The new cathedral was richly decorated with stone sculpture, including two unusual statues in the crypt traditionally called "The giant Finn and his wife" about which a local legend has developed.

The cathedral was severely damaged in a fire in 1234, and major restoration works were carried out in the early 16th century under the leadership of Adam van Düren.

The changes implemented during the 19th century were extensive; among other things, Zettervall had the entire western part, including the towers, demolished and rebuilt to his own designs.

Its main altarpiece was donated to the cathedral in 1398, and it also contains Gothic choir stalls, bronzes and an astronomical clock from the 15th century (although heavily restored in 1923).

[10] Some kind of rudimentary settlement probably existed at the site of Lund Cathedral at the end of the 10th and early 11th centuries, but no remains of buildings have been found there.

[3][5] The decision to abandon Dalby as a bishopric and make Lund the sole archbishopric in Scandinavia may have prompted the change of plans.

[19] Two contemporary accounts of the building of the cathedral, in the form of the illuminated manuscripts Necrologium Lundense and Liber daticus vetustior, are still preserved in the library of Lund University.

[26] The building erected during the time of Donatus and his successor show clear influences from Romanesque architecture in Lombardy, conveyed via the Rhine Valley.

[31] The project was instrumental in establishing a workshop where local craftsmen could be educated, and thus disseminating artistic influences from continental Europe to Scandinavia.

[43] A conflict erupted between King Christopher I of Denmark and Archbishop Jakob Erlandsen in 1257 partially because the choir had been enlarged and the seats of the royal family moved, itself a testimony of the growing power of the Church.

[59] When the congregation wanted to build a new church organ in the early 19th century, architect Axel Nyström [sv] was invited to examine the structure in 1832.

[59] The chairman of the council in charge of administering the cathedral buildings, Carl Georg Brunius, was called to execute the plans of Nyström, and he did so while at the same time making changes according to his own convictions.

[60] Brunius had the organ moved, the crypt repaired, installed a set of steps connecting the choir with the nave and improved the drainage system.

[61] Brunius retired due to old age in 1859, but as there was still a substantial need for repairs, the young architect Helgo Zettervall was appointed to carry out the rest of the work in 1860.

[64] In 1862, Zettervall traveled extensively through Germany and Italy to study stylistically related architecture, and also to visit the latest examples of building restoration so that he could draw upon that experience in his work at Lund.

In the proposal Zettervall strove to reduce and refine the building volumes of the cathedral and create a unified composition of block-like elements.

[68] This proposal was also rejected and the plan for a complete overhaul abandoned; however it was at the same time decided that Zettervall would continue working on repairing the cathedral and every year make what changes that were deemed necessary.

All windows were replaced, several vaults and pillars were repaired or rebuilt, and both architects effected extensive changes to the transept.

Just as he had suggested, Zettervall had all the buttresses removed and demolished the entire western part of the church, including the towers, and rebuilt them according to his own Neo-Romanesque designs.

[31] Compared to its predecessors in Mainz, its composition is somewhat more elaborate with three distinct storeys each divided into fields, the lower by lesenes and the middle by columns with decorated capitals.

[80] Two bronze doors built by Carl Johan Dyfverman [sv] serve as the main entrance in the centre of the west facade.

[84] According to a local legend, the giant helped build the cathedral, and when he was not paid for his services he tried to destroy it by shaking the pillars, but was petrified.

[87] Apart from these columns however, the rich stone ornamentation is clearly Lombardic in style, meaning related to north Italian art of the period.

[88] In addition, the capitals of the columns in the church are all of high artisanal quality, and can be broadly divided into two groups displaying either Classical or Byzantine influences.

[84] Apart from its rich Romanesque decoration, Lund Cathedral also contains several late medieval sculptures made by Adam van Düren, as mentioned above.

Clearly made by several different wood carvers, they are approximately 3 metres (9.8 ft) tall without their gables and decorated with carved details.

[96] Currently placed next to the bishop's chair is also a Gothic tabernacle in the form of a 5 metres (16 ft) tall, decorated wooden pillar.

Presently located in the south transept is also the 3.5 metres (11 ft) tall seven-branched candelabrum or candle holder from the late 15th century, manufactured by Harmen Bonstede in Hamburg.

The oldest epitaph of the cathedral commemorates the owner of Krageholm Castle Lave Brahe [sv] (1500–1567) and his wife Görvel Fadersdotter (Sparre) (1509 or 1517 – 1605).

The first to describe the flora of the cathedral was Daniel Rolander, one of the apostles of Linnaeus, who made a list of the vascular plants, mosses and lichens he found growing on the building in 1771.