Churches & Cathedrals In Salzburg
For centuries Salzburg has been a major centre of ecclesiastical influence. As the head of the church and the state, the prince-archbishop exercised great wealth, power, and influence in Rome, so influencing both Examining Salzburg’s intriguing past and captivating stories helps us to appreciate this amazing city even more, especially from its most magnificent and awe-inspiring point of view. The status mentioned here was very important in Salzburg being recognized with the prestigious title of “World Heritage Site.”
For more than 1100 years, Salzburg functioned as a church state under the prince-archbishop’s both secular and religious authority. Beautiful architecture, art, and culture displayed in Baroque squares, great collections, and many churches and abbeys clearly show the influence of these prince-archbishops. With so many towers with great historical significance in the historic area, it is a quite fascinating place to visit. Moreover, religious institutions provide lodging, theme trips, and pilgrimages that let people totally participate in the unique experience of this church city.
With its well-known collegiate church, the Sankt Peter Abbey honors itself as the oldest monastery in the German-speaking world. Monks have lived, prayed at, and worked at this ancient site for more than 1300 years. In the same vein, the Collegiate Church of Nonnberg and the Benedictine Abbey of Nonnberg are the two oldest continually active convinctions in the world. Rupert von Salzburg started the company some years between 712 and 715. It is devoted to Mary’s assumption.
Considered to have predated even the first cathedral, this ancient church is the oldest in the city. Originally a part of St. Peter’s Benedictine monastery, the Franciscan Church of Our Lady is evidence of the rich local past. From 1130 until 1583 the Petersfrauen monastery church was in use. Besides, it served as the town’s parish church between 1139 and 1583. Prince Archbishop Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau later turned church ownership to the Franciscans in 1592. The sanctuary’s architecture expertly combines aspects of Romanesque and Gothic forms. Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach built the high altar found in the sanctuary. Choral chapels built in the 17th and 18th centuries round the sanctuary.
The interior of the Gothic Müllner parish church was rebuilt in a baroque manner during the 1730s. Admont’s monks built their first chapel on their private land close to the Gstätten Gate in 1183, so founding the Bürgerspitalkirche St. Blasius. St. Blasius was their patron saint, thus the chapel was dedicated to him. According to the building inscription, St. George consecrated fortress church was built in years 1501 and 1502.
Built between 1614 and 1628, the amazing baroque architectural creation known as Salzburg Cathedral The site of the construction was a medieval church subject of several renovations and reconstruction. Among the baroque churches Salzburg is known for are St. Maximilian from Pongau and St. Kajetan churches, sometimes referred to as Kajetanerkirche. Not far from St. Peter’s monastery, the outstanding Michaelskirche lies next to the Residenz.
Moreover, there are some quite famous churches. There are several lovely churches in Salzburg, each with an own architectural style. Among the noteworthy ones are the Johannsspitalkirche, the Erhardkirche in Nonntal, the Imbergkirche or Johanneskirche in the lower part of the Kapuzingerberg, and the Kollegienkirche. Designed by eminent Baroque architect Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach, “To Our Lady” is a particularly outstanding masterwork. Furthermore built in Salzburg following his designs were the Trinity Church and St. Mark’s Church. The Ursulines owned the churches prior.
Franciscan Church
One quite amazing historical site in Salzburg, Austria, is the Franciscan Church. With its building beginning in the eighth century, it is among the oldest churches in the vicinity. Saint Virgil’s sponsorship of this amazing construction adds to its importance and rich legacy. Up until 1635, the church was the parish church and was dedicated to the Virgin Mary. In 1642 the Franciscan Order took over it. Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach, who deftly incorporated the baroque style, rebuilt the church’s interior in the eighteenth century Built in the late-Romanesque style and dedicated in 1221, the church’s central nave
The magnificent Gothic choir was completed between 1408 and 1450; later additions between 1468 and 1498 included a graceful Gothic tower. Arch Bishop Max Gandolf of Kuenburg removed the top of the church tower in 1670. Later it was rebuilt in 1866 using a neo-Gothic architectural approach. Designed in the 18th century, the church’s inside embraced the complex and sophisticated elements of the baroque style. Nine chapels set in the baroque style by Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach make up the church choir.
Holy Trinity Church
Roman Catholic church in Salzburg, Austria is the Holy Trinity Church, sometimes referred to as Dreifaltigkeitskirche. Designed by Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach was From 1694 to 1702, this architectural masterpiece was built displaying a remarkable central design. Prince Archbishop Johann Ernst von Thun’s visionary leadership helps one to understand its establishment. Built concurrently with St. John’s Church, the church is the first architectural project ever undertaken in Salzburg.
