As the Romanesque style was losing its impetus in Germany, Archbishop Albert II decided to import the style of the French cathedrals to Germany. He laid the cornerstone of the edifice in 1209 after a fire destroyed the earlier Ottonian church. Several Frenchmen were members of the team of architects put in charge of the work. Though alterations that were made at different stages of its construction have resulted in a building that is not wholly stylistically homogeneous, the cathedral of Magdeburg is still regarded as the first great German Gothic building, well ahead of its time.
The exterior is imposing, in particular the east end, with its three storeys. Adorning the Paradise Gateway (north side) are statues of the Wise and the Foolish Virgins. They mark a stage in the evolution of Gothic statuary, which moved more and more toward the portrayal of emotion.
The interior is especially remarkable for its upper gallery. Built by Cistercian craftsmen in the first half of the 13C, it has a sobriety that recalls the monastic style of Burgundy. The tall nave with its wide bays, without intermediate pillars, floods the cathedral with light. Among the sculptures, pay particular attention to the sandstone statue of St Maurice, those of Otto I and his consort Edith, and the bronze funerary plaques of the archbishops. The bronze tomb of Archbishop Ernst, cast in 1495, is also worth seeing.