New Insights into the History of Otto the Great's Tomb in Magdeburg Cathedral

After the limestone sarcophagus was removed from its location in the so-called "Hohen Chor" (High Choir) at the beginning of the year, archaeologists were able for the first time to comprehensively investigate the subsurface. In 2025, the sarcophagus and a wooden coffin inside it had already been opened. According to preliminary information from the Landesamt für Denkmalpflege und Archäologie Sachsen-Anhalt (State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology of Saxony-Anhalt), the sarcophagus is to be reinterred in September.

The excavations also captured a system of passages beneath the floor of the "Hohen Chor" that has long been known but has still not been fully explained. The passages, some of which date back to the Middle Ages, were filled in or built over in the 19th century and now provide indications of earlier construction phases of the cathedral.

Findings in the "Hohen Chor"

State archaeologist Harald Meller contextualized the findings on Thursday in Magdeburg. "Die Untersuchungen lieferten keine Anhaltspunkte dafür, dass sich die Grabstätte Ottos des Großen bereits im Vorgängerbau des heutigen Doms an derselben Stelle befand", sagte er. Damit bleibe „die Frage nach dem ursprünglichen Bestattungsort des Kaisers im Dom" weiterhin offen.

The investigations are part of a multi-year project aimed at conserving the heavily damaged tomb and making it accessible. Archaeologists have been working to save it for two years. The Kulturstiftung Sachsen-Anhalt (Cultural Foundation of Saxony-Anhalt) and the Archdiocese of Magdeburg are accompanying the endeavor.

Background: Otto the Great and Magdeburg

Otto the Great, born in 912 and died in 973, was one of the most influential rulers of the early Middle Ages. He was crowned emperor in Rome in 962 and is regarded as the founder of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation. He had a special connection to Magdeburg Cathedral: He made Magdeburg his preferred center of power and had the cathedral expanded as a significant ecclesiastical burial site.

The current excavations were conducted under the direction of the Landesamt für Denkmalpflege und Archäologie Sachsen-Anhalt. In addition to the passage systems, the specialists documented plaster remains and other traces that point to the design of the choir area in different periods. A final scientific evaluation is still pending.

Further Procedure and Publication

Those involved also connect the project with the hope of learning more about the building history of Magdeburg Cathedral itself. The current structure was erected after a devastating city fire in 1207. The predecessor buildings are archaeologically only discernible in fragments.

According to the State Office, the findings from the ongoing investigations are to be incorporated into a comprehensive publication. According to this, thoughts are already being given to future excavation sections in the cathedral. Otto the Great's sarcophagus is being conserved and documented for the public until its reinterment.

For Magdeburg Cathedral, which is already counted among the most significant sacred buildings in Germany, the project represents a twofold effort: On the one hand, the cultural heritage of the first Romano-German emperor must be preserved; on the other, new building blocks for the urban and church history of Magdeburg must be secured.