Inspired by Roman religious buildings, especially Francesco Borromini’s Church Sant’Agnese in Agone, the design of the church reflected The grand drum dome and four short barrel vaults in the longitudinal oval room of the church resemble the internal architecture of the Karlskirche in Vienna rather strikingly. Johann Michael Rottmayr produced a magnificent dome fresco called “Coronation of the Virgin,” housed in the church, between 1697 and 1700.
Kollegienkirche
Rising boldly in Salzburg, Austria, the Kollegienkirche, sometimes known as the Collegiate Church, The gifted architect Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach brilliantly built this Baroque church. Included on the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the Historic Center of Salzburg, this structure serves as the church for the University of Salzburg. Originally dedicated to the Immaculate Conception in 1707, the church has seen several changes over time acting as a garrison church and a storage space.
1964 saw the church rebuilt to its original university church form; subsequently, it was assigned the designation of parish church for Universitätspfarrsprengel in 2008. Recognised as a listed monument, the church is part of the Historic Centre of Salzburg on UNESCO World Heritage Site. Orgelbau Pirchner restored the organ of the church, built between 1866 and 1868.
Nonnberg Abbey
The first nunnery in the German-speaking world, Nonnberg Abbey or Stift Nonnberg is an old establishment. Saint Rupert of Salzburg founded it about 712/715, and it has endured all this time. Recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996, this monastery is a major feature of the Historic Centre of the City of Salzburg. Showcasing their noble status, the nuns owned large estates along the Salzach river.
After gaining freedom in 987, the abbey underwent several reconstructions, including an 1880s Baroque style renovation. Paintings, Gothic figures, and a great collection of medieval manuscripts abound in the monastery. Among the notable items are the ivory pastoral and the folding chair sometimes referred to as the “Faldistorium.” The beloved musical “The Sound of Music” was inspired by Maria Augusta von Trapp, a teacher at the monastery school who became well-known around the globe.
Salzburg Cathedral
Beautifully Baroque, the Salzburg Cathedral—also known as Salzburger Dom—is found in Salzburg, Austria. Built in the 17th century, it is honoring the revered saints, Rupert and Vergilius. Originally constructed in 1774, Prince-Bishop Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau helped to enable reconstruction in 1181 and subsequently in the 17th century. Situated in the Altstadt, the cathedral faces Domplatz and Residenzplatz. It features the amazing Maria Immaculata column, inspired by columns discovered in Vienna and Munich.
Beautiful Untersberg marble forms the front of the cathedral, which also features amazing decorations. Rising above are elegantly placed monuments of the four evangelists: Saint Matthew, Saint Mark, Saint Luke, and Saint John along the balustrade. Designed in 1957 and 1958, the three bronze gates found within the portals were created The three divine virtues—faith, hope, and love—represent themselves in the gates.
St. Peter's Abbey Church
St. Peter’s Abbey, sometimes known as St. Peter’s Archabagy, is a notable Benedictine monastery and cathedral situated in Salzburg, Austria. One of the first monasteries in the German-speaking area, this one boasts a long legacy starting in 696. Built in the early 12th century, the abbey church is dedicated to Saint Peter and exhibits a remarkable Romanesque architectural taste. Under Abbot Beda Seeauer, the church saw renovation between 1760 and 1782. It is the last resting place for Abbot Johann von Staupitz, a man who was very important in Martin Luther’s life and shows a rather high altar.
Though Mozart’s Great Mass in C minor was meant to have its church premiere in 1783, sadly the composition remained unfinished. The oldest library in Austria housed in the Abbey features the very precious Verbrüderungsbuch. With an eye toward Benedictine monasticism, medieval church history, art history, and Salzburg-specific objects, the library now boasts 100,000 volumes.
Kajetanerkirche
Celebrated on October 12th, Maximilian’s Day, the Kajetanerkirche in Salzburg’s old town honours Saints Maximilian and Kajetan. Johann Ernst Graf Thun and Archbishop Max Gandolf Kuenburg planned the church. The church has two chapels, a soaring tambour dome, and a symmetrical layout including three-story wings. Paul Troger created the dome fresco showing Saint Cajetan rising in front of the Holy Trinity.
Showcasing the life of Kajetan order saints, the church features magnificent stucco work covered in angel putti, wreaths, cornucopias, garlands, and tendrils. Lunette vaulted side chapels displaying the altar figures of Saint Andrew Avellinus and St. John of God also feature within the church. Designed in 1712, the Holy Staircase rises toward the cross altar decked with a great central wooden cross. Angel figures clutching Christ’s instruments of suffering and a reliquary containing the bones of the catacomb martyr Vereinus line the stairway.
Church of St. Sebastian
Dedicated to the martyr Saint Sebastian, the Roman Catholic Church of St. Sebastian in Salzburg, Austria is Built in the Baroque style, the structure links to the Saint-Sébastien brotherhood, a hospice for brothers, and the Saint-Sébastien cemetery. Built by the Saint-Sébastien brotherhood following 1500, the church consecrated in 1511.
