Several wars, craftsmanship errors in its construction history, and weather influences have left noticeable marks on the over 750-year-old cathedral. The outer shell is crumbling dangerously, tower anchors are corroded and at risk of falling out, weakening the tower's stability.
A building survey conducted in 2018 on the two 114-meter-high twin towers revealed:
Deep cracks with an overall length of around 1,500 meters and fine hairline cracks of a total length of around 800 meters. Bricks repeatedly fall out of the masonry, making it necessary to secure the towers with scaffolding, nets, and fences. Extensive preliminary investigations have shown that urgent action is required.
A three-year investigation has revealed the damage to the building. A considerable part of the estimated total costs has already been raised through approved funds from the federal government, various foundations, and the Lübeck-Lauenburg church district. However, a funding gap remains for the diverse planned measures. The measures include:
Construction Phase | Content | Planned Duration | Costs |
1 | Implementation Phase 1 ■ Setup of the construction site ■ South Tower, South Wall ■ Southwest Wall Corner | About 1.5 years | € 3.710.375 |
2 | Implementation Phase 2 ■ South Tower, East Wall ■ Southeast Wall Corner ■ Vault between the towers and 1st bay | About 1 year | € 3.108.875 |
3 | Implementation Phase 3 ■ South Tower, West Wall ■ South Tower, Northwest Wall Corner | About 1 year | € 3.044.875 |
4 | Implementation Phase 4 ■ South Tower, North Wall ■ South Tower, Northeast Wall Corner ■ West Gable Wall between the towers | About 1.5 years | € 3.226.875 |
Gesamt | About 5 years | € 13.091.000 |
2024 bis 2033
€23 million
€1.31 million