The Cathedral of the Virgin Mary and Saint Adalbert is a decommissioned cathedral located in the historic district of Kaliningrad — Kneiphof (now officially named "Immanuel Kant Island"), one of the island parts of the former East Prussian city of Königsberg. The cathedral was the main seat of the Catholic Bishop, so after the Reformation victory it was called Der Doom, and the name today remains from the original.

Before the church reformation of the 16th century, the cathedral was the main Catholic church of Königsberg (dedicated to the Most Holy Body of Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, All Saints, and Saint Adalbert), and later became the main Lutheran church of Prussia.

The cathedral, built in the style of brick (Baltic) Gothic, is one of the few Gothic structures in Russia.

Religion played a central role in the life of the Teutonic Order. The brothers needed a main church for divine liturgies and burial places. Bishop Johannes Klare was granted ownership of land on the island between two branches of the river. The first cathedral was built between 1297 and 1302 in the southwestern part of Altstadt. After the death of Bishop Siegfried, under whom the cathedral's construction began, the new bishop was Johann. He considered the already built cathedral too small. At his request, in 1327, the Master of the Teutonic Order allocated a new plot for building the city's main church on Kneiphof island.

The exact date of the start of construction at the new site is unknown. Formally, its "birthday" is considered September 13, 1333 (the first mention in documents). On this day, the Master of the Teutonic Order gave permission to continue construction. Initially, the project envisaged building a fortress cathedral because the territory had just been conquered, but the Order's Grand Master Luther of Brunswick did not allow it, saying that "there is no need to build a second fortress just a bowshot away from the Order's castle." Thus, the halted construction resumed, but now the cathedral was built exclusively as a religious building.

The material for the new cathedral was bricks from the old cathedral (in Altstadt), which was demolished. A bridge was specially built over the Pregel River to deliver them to the island, called the Cathedral Bridge, and gates were cut into the city wall of Altstadt, also named Cathedral Gates. Both structures were temporary; while the bridge was later dismantled (it lasted only fifty years), the gates stood for another six hundred years and were destroyed during the Anglo-American air bombing of the city in August 1944.

From 1344, the cathedral became the burial place for the highest spiritual and secular nobility.

Formally, the completion date is considered 1380, but work continued later. Not only on interior decoration (for example, between 1380 and 1400, the cathedral's naves were painted with frescoes). In 1553, towers were added to the cathedral's facades (one of the spires had a weather vane in the shape of a mermaid).

The cathedral's architectural style is considered Gothic or Northern Gothic. The beautiful main hall with a vaulted ceiling was connected to the side aisles, forming a unified whole. Originally, the cathedral was single-naved, but later a three-nave section was added to its western part. During the Order's time, these two parts were separated: knights prayed in the single-nave part, known as the High Choir, while ordinary parishioners worshipped in the three-nave part (Low Choir).

In 1519, the last Catholic service was held in the cathedral, and just four years later, the first evangelical sermon in German took place there. In 1528, the cathedral became a parish church and property of the city of Kneiphof. Soon, the Albertina University building appeared next to the cathedral; the cathedral served as the university church, and from 1650, the Wallenrod Library, a unique collection of old books and manuscripts, was located in its southern tower. The cathedral and university were connected by the professors' burial vault, where professors of the Albertina were buried from 1558. Immanuel Kant was the last to be laid to rest there. For the philosopher's 200th birthday in 1924, a memorial portico called the "Stoa Kantiana" (designed by architect Friedrich Lars) was erected on the eastern side of the cathedral. The cathedral also houses the tomb of Duke Albrecht and many of his relatives, whose family burial vault is located there. Fragments of Albrecht's tombstone remain in the cathedral to this day.

In 1640, a clock with chimes was installed in the cathedral tower, and in 1695, an organ appeared in the cathedral.

In 1789, Karamzin visited the cathedral. His travel notes include a record dedicated to the cathedral: "The cathedral church here is enormous. With great interest, I examined there ancient weapons, armor, and the helmet of the most pious of the Brandenburg margraves and the bravest of knights of his time. 'Where are you,' I thought, 'where are you, gloomy ages, ages of barbarism and heroism? Your pale shadows frighten the timid enlightenment of our days. Only the sons of inspiration dare to summon them from the abyss of the past — like Ulysses calling the shadows of friends from the dark abodes of death — to preserve the memory of the wondrous transformation of peoples in their melancholy songs.' I dreamed for about an hour, leaning against a post. On the wall is depicted the margrave's pregnant wife, who, forgetting her condition, falls to her knees and fervently prays to heaven to preserve the life of the hero going to conquer enemies. It's a pity that the art here does not correspond to the touching subject! There are also many colorful banners, trophies of the margrave."

