Rebellion and the Fall of Lucifer

The frescoes in the dome depicting the rebellion and fall of Lucifer are the work of Carlo Carlone. Among these frescoes, one can also find images of the evangelists and doctors of the church. Above the lantern, there are four Hebrew letters (yod, he, waw, he), which in the Old Testament represented the Name of God.

The Baroque Chapel of the Holy Body, also known as the Electoral Chapel, adjacent to the northeast tower, was built between 1716 and 1724. The chapel was founded as his mausoleum by Bishop Ludwig Franz von Pfalz-Neuburg, who, being simultaneously the bishop of Trier and Mainz, belonged to the electors of the Holy Roman Empire—hence the name of the chapel. The designer was the famous Viennese architect Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach. The painting decoration was done by Carlo Carlone, and the sculptural works are by Ferdinand Maximilian Brokoff.

The altar decor, as well as that of the entire cathedral, is a unique reference to the tradition of the Old Testament and its fulfillment in the New Testament. In the main altar, one can see Moses and Aaron, and in the central place, the Ark of the Covenant. On the opposite side of the altar, next to Jesus on the cross, is Moses. Among the chapel’s decor, particular attention should be given to the paintings by Johann Franz de Backer.

This chapel also features a dome with a lantern set on an elliptical drum. Maria Casimira Sobieska, the granddaughter of John III Sobieski, is buried in the chapel.