Built in the Baroque Rococo manner, the present church boasts a rich legacy going back to the middle of the eighteenth century. It was dedicated solemnly in 1754. Devastating fire destroyed the church in 1818, then rebuilt in 1821. Now serving the site, the Saint- Pierre brotherhood offers Latin mass in the pre-Vatican II rite. Built sometime around 1750, the high altar was rebuilt after the fire.
Collegiate Church Nonnberg
Part of the Nonnberg Abbey complex, the Mariae Himmelfahrt monastery church lies on the margins of Salzburg’s old town. The church is Roman Catholic. Situated in the UNESCO World Heritage Historic Center of Salzburg, the church boasts an interesting past spanning the first and second centuries AD. Heinrich II built the church; it was completed in 1009 and the crypt and choir dedicated in 1043.
Although fire destroyed the church in 1423, the new construction kept the form of the old floor layout. Along with a Romanesque tower, the church features a three-nave late Gothic basilica and a late Gothic crypt. Beautifully late-Gothic braided net ribs on the church’s entrance porch feature images of Saints Rupert and Erentrudis, Mary with the Child Jesus, and Emperor Henry II.
Parish Church Of Mülln
Notable construction in Salzburg’s UNESCO World Heritage Historic Center is the Roman Catholic parish church of Mülln, sometimes known as Augustinerkirche or Müllner Kirche. Built in 1439 by Archbishop Johann II von Reisberg, the church boasts a rich history going back to 1148. It struggled financially over time, then was rebuilt in 1605 by Archbishop Wolf Dietrich von Raitenauthen.
Originally owned by Michaelbeuern, the Benedictine Abbey included the church in 1835 and still owns it today. The church features a serene holy water fountain, a magnificent baroque high altar, and a fascinating late Gothic miraculous figure of Our Lady of Mülln.
Bürgerspitalkirche St. Blasius
Salzburg, Germany boasts the Bürgerspitalkirche, presently the Roman Catholic parish church of St. Blasius. Built as a hospital church in 1185, this striking building is the oldest hall church in southern Germany. Built in 1327 to serve the sick, elderly, and crippled population of the city, the church was There are nine Altars from the Baroque era total in the church; some of them were subsequently taken down in 1785.
Adopting a neo-Gothic style, the church underwent restoration in 1864 and later in 1866 a crucifixion group was included. Originally a parish church, the church is now part of the Archdiocese of Salzburg’s Salzburg City Deanery. It changed its name to The church displays a late Gothic sacrament shrine, a classical high altar, and an organ built by Albert Mauracher in 1894.
St. Johann's Church
Generously donated by Johann Ernst von Thun in 1688, the St. Johann’s Church in the Salzburg district of Mülln is an outstanding example of a baroque construction. Originally built as a homeless hostel, the church was finally turned into a hospital in 1703. The church has been running as a Salzburg-St. parish under autonomous authority. starting in 1891. Johannes is committed to give pastoral care all around the state hospital.
The two-story vestibule, graceful pillars, and three tall rectangular gates matched by windows above the south-facing façade of the church hall highlight its orientation. The church has a unique triangle roof, a recessed front covered in pilaster strips, and graceful thin bell towers. With a rectangular floor plan, the church exhibits superb 18th-century Saint Catherine and Saint Barbara sculptures.
St. Erhard Church
Within the Inner Nonntal district of Salzburg’s UNESCO World Heritage Historic Center is the listed Erhardkirche, a Roman Catholic parish church. Built in 1689, the church first functioned as a hospital church before Prince Archbishop Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau bought it in 1603.
Giovanni Gaspare Zuccalli created the church in the great Italian Baroque manner. It features a superb main tambour dome together with side towers covered in dome-like spires. The coat of arms of the cathedral chapter also gives the general architecture some grandeur. The church’s entrance looks like a magnificent Renaissance castle with a portico including a double-winged stairway. The high altar presents the baptism of St. Ottilie by St. Erhard, Johann Ernst’s coat of arms, and the Holy Trinity.
St. Johannes am Imberg Church
Housed in Salzburg, Austria, the Roman Catholic Imberg Church honors Saint John the Baptist and Saint John the Evangelist. The first known documentation of the church dates back to 1319. It was a Capuchins monastery church from 1594 until 1599. Over the past 15 years, the church’s interior has been masterfully restored; the present high altar was built about 1775.
Along with serving as a gathering place for several brotherhoods, including the group of court officials under the archbishop, known as Haiducks, the church used to be a popular destination for pilgrims. Christ’s crucifixion, the life of Saints Francis of Assisi and Helena, the death of Saint Joseph, and the veneration of the patron saint of the church are among the scenes from religious history that the altarpieces there depict. Since 1970, Johannes Neuhardt has committed himself to meticulous church restoration. The Investiture Controversy in early Middle Ages marks the beginning of the rich history of the church.