In 1833, the cathedral was restored for the first time, and in 1888, a new organ was installed.

Between 1901 and 1907, Richard Detlefsen, a provincial conservator (a German official responsible for preserving cultural monuments), conducted another restoration of the cathedral. The western (main) facade was restored to its 14th-century appearance, which had been noticeably altered by various reconstructions by that time.

By the start of World War II, the cathedral had the following dimensions:

Length: 88.5 meters

Height of the tallest (southern) tower to the spire — 50.75 meters

Height of the building part (without the cross) — 32.14 meters

Throughout its long "German" history, the cathedral served not only as a religious building. In 1344, Count Wilhelm IV of Holland asked the bishop for permission to spend the winter in the still unfinished cathedral with his horses, and he was not refused. In 1807, part of the cathedral (specifically, Duke Albrecht's family vault) was turned into a military prison by the French.

The cathedral's rich interior was almost completely destroyed (burned) during World War II. Only some stone epitaphs survived. The most notable is the epitaph — the tomb monument of Duke Albrecht of Hohenzollern by the Flemish architect and sculptor Cornelis Floris (architect of the Antwerp Town Hall). The epitaph is done in the style of Flemish Renaissance (Mannerism). Its dimensions are 11 meters high and 12.5 meters wide. Originally, the epitaph was richly decorated with sculptures, columns, coats of arms, etc., but after the war only the bare frame remained (restoration has been ongoing since 2009). The epitaph is located at the eastern end wall of the cathedral.

Besides the monumental epitaph of Albrecht, several more modest epitaphs from the 16th–17th centuries have survived. They are now mounted on the cathedral walls, both inside and outside.

Also interesting is the internal turret housing a spiral staircase leading to the upper levels of the cathedral tower. The turret consists of interlaced pointed arches, which first appeared in Norman architecture in Sicily in the 11th–13th centuries.

There are legends about the cross standing to the right of the cathedral. Supposedly, it is a memorial cross for those who died during the night bombing by English aviation, and that remains of children were found at this spot. None of this is true. The fact is that in old times, cemeteries were always near churches, and when clearing the ground, remains were found at depth. Therefore, a cross was erected in memory of the deceased.

The target of the first bomber raid on Königsberg on the night of August 26–27 was the northeastern parts of the city, Hintertragheim and Rossgarten. The operation involved 174 four-engine Lancasters of the 5th Bomber Command Squadron of the Royal Air Force under Major John Woodroffe. About 480 tons of munitions were dropped, one-third were fragmentation bombs, two-thirds incendiary. Bomber Command's Supreme Commander Sir Arthur Harris considered this ratio necessary to create a real firestorm in the city and thus destroy the maximum number of inhabitants. He is often called Bomber Harris, but pilots nicknamed him Butcher Harris, possibly because they realized the consequences of his orders. About a thousand Königsberg residents died during the first bombing. The second raid, involving 175 Lancasters and dropping 480 tons of munitions, took place on the night of August 29–30 and led to the destruction of the entire central part of Königsberg, i.e., the historic districts. This included Altstadt, Kneiphof, and Löbenicht, the Royal Castle, the Cathedral with its Wallenrod Library and many cultural valuables, the old warehouse quarters of Lastadie, beautiful Königsberg Baroque churches, the old university, its new building on Paradeplatz, the opera theater, the famous bookstore "Graefe und Unzer," the city historical museum which housed many exhibits related to Kant (displayed in four halls), and the state library with valuable first editions. All of this was destroyed. About five thousand people died during the raid; the exact number was never established. The city burned for another three days; the glow of the fires was seen from 50 kilometers away. The city walls and cobblestones cooled for several days after the fire. The center of Königsberg resembled a city of the dead. The cathedral itself burned down to the ground, completely. It remained in this state for almost 50 years.

