Bamberg's way of the cross

This is Germany's oldest, fully preserved way of the cross.

Donated by Heinrich Marschalk von Raueneck in 1503 this „via dolorosa“ leads visitors and pilgrims from Bamberg's St. Elisabeth church up Michaelsberg Hill to the church of St. Getreu. Its donator wanted to enable the people to emphatize with Christ on his way of suffering to his crucifixion on Golgota. He measured the distances between the stations when he was in Jerusalem and adjusted these to the route in Bamberg.

The way starts in front of the portal of St. Elisabeth with the house of Pilate where Christ takes up his cross and ends inside St. Getreu church with the scene of the crucifixion and entombment of Christ. The expressions depicted on the faces of the figures in the sandstone panels are exceptional, the panels themselves are well preserved and renovated.

A German brochure with more information and pictures can be downloaded here.