Paderborn Cathedral
A cathedral with a window of three hares sharing three ears, above springs that form Germany's shortest river.
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About two hundred springs rise in the middle of Paderborn from the karst beneath, feeding the Pader, which runs about four kilometres to join the Lippe and is usually called the shortest river in Germany; the name of the city means the springs of the Pader. Charlemagne held assemblies here and a palace stood beside the cathedral, its foundations excavated and covered by a museum. In the cathedral cloister a small window carries a carving of three hares arranged so that each appears to have two ears but only three ears are shown in total, a motif found from China to western Europe and adopted as the city's emblem.
What you actually see
- The three hares window - a carving where three ears serve three animals.
- The Pader springs - two hundred springs rising in the city centre.
- The Carolingian palace - excavated foundations under a modern museum.
- The cathedral - a Romanesque and Gothic building with a heavy west tower.
When to go
April to October; the springs are pleasant in the park in warm weather. The cathedral closes during services. Libori, the city's saint's festival, fills the streets in July.
Honest expectations
The cloister window is small and easy to miss. The city was heavily bombed and much is postwar. Libori week is extremely busy.
Nearby
Soest lies west; the Externsteine are north.
What to pack for Paderborn Cathedral
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