After the war, the cathedral remained a huge ruin. Authorities at best "tolerated" it, as it (like all pre-war buildings) was considered a "symbol of Prussian militarism and fascism" and almost an "eyesore for the new socialist city." The cathedral was not demolished only because Kant was buried by its walls. In 1960, the cathedral was granted the status of a cultural monument of republican significance, but no measures were taken to preserve the building: the ruins continued to deteriorate. Only in 1976 was an attempt made to restore the cathedral. However, this restoration caused more harm than good. During it, the war-surviving gable of the northern tower was destroyed. The floor epitaphs inside the cathedral were severely damaged.

With renewed energy, debates about the cathedral's future flared up with the start of perestroika. Several options were proposed:

• Restore the cathedral with German funds. This option, the most realistic, caused many objections at the time. Many feared that restoration with German money would be the start of a "creeping occupation" of Kaliningrad by Germans.

• Preserve the ruins without restoration as a kind of war memorial (similar intentionally unrestored ruins can be seen, for example, in England).

• Transfer the cathedral to the Catholic community. The justification for this option was weak, as the Catholic community in Kaliningrad is small (mainly ethnic Poles and Lithuanians, as well as immigrants from Western Ukraine and Belarus). Moreover, for most of its history, the cathedral was not Catholic but Protestant. There were also proposals to turn the cathedral into an interdenominational center-church where Catholics, Orthodox, and Protestants could pray side by side.

• Restore the cathedral gradually, as funds become available.

In 1992, the restoration of the cathedral was undertaken by the company "Cathedral" under the leadership of Igor Alexandrovich Odintsov. After a comprehensive study of the cathedral ruins in 1993, conservation work began, and in 1994, restoration (of the towers) started. On June 21 of the same year, the cathedral spire was installed, with segments mounted on the tower drum using helicopters of the Baltic Fleet.

In 1995–1996, restoration of the cathedral's epitaphs and Kant's tombstone was carried out. In autumn 1995, a clock and four bells were installed on the cathedral tower. These clocks are the most accurate in Kaliningrad, as behind the facade, which replicates the look of the pre-war clocks, is a modern clock mechanism synchronized by satellite. The clocks were made by the well-known company Siemens.

Between 1996 and 1998, work was done to restore the cathedral roof. To reduce weight, it was made of copper rather than the original tiles. During the roof construction, it became clear that the central ridge was convex. For some reason during the cathedral's construction, either the builders erred in height on the sides, or the foundations settled during construction. This is visible in aerial photos. In September 1998, two bells were hung on the small tower. At the end of 2005, the interior of the Wallenrod Library, which was located in the cathedral before the war, was restored. This work was completed in three months by Kaliningrad woodcarving masters.

However, the current restoration has many criticisms. Comparing the cathedral's modern appearance with pre-war photos shows that restorers do not always restore the cathedral exactly as it was before the war. Restoration of the interior decoration is not even considered (though the cost would be very high).

Immanuel Kant was buried in the cathedral's "professors' burial vault" in 1804 and was the last person buried there. In 1880, a neo-Gothic chapel was built over Kant's grave, which by the end of World War I (1918) was in very poor condition.

For Kant's 200th anniversary (1924), a new structure was built on the site of the old chapel, designed by Friedrich Lars, in the form of an open colonnade hall, markedly different architecturally from the cathedral itself. Inside the hall stands a stone coffin, which is a cenotaph; Kant's remains lie deeper. The construction was funded by Hugo Stinnes. Kant's grave was restored in 1996, among the first restoration works of the cathedral.

The cathedral is being restored as a cultural and religious center. Currently, the restored building houses Lutheran and Orthodox chapels, as well as the cathedral museum and the Immanuel Kant museum.

The first post-war service near the restoring cathedral walls took place on Easter Sunday in 1992. Solemn services were held later as well. In 1994, a service was dedicated to the 450th anniversary of Albertina University. On May 7, 1995, a joint service of representatives of three Christian confessions—Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant—was held.

The cathedral also regularly hosts concerts of classical and religious music, including performances using two organs, and international organist competitions.

After the war, Kaliningrad was the only place in the USSR where "real Germany" could be filmed. Naturally, war films were primarily shot here. In some films, the cathedral appeared on screen.

The first feature film to partially capture the cathedral (its southeastern part) was Grigory Alexandrov's "Encounter at the Elbe." Filming took place in 1948.

In 1958, Timofey Levchuk filmed a battle scene with tanks near the cathedral walls for the finale of the second episode of the film "Kievlyanka."

In Joseph Kheifitz's 1958 film "My Dear Man," the character played by Alexei Batalov buries his comrades against the backdrop of the cathedral tower.

