Freising - Domberg - Crenellated Tower above the Old Town

The distinctive crenellated tower of the former cathedral deanery rises above the lower streets of Freising on the historic Domberg.

The eastern tower of the former cathedral deanery is one of the distinctive architectural landmarks of Freising’s historic Domberg. In this photograph, the pale tower rises dramatically above the buildings at the foot of the hill, partially framed by leafless trees and viewed from the lower town. The structure belongs to the former Domdechantei at Domberg 20 and incorporates a core that is believed to be medieval. It was substantially remodelled between 1684 and 1695, when a Baroque house chapel was incorporated into the building, while the upper floor later received decorative stucco work. Its most immediately recognizable feature is the octagonal upper section crowned by battlements, which resulted from a Neo-Gothic redesign carried out in 1862 to plans by Heinrich Lang. Today the former cathedral deanery forms part of the buildings used by the Freising district court. Together with the cathedral and the many former ecclesiastical residences on the hill, the tower contributes to the castle-like silhouette that has characterized the Domberg for centuries.