Located in the heart of the city's "Old Town", the church and the square it is situated within is a major tourist attraction.

Near the beginning of the 13th century, a cathedral was built under the supervision of Bishop Bruno II.

Names of many Germanic cities are written on the lintels in the church to commemorate the rebuilding of the cathedral.

In 1567 the Holy See separated the Lusatian areas outside Saxony from the Saxon parts of the ancient Meissen diocese and established there the Prefecture Apostolic of Meissen, seated at St. Peter's of Bautzen, with Johannes Leisentritt as its first prefect.

In 1831-1918 the Deans of this Collegiate Church were members de jure of the Upper House of the Parliament of the Kingdom of Saxony.

On 24 June 1921 Pope Benedict XV elevated the Apostolic Prefecture of Meißen to the new Diocese of Meißen by his apostolic constitution Sollicitudo omnium ecclesiarum and thus St. Peter's became the cathedral of that diocese.

Today, Catholic and Lutheran altars are located on separate sides of the sanctuary.