For more than 850 years, the treasure of Essen's convent church has been stored here, in an annex to the south of the church. Pictured: the Cathedral Treasury.

The Treasury of Essen Cathedral

Around the year 850 and together with members of his family, the Saxon nobleman Altfrid built a convent for noble women in the area of today's minster. The Cathedral Treasury contains the valuables of the former convent in Essen.

Exterior view of the Essen Cathedral, which looks back at a history of about 1150 years. A convent was founded here around 850. – © Cronauge / The Treasury of Essen Cathedral

The "Crown of Essen" is the oldest preserved fleur-de-lis crown in Europe. It has been kept in the Essen Cathedral Treasury for almost a millennium. – © Jens Nober / The Treasury of Essen Cathedral

The “Golden Madonna" is one of the earliest sculptures of the European Middle Ages and the world’s oldest sculpture of Mary. Every day, many believers come to the Essen Cathedral to pray in front of it. – © Anne Gold / The Treasury of Essen Cathedral

The main altar (consecrated in 1968) of the Essen Cathedral was created by sculptor Elmar Hillebrand from polished blue stone. The shape of the altar is reminiscent of a tulip opening up as well as the table of the Last Supper. – © Christian Diehl / The Treasury of Essen Cathedral

The seven-armed Essen candelabrum is the oldest surviving Christian replica of a Jewish temple candelabrum. Abbess Mathilde from Essen (officially 971/73-1011) has immortalised herself with an inscription. – © Christian Diehl / The Treasury of Essen Cathedral

Exterior view of the Essen Cathedral, which looks back at a history of about 1150 years. A convent was founded here around 850. – © Cronauge / The Treasury of Essen Cathedral

For almost 1,000 years, the religious community of women helped to define the history of Essen. After its closure in 1802 and 1803, the two associated churches, the minster, and St. Johann, were given to the parish of the minster in Essen.

In 1958, the minster became the cathedral of the newly founded diocese Essen. That is also the reason the treasure of the convent is called the "cathedral treasure."

In the course of the centuries, books, liturgical equipment, receptacles for relics, ecclesiastical paravents (textiles and draperies), sculptures, and paintings were crafted for the interior of the minster and as liturgical equipment for services and worship. The reason for the treasure's fame is a group of distinguished and famous artworks from the 10th and 11th centuries. Among these artworks are the Golden Madonna and the seven-branched candelabrum—the most important and prominent icons.

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The Treasury of Essen Cathedral

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