The church was never a bishop's seat, and therefore is not a cathedral in the English sense. The German term for "cathedral", Dom, often includes churches that lack a cathedra (a bishop's throne) and instead refers to any large medevial church. In Wetzlar, the main church has been called a Dom since the 17th century.
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After 1230, the cathedral was rebuilt and extended again. Construction lasted until 1490 and remained unfinished. The church became a Hall church with two towers. Construction of the northern spire was started but abandoned long before completion (see image). The southern tower's steep pinnacle was made of wood and was destroyed by a fire in 1561. It was replaced by the baroque tower roof still extant today.
In World War II the cathedral was damaged by bombs. Most of the damage was repairable, but the precious stained glass windows and the organ were lost and had to be replaced by modern equipment.
Wetzlar Cathedral has been used as a simultaneum by both Roman Catholics and Protestants since the 16th century. Today, the church is the main tourist attraction inside the historical city center of Wetzlar.