The "Bayern"-class ships were protected with Krupp cemented steel armor, as was the standard for German warships of the period. They had an armor belt that was thick in the central citadel of the ship, where the most important parts of the ship were located. This included the ammunition magazines and the machinery spaces. The belt was reduced in less critical areas, to forward and aft. The bow and stern were not protected by armor at all. A -thick torpedo bulkhead ran the length of the hull, several meters behind the main belt. The main armored deck was thick in most places, though the thickness of the sections that covered the more important areas of the ship was increased to .