The Cathedral Treasure Chamber contains the sacred utensils and artwork of Essen Abbey, which existed from the middle of the 9th century until 1902. The collection includes golden artefacts such as the Golden Madonna and Processional Cross that date back to the heyday of the abbey in the 11th and 12th centuries. A very special highlight is the Golden Madonna. It is the oldest surviving sculpted figure of Mary in Western art. Even today, the Golden Madonna is a piece of art the Ruhr area identifies with its history. These items make up one of the world’s most important collections of Ottonian-Salian goldsmith art.
Opening hours:
Tue. – Sat. 10am – 5pm, Sun. + public holidays 11:30am – 5pm
Closed: Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Ascension Day, Low Sunday, Corpus Christi, Dec. 24, 31 and Jan. 1
Guided tours: as per agreement