The cathedral, Verden’s landmark, can be seen from miles around. A small church, built in around 814, once stood on the same site as the current cathedral.
It took 200 years (1290 - 1490) to build the cathedral consecrated to the Saints Mary and Cecilia. Surprisingly, it features a consistent overall appearance, despite the time it took to build. Visitors to the three-aisled Gothic hall church are impressed by its simplicity and vast size. The chancel with ambulatory inside the church is probably the oldest on German soil. Its design has been emulated in other sacred buildings, including the chancel in Lübeck Cathedral.