Library of Martin Wallenrodt 4. Floor: Kant, his Life and his City Kant's Institute

Photogallery The Cathedral before the War The Cathedral in Ruins The Cathedral's Reconstruction

Video gallery The Cathedral before the War The Cathedral in Ruins The Cathedral's Reconstruction

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2. Floor: Kneiphof's History

The first mention of tribes living at territory of the Kaliningrad area and  Kaliningrad Koenigsberg - 60 AD in work of Roman historian Cornellius Tacitus «About an origin of germen and a site of Germany ».  Prussian as the collective name of tribes living at the territory between Visla and Neman (the first mention 9 century). History of Koenigsberg begins with a gain of Prussian tribes by the Teutonic award and constructions of the deputy. Knights have built a wooden fortress leaving in the ground on a place of Prussian constructions (1255). But restless conditions has induced knights to begin construction of the second of more reliable fortress near to the first castle. The new stone castle has been enclosed with a double wall with nine stone towers. In 5 years knights could sustain the siege of Prussians in the castle.

The oldest part of Koenigsberg is Altstadt (Old city), adjoined to the castle from the south, was under construction about 20 years. On February, 28 in1286 city rights have been granted  to it by the Teutonic award. As all cities on the grounds belonging to an award, Aldstadt was pawned for the certain amount of citizens. The street network has been planned for territories allocated under city in the form of a lattice with the large cells designating domestic spaces. So it was impossible to increase the area of building and number of inhabitants by division of court yard or expansions of territory.

Loebeniсht adjoined toAltstadt from the east, forming settlement along the road leading to Lithuania, initially referred to Liepenick and Lipnicken-village on a bog. It was occupied by handicraftsmen, tanners, weavers, small traders, tillers. On May,27 1300 Teutonic award has granted city rights to Loebenicht.

Kneiphof has arisen in the western part of island. The city, occupied basically by merchants, has received city rights on April, 6 in 1327. It was 14 streets, 2 areas and 2 переулка on Knajphof. The narrowest street had the length 68 m.The green bridge and green gate were card of Kneiphof. They have received the name because of basic tone of Kneiphof emblem. Potrohovyi  bridge - because of slaughterhouses, the Honey bridge - for the sanction to construction of the bridge citizens have paid flanks of honey. Lavochnyi bridge-there cituated a shops. High bridge - the highest at that time Wooden bridge - Altstadt has constructed the bridge leading to its wood warehouses on island Lomze.Swiss mathematician Euler has thought up a task how to pass on all bridges only once and to return back to Kneiphof. This task has no decision and has underlain the theory of graphs.

Each city had the emblem and a seal, the city right, the army, firemen, city church and a town hall.These cities submitted to the Teutonic award. The award demanded regular payment of the duty on the ground from each inhabitant of service in a knightly army or a home guard. The ground tax paid only as «the grateful duty», i.e. as a mark of a recognition of authority.In 1724 г three cities was united in one under the same name as a fortress - Koenigsberg. Day of the basis of the Cathedral considers on September, 13 in 1333г. The founder bishop Iohannes Klare. Initially the Cathedral reflected as Lutheran church carrying out serf functions. First east wall of a huge defensive construction has been erected on  the base of three-meter width incorporated on depth more 10 m in a layer of peat.But goffmaster Luther Braunshvejgsky has become interested in construction. He has forbidden construction of a church - fortress only on distance of arrow flight from medal. Also has obliged to build not a fortress, but church. In connection with prohibition of construction the width of a laying has been reduced up to 1,28м. On northern side the ledge allowing has been made to proceed(pass) from the greater thickness of a laying to smaller. In 1454  Koenigsberg joined to the Prussian union and already in 1457 Teutonic award transfers the residence in Koenigsberg. In 1528  the Cathedral takes over to the city of Knajphof, and later in 1560 is transferred to Albertina (the university is based by duke Albrecht in 1544). In 1880 near the northeast external wall of a cathedral was built a chapel in which  I. Kant's remains was butted, but it has soon come to a unusable condition and has been demolished. It was replaced with a memorial, made under the project of architect F.Lars. During a strike on Koenigsberg the English aircraft in August 1944 the Cathedral has avoided direct hit of bombs, but has been destroyed by the strong fire thrown on it from environmental houses. In post-war years ruins of a cathedral were exposed to the further destruction, only due to a presence at northern wallI. Kant's tomb this architectural monument has avoided the demolition. Since 1901 serious works on reconstruction of a building of the Cathedral have been stopped.

In 1992  restoration of the Cathedral by firm " Cathedral " has been started with assistance of experts from the German center of restoration and crafts from Fulda. A building of a cathedral was strengthened by steel designs, which as a corset have captured internal walls to prevent their further falling. In a tower part internal premises was restored: first opened the orthodox chapel in northern tower, then - museums in former Wallenrodt library, and then an evangelic chapel in a southern tower.

Roof was covered with copper sheets (instead of a tile). This design reduces loading by the base of the Cathedral more than on 40 %.