Inscriptions of Münster

Castle of the Cathedral

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During many centuries the Münster cathedral was surrounded by a medieval fortification that has now disappeared but whose former existence is now explained by the plaque described here.

Photo Münster: cathedral

Cathedral

Photos: Hans-Rudolf Hower, 2007

Photo Münster: Inscription commemorating the cathedral's castle

Inscription

Original Text (in German)

Domburg

Im Dombereich folgte auf altsächsische Anlage eine kreisrunde fränkische Ansiedlung hinter Wall und Graben, in deren Schutz ab 792 ein Kloster und die Domkirche Liudgers lagen. Die karolingische Domburg, als mittelalterliche Immunität mit den Kurien der Domherren fortgeführt, hat den Grundriss der Stadt wesentlich beeinflusst. Hier geistlicher, späterhin auch territorialer Mittelpunkt des Münsterlandes, noch heute Sitz des Bischofs und des Regierungspräsidenten.

Translation

Castle of the Cathedral

Near the cathedral an old Saxon installation was followed by a circular Frankish settlement behind a wall and a moat, under whose protection there were a monastery and Liudger's cathedral. The Carolingian castle of the cathedral, which continued to exist as a medieval immunity with the cathedral canons' curias, essentially influenced the ground plan of the city. Here was the spiritual, then even territorial center of the Münster region, and nowadays the bishop's and the district president's residence is still here.

Comment

The German text of the inscription is partly written in "telegraphic" style. This causes the syntactical structures of some sentences to be somewhat incomplete. For better understanding, the English translation gives you the full text as if there were no abbreviations.

Medieval immunities granted by the relevant sovereign began to exist in the early seventh century. They were properties that state agents were not allowed to enter. In many cases an "immunity wall" delimited the concerned property.

See also Immunity Wall.

Bibliography

Author / Title / Subject	Notes	Info / Purchase
Münster. A City Guide: Map of the City, surrounding maps, bus map	A city guide to Münster (to be published in 2012).	amazon.de/at: English. amazon.es: --- amazon.fr: English. amazon.it: ---
Journey through North Rhine-Westphalia	A specialized guide to North Rhine-Westphalia.	amazon.de/at: English. amazon.es: English. amazon.fr: English. amazon.it: English.
Barbara H. Rosenwein, Negotiating Space	Subtitle: Power, Restraint, and Privileges of Immunity in Early Medieval Europe. This indicates the importance of this book for the interpretation of the inscription described here.	amazon.de/at: English. amazon.es: English. amazon.fr: English. amazon.it: English.

Internet

Be aware of our legal reservation concerning any Internet reference.

Address / Owner	Content / Subjects
Municipality of Münster	Official site (in Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, and Spanish).
City map of Münster By Google Maps.	Zoomable city map of Münster.
Münster In the English Wikipedia.	Detailed encyclopaedic article on the city of Münster.
North Rhine-Westphalia In the English Wikipedia.	Detailed encyclopaedic article on the land of North Rhine-Westphalia.
Province of Westphalia In the English Wikipedia.	Detailed encyclopaedic article on the historical Province of Westphalia.
Münster (region) In the English Wikipedia.	Detailed encyclopaedic article on the region (Regierungsbezirk) of Münster.

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Arrival by Public Transport

For the arrival in Münster, see Inscriptions of Münster.

Exiting the Münster railway station, go straight ahead taking the Windhorststraße, then Stubengasse and H.-Brüningstraße. At the end take the Salzstraße to the left, turn right at its end and turn left into the Domgasse, where you will see the Domburg plaque at a little distance on your right.

Indications concerning the arrival correspond to our personal knowledge or even experience, but we cannot assume any responsibility for their rightness. When you are reading this page, things may have changed in reality.

Hans-Rudolf Hower, 2012

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Last updated: April 4, 2016