Special guided tour „The Merseburg Magic Spells“ for International Museum Day

Merseburg Cathedral preserves a treasure that is unique in the world: the Merseburg incantations from the 10th century. The magical incantations date back to pre-Christian times and are reminiscent of pagan Germanic customs. Back then, people believed in miracles and placed great hope in the power of their words and the assistance of the gods. In a special guided tour for International Museum Day on Sunday, 17 May 2026, we will show you our greatest treasure from 5 pm and explain when the spells were used and how people lived, worked and spoke in pre-Christian times. In an impressive interpretation, we will also bring the spells to your ears in Old High German.

The aim of International Museum Day is to draw attention to the thematic diversity of the more than 6,500 museums in Germany and museums worldwide. The day of action is organised annually by the International Council of Museums (ICOM) and highlights a different theme from museum work.

We recommend early booking via our Ticket shop or our Visitor Centre.