Holy Cross Minster
Schwäbisch-Gmünd

The Holy Cross Cathedral was built between 1321 and 1377 as the first and largest High Gothic hall church in southern Germany. The sons and descendants of the master builder, Heinrich Parler, went on to become master builders in Prague, Ulm, Freiburg, Basel, Constance and Strasbourg. The choir was vaulted between 1492 and 1497. Following the collapse of the two towers of the previous building on Good Friday 1497, repair work was carried out, the sacristy and baptistery were added, and the present-day stair towers were constructed. In 1521, the vaulting of the nave was completed.

A building workshop was re-established in 1848 and 1887 for the restoration of the choir and the nave. The workshop was set up at its current location in 1923. During a major restoration phase from 1975 to 2005, the nave vaults were restored and the buttresses in the choir were repaired.
Since 2020, a new restoration of the external façade has been underway, which is scheduled to cover the entire façade in 11 construction phases. The cathedral workshop, with a team of 4 to 6 staff members, is carrying out the stonework. Contracts for carpentry, scaffolding, roofing and plumbing work are awarded to private contractors.
Project management for the restoration is the responsibility of the cathedral master builder.