In the 1961 war drama "Peace to the Entering," the character played by Alexander Demyanenko rides over the Wooden Bridge with the cathedral ruins in the background.

Also in 1961, the film "Ukrainian Rhapsody" shows the cathedral ruins, where the main characters inspect its destroyed altar.

In 1964, director Rezo Chkheidze filmed the final scenes of "Father of a Soldier" in Kaliningrad. The camera captured Soviet soldiers on the Wooden Bridge against the cathedral ruins.

In 1965, two films were shot in the cathedral. The first, by Uzbek director Shukhrat Abbasov, "Enlightenment," features a Soviet tankman fighting inside the cathedral ruins and dying at its main entrance. The second, a spy detective by Ural filmmakers, "Game Without Rules," shows characters holding a business meeting in the cathedral ruins, passing through a breach in the wall near Kant's grave.

In 1967, the cathedral served as partial scenery for Vladimir Motyl's film "Zhenya, Zhenechka and 'Katyusha'." Against the cathedral backdrop, Oleg Dal's character, soldier Kolyshkin, overturns a gasoline canister.

In 1968, Alexei Shvachko filmed "Scouts" in Kaliningrad. The cathedral's interior again served as a location for battles between Soviet and German soldiers.

The cathedral ruins' exterior is well seen in Stepan Puchinyan's 1972 film "The Clash." The characters played by Lyudmila Chursina and Laimonis Noreika ride bicycles in front of the cathedral.

In the 1979 drama "Starting Point," the cathedral ruins are shown as reflections in the car windows of the film's heroes, as well as the floating restaurant "Scarlet Sails" that once stood opposite.

In the 1988 film "The Wife of a Kerosene Worker," in one scene, a priest (a former front-line soldier) sits in the cathedral ruins, and behind him, two angels—a Russian and a German—jostle in one of the window openings.

In 1991, the last Soviet fairy-tale film, "The Tale of the Merchant's Daughter and the Mysterious Flower," based on the famous fairy tale "The Scarlet Flower," was shot on the cathedral ruins. The cathedral played the role of the castle of the enchanted prince (along with the ruins of Balga Castle).

Today, filmmaking in Kaliningrad continues actively, and the cathedral often appears on screen. In particular, the 2006 film "Love in Königsberg" features a scene where the main characters meet and kiss in the cathedral hall amid renovations. The cathedral building can also be seen in some shots of the series "Yellow Tiger's Eye."

In 2007, the cathedral was among the contenders for the title of one of the "Seven Wonders of Russia." In 2008, following the "Seven Wonders of the Amber Region" campaign, it was named the main symbol of the Kaliningrad region.

In 2008, the Radziwiłł epitaph was restored.

Services are not held in the cathedral; the building is used for museum exhibitions and concerts. Lutheran and Orthodox chapels operate there.

Kaliningrad is considered the organ capital. There are four organs in the city and region: in the Cathedral, the regional philharmonic, and on the coast in Svetlogorsk.

Here's a secret — the cathedral hall houses two organs, large and small. They can play simultaneously. Thousands of pipes, a complex mechanical system. Organ music concerts are held here, as well as festivals such as "Organ+," the international organist competition named after Mikael Tariverdiev. Renowned organists from around the world come to these festivals and competitions.

The festival is known for unusual combinations of organ playing with other instruments. For example, with the Japanese shamisen, with the Russian folk orchestra, with the Armenian duduk.

The organ accompanies artistic storytelling when famous actors perform expressive tales.

Daytime and evening organ concerts are held for those interested. Many enjoy attending them. It's fascinating to observe the audience during concerts; indescribable emotions are written on their faces. The music induces a certain state. The organist holds not only the instrument but also the listeners' nerve endings from the hall. During the concert, one can see how figurines of angels and the Virgin Mary with the infant come to life. The instrument looks very elegant, even pompous. It is worth seeing and hearing.

Sources:

https://www.newkaliningrad.ru/afisha/other/publications/23556627-zachem-britantsy-razbombili-kenigsberg-otvechaet-glava-obshchestva-druzya-kanta.html

http://sobor39.ru/

https://vsegda-pomnim.com/religija/2185-kafedralnyj-sobor-starye-76-foto.html

https://gid39.su/kafedralnyj-sobor-v-kaliningrade/ Blog by Nikita Zagorny

https://visit-kaliningrad.ru/entertainment/concert_halls/kafedralnyy-sobor/