It was the first new Roman Catholic church built in Hamburg since the Reformation.

[1] The cathedral stands in Danziger Straße and was built between 1890 and 1893 to the designs of Arnold Güldenpfennig.

The church was erected in Romanesque revival style at the instigation of Bishop Bernhard Höting of Osnabrück, then simultaneously officiating as Vicar Apostolic of the Vicariate Apostolic of the Nordic Missions of Germany, then competent for Hamburg's Catholics.

[2] Güldenpfennig followed the design of the double tower front of Bremen Cathedral, as requested by Bishop Höting, probably in reference to St. Ansgar, who was archbishop of the double bishopric Hamburg-Bremen.

Public life in the city came to a halt, factories remained closed, and all work was stopped at the construction site.