Capuchin Monastery Salzburg
Following the Franciscans, Prince Archbishop Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau founded the second mendicant order in Salzburg, Austria, the Capuchin Monastery Salzburg in 1596. Comprising several expansions, the monastery is a major part of Salzburg’s UNESCO World Heritage Historic Center.
The Capuchins have stayed under the pope while yet keeping their freedom from the king and bishop. Internal strife among the monastery led to French takeover in 1810/11. The monastery, which was subsequently occupied by refugees, was taken under Bavarian control in 1939. The Engelsbrunnen cistern and Trompeterschlössl gates, both of great historical importance, were restored during the 1980–1983 renovation of the monastery.
Pilgrimage Church Maria Plain
Since the 17th century, Maria Plain—which lies northeast of Salzburg City—has attracted a sizable pilgrimage traffic. Renowned pilgrimage chapel Mount Calvary and gorgeous countryside abound on this site. Maria Plain’s history begins in the turbulent Thirty Years War era when Rudolf von Grimming’s magnificent painting “Mary with Baby Jesus” arrived at the Plainberg.
The church was dedicated in 1674, and two years later the original picture was returned to Salzburg. The Mountain Calvary, one of the two in Salzburg, features four chapels leading to a crucifixion group; the church has a three-story façade with two towers. Additionally a very sought-after wedding venue in Salzburg is this site.
Ursulinenkirche (St. Mark’s Church)
In Salzburg’s old town sits the Roman Catholic baroque church known as St. Mark’s Church, or Ursulinenkirche. Until 1957 the building housed the Ursuline monastery church. In 1999 the Ukrainian Greek Catholic community was let inside the church. Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach drew design for the church.
Salzburg’s UNESCO World Heritage Historic Center comprises the Ursuline Monastery as well as the church. Originally sitting outside the city at Arenberg Castle, the church was finally relocated to the Klausentor. The Ursuline community relocated to Glasenbach in 1957, and the church came under Archdiocese of Salzburg’s rectorhip. Represented by the central parish of St. Barbara in Vienna, the church became the focal church of the West Austrian pastoral care center in 1999.
Church of St. Maria Loreto
Nestled in the lovely Mirabell Gardens sits the Loretokirche, a Capuchin Order of nuns church. Renowned for its collection of 17th-century holy paintings, this church features the Loretokindel as a particularly notable work. The church is renowned for its serene atmosphere and holy artwork, which features a little 11 cm ivory sculpture of Jesus.
From the turbulent age of the Thirty Years War, the Loreto Church in Salzburg boasts an amazing legacy. The convent was a barracks and ammunition storage under French control. The nuns stayed resolutely in their dedication to feed the less fortunate in face of possible dissolution. In 1946 the church was re-consecrated after reconstruction.
St. Andrew's Church
On Mirabellplatz, the St. Andrew’s Church in Salzburg—also known as the “Andräkirche—stands as a notable sight. Built in 1898, the construction suffered partial damage during World War Two. Still, it was rebuilt in a more modest fashion later on. The inside features a minimally accentuated, exquisitely created pietistic design. Stunning Virgin Mary windows, a crucifix, a high altar, and statues of saints that demand attention define the space.
Apart from contemporary artwork, the church exhibits a magnificent Franz Fuchs fresco and a magnificent French organ going back to 1890. Every Thursday morning the weekly market “Schranne” takes place in the Andräkirche. This market gives visitors the fantastic chance to fully experience the vibrant environment of a classic Salzburg market and provides residents with the convenience of shopping straight-forward.
Protestant Church Christuskirche
Thanks to kind donations from the Protestant community and the work of 370 prisoners held under Austro-Prussian War against Denmark, Christ Lutheran Church in Salzburg was built. Completion of the church came in 1863. Elisabethkai’s brick construction was the first Protestant church built in Salzburg Province.
Celebrating a distinctive mix of Romanesque, Gothic, and Renaissance forms, this church is evidence of Salzburg’s rich architectural legacy. It is the only surviving instance of romantic historicism still in the city. Along with emblems from the four Evangelists, the inside features images of Christ as a teacher and king, so fostering a simple environment.
Mirabell Palace Church
One especially notable aspect of the palace is the Mirabell Palace Church, which faces opposite from the main door. With marble stucco walls and magnificent white and gold decorations, the chapel exudes grand and majestic presence.
Made of magnificent grey and pink marble, the high altar elegantly rises towards the great dome. Built in 1606, the church’s foundation laid in the 1720s. Sadly, the chapel suffered great damage and needed to be rebuilt after the terrible town fire of 1818.
