Salzburg Cathedral (Dom St. Rupert)
View of Salzburg Cathedral from Hohensalzburg Fortress.
View of the south side of Salzburg Cathedral. Photo by Martin Hapl.
Outdoor cafe next to the cathedral; the grand marble facade.
Interior of Salzburg Dom. Photo by Miles Berry.
Beautifully painted Baroque cupolas. Photo by Marcus Trimble.
Detail of the Holy Spirit as a dove in the central dome.
Mozart's organ (left) and baptismal font (right).
The interesting crypt of Salzburg Cathedral.
Located where Residenzplatz flows into Domplatz in Salzburg, Salzburg Cathedral (officiallly the Dom St. Rupert) is world-renowned for its harmonious Renaissance architecture and 4,000-pipe organ. It also contains a medieval font in which Mozart was baptized.
History
This site has hosted a Christian church since 774. The original was replaced with a late-Romanesque structure in 1200, which burned down in 1598.
Prince-Archbishop Wolf Dietrich took advantage of (some would say caused) the old cathedral's destruction to demolish the remains and make plans for a huge new structure to reaffirm Salzburg's commitment to the Catholic cause in the wake of the Reformation.
However, his overthrow prevented the completion of this project. Dietrich's successor, Archbishop Markus Sittikus Count Hohenems, commissioned the Italian architect Santino Solari to build the present cathedral, which was consecrated in 1628 by Archbishop Paris Count Lodron.
What to See
The cathedral's plaza is a complete aesthetic concept and one of Salzburg's most beautiful urban set pieces. In the center rises the Virgin's Column with a 1771 statue of the Virgin Mary.
Hailed by some critics as the most perfect Renaissance building in the Germanic countries, the cathedral has a marble facade and twin symmetrical towers. The mighty bronze doors were created in 1959 and illustrate the themes of Faith, Hope, and Love.
The interior is in the Baroque style with elaborate frescoes, the most important of which were designed (along with the altarpieces) by Mascagni of Florence.
The church's simple sepia-and-white interior, a peaceful counterpoint to the usual Baroque splendor, dates from a later renovation. The dome was damaged during World War II but was restored by 1959.
Near the entrance, look for the Romanesque font at which Mozart was baptized. The great composer later served as organist here from 1779 to 1781. Some of his compositions, such as the Coronation Mass, were written for the cathedral, and many were performed here for the first time.
In the crypt, traces of the old Romanesque cathedral that once stood on this spot have been unearthed. The cathedral excavations are entered around the corner (left of the Dom entrance). This exhibition of excavation work shows ruins of the original foundation.
The cathedral's treasures and the "arts and wonders" the archbishops collected in the 17th century, are displayed in the Dom Museum (tel. 0662/84-41-89), entered through the cathedral.
Map
Location map and satellite view of Salzburg Cathedral. Using the buttons on the left, zoom in for a closer look or zoom out to get your bearings. Click and drag the map to move around. or a larger view, see our Salzburg Map or Google Earth download.
Quick Facts
| Names: | Salzburg Cathedral; Salzburg Dom; Dom St. Rupert |
| Type of site: | Cathedral |
| Faith: | Roman Catholic |
| Date: | Completed 1628 |
| Status: | Active |
| Location: | South side of Residenzplatz, Salzburg, Austria |
| Phone: | 0662/84-41-89 |
| Bus: | 1, 3, or 5 |
| Hours: | Cathedral daily 8am-7pm (to 6pm in winter); excavations Easter to mid-Oct Wed-Sun 9am-5pm (closed mid-Oct to Easter); museum Wed-Sun 9am-5pm, Sun 1-6pm. |
| Cost: | Free admission to cathedral; excavations 1.80€ adults, .70€ children 6-15, free for children 5 and under; museum 4.50€ adults, 1.50€ children |
Sources
- Personal visit (September 2004)
- Frommer's Austria
- Salzburg's Cathedral – Salzburg.info
- Salzburg Cathedral (Dom) – TripAdvisor reviews and articles
