The story of a cathedral on the Spree Island goes to the 15th Century. In the just completed 1450 electoral castle was the Erasmus chapel dedicated to Pope from 1465 to Kollegialstift to the cathedral, was collected.

After Joachim II in 1535 had become elector, he began, the castle located south of the Dominican church to the new Hofkirche rebuild. The Dominican monks were Brandenburg an der Havel translocated. The medieval, Gothic brick church of the Dominicans was expanded, richly fitted out, there were royal burial sites set up and a bell installed. The new cathedral was consecrated in 1536. In the year 1539 came to Joachim II of evangelical faith: From the Catholic cathedral was so - with the introduction of the Reformation in Brandenburg - a Protestant cathedral. 1608 was also the cathedral chapter dissolved, the cathedral was the top Cölln parish.

Since this Gothic brick church had become dilapidated, was Frederick the Great from 1747 to 1750 a Baroque building on Lustgarten, the current site of the cathedral, built and after the transfer of the royal coffins in the new building demolish the old cathedral. Architect of this building was from the Netherlands-born Johann Boumann d. Ä. For a very simple concept of the Baroque had. Boumann the Cathedral was consecrated in 1750.

Beginning of the 19th Century designed by Karl Friedrich Schinkel, the cathedral was in the style of modern classicism order. The reconstruction was completed in 1822.

During the 19th Century we led the discussion that the existing modest Schinkel Cathedral, which is a reconstruction of Frederick the Great built baroque cathedral was the representation rights of the monarchy was no longer grown. At the instigation of King Frederick William IV was decided that a new cathedral to build palatial, as zweitürmige basilica with a three-nave under Italian model should be established. The draft provided Stüler Friedrich August, a student Schinkel. Initial construction work has begun. The foundation walls with the emerging vestibules were built in the River Spree. Numerous turmoil and lack of money brought the 1848 construction to a halt.

After the Empire renewed the call for a representative of God House, which deals with the major churches in the world could ever louder. 1885, the architect Julius Raschdorff, a professor at the Technical University of Charlottenburg, plans for a new building before. But only Kaiser Wilhelm II led to the demolition of Schinkel cathedral and the construction of a new cathedral after Raschdorff plans adopted by an eclectic Anverwandlung designs of the Italian High Renaissance and the Baroque were characterized.

The cornerstone of this building was on 17 June 1894, which was initially completed with 1900 indicated. By Bauverzögerungen he was only on 27 Inaugurated in February 1905. The costs in the amount of 11.5 million marks paid entirely in the country.

The blueprints and subsequent construction were in the hands of Julius Raschdorff, since 2 July 1892 Dombaumeister and his son, Otto, with the Emperor during the entire period of construction have an influence on the design of the cathedral reserved. So he particularly the interior his wishes accordingly (while he sat among other things, for his personal painting by court painter).

The main altar was still predecessor, created by Friedrich August Stüler (1850). Karl Begas the Elder. had the picture of the altar and baptismal Traukirche designed.

During the Second World War, the cathedral suffered increasing losses. Initially, in an air attack on any neighboring Burgstraße altar window destroyed in the domes of the corner towers, there were major cracks. Later, when one of the strongest air raids on Berlin on 24 May 1944, it met the dome, with its heavy lantern. A canister filled with liquid fire cloth, wood, the shuttering of copper roofing on fire. The move troops fighting the fire could not reach. Then plunged the entire dome lantern in the Dominnere down, durchschlug with its enormous weight to the bottom of the sermon church and damaged large part of the Hohenzollern crypt below. The dome was able to hold their shape, now apparent, however, a large hole in the body of their leader. The sermon church, even by dust and debris severely damaged, suffered further damage by the following weather influences, as well as the dome mosaics. In order to protect the Dominnere therefore only the fastest possible closure of the dome in question. The City Council therefore decided to 1949 an emergency so that the necessary work until 1953 could be completed. The following restoration work on the cathedral was limited initially to adjoining rooms to the Domgemeinde quickly greater use of the cathedral to allow.

1975 finally began restoring the exterior construction with the demolition of Memorial Church, which is a large vestibule to the north side of the building had. Part of the building had survived the war intact. Its stones were on a field in Berlin-Köpenick spent where they are stored until today. The main dome was given back their original proportions, but in highly simplified form. Especially striking was the completely new dome Cross. The tower accounts of four smaller cupolas were reduced by 16 meters in height reduced, thus went hand in hand the elimination of all financial statements lanterns. 1983 insofar as these works were completed, the interior again that more consideration could be. Besides the new staircase was now also the final restoration of the church sermon, which opened on 6 June 1993 the completion of the costly reconstruction of the Dominnern represented. Later still the installation of the colored glass windows in the altar area and the restoration of the dome mosaics are added, whose last mosaic on 29 June 2002 was ceremoniously unveiled. In this context, was also a complete cleaning Organ sour.