🗼 Ulm Minster
Germany
About This Sacred Site
Ulm Minster (Ulmer Münster) holds the record as the tallest church in the world, with its single spire soaring to 161.5 meters. Remarkably, this record-breaking church is not a cathedral but a Protestant parish church, built by the citizens of Ulm themselves beginning in 1377. Construction of the spire was not completed until 1890, over 500 years after the church was begun. Visitors who climb the 768 steps to the top are rewarded with views stretching to the Alps on clear days. The choir stalls, carved by Jörg Syrlin the Elder in 1469-1474, are masterpieces of late-Gothic woodwork.
Key Facts
- •The tallest church in the world at 161.5 meters
- •768 steps lead to the spire viewing platform with views reaching the Alps
- •Construction spanned 513 years, from 1377 to 1890
- •It is a parish church, not a cathedral — built and funded by Ulm's citizens
- •Syrlin's choir stalls (1469-1474) are among the finest examples of Gothic wood carving
Location
Coordinates: 48.3985, 9.9917
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