This church, located north of today's cathedral, served as chapel to the court as well as a basis for missionary work among the Pagan Saxons.

In 836, the remains of Liborius of Le Mans were handed over to a delegation from Paderborn and translated back to the cathedral.

Bishop Ratherius began with rebuilding, but his successor Meinwerk had the previous work destroyed and started over, building a three-aisled church with a transept and crypt in the east.

[1]: 9 In the 13th century, the cathedral was reconstructed, not due to damage but to bring it up to then current artistic and ecclesial standards.

The nave followed in the form of a hall church (i.e. with three aisles all reaching to the height of the central roof) in early Gothic style.

[1]: 13 Repeated Allied bombing of Paderborn in 1945 resulted in severe damage to the cathedral and the loss of irreplaceable works of art, including all the historic glass windows.

An antechamber features a 1935 mosaic on the walls and ceiling and in the centre of the floor the tombstone for Bishop Meinwerk, dating to the 13th century.

The original 16th century carving can be found in the cloister's inner courtyard, and has been duplicated on numerous buildings and a number of shops throughout the city centre.