The ship was the first German warship armed with eight SK L/45 guns. The main battery guns were arranged in four twin gun turrets: two superfiring turrets each fore and aft. Her secondary armament consisted of sixteen SK L/45 guns, four SK L/45 guns and five 60 cm (23.6 in) underwater torpedo tubes, one in the bow and two on each beam. The ship had an armored belt that was thick and an armored deck that was thick. Her forward conning tower had sides, and the main battery turrets had 350 mm thick sides and thick roofs.