Weidendom Schlepzig, Living willow cathedral in Schlepzig, Germany.

The Weidendom is a structure made from living willow branches and steel supports that naturally develops at its location. Its cathedral-like form features open side walls and an arched canopy shaped by intertwining willow vines.

The structure was designed and built in 2004 by Swiss architect Marcel Kalberer and has since tested the possibilities of biological architecture. Its creation marked a turning point in discussion about how living materials can be used in building design.

The willow dome contains a stage used for events, and the architect Marcel Kalberer built a similar structure, the Weidenburg – Arena Salix, near Burg in the Spreewald. The name Weidendom refers to the cathedral-like shape given to the living willows.

The Weidendom stands at the western end of Schlepzig, north of the Spreewaldresort, formerly the Landgasthof Zum grünen Strand der Spree. It is an open structure of living willows with no solid walls or roof, so rain and wind pass through; the stage inside is used for events.

The structure visibly grows each year and changes shape as willow branches interweave and form new patterns. This constant transformation means every season and each visit offers a different experience, as no two visits look exactly the same.