Kollegienkirche (Salzburg, Austria)

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On our way to Mozart’s Geburtshaus, we passed by Universitätsplatz (“University Square”) where a farm market takes place here every Monday to Friday.  The square lead up to  the Kollegienkirche (Collegiate Church, sometimes called the Universitätskirche), another elaborate Baroque church of Salzburg. Grace and I went in for a visit.

Kollegienkirche (Collegiate Church)

Kollegienkirche (Collegiate Church)

The church, dedicated to “Unserer Lieben Frau” (Our Blessed Lady), was built between 1694 and 1707 from the local Benedictine university founded in 1622. The university was disbanded in 1810 but reopened in 1962 as part of the University of Salzburg whose main campus is in the suburb of Nonntal. After Napoleon Bonaparte’s invasion of 1800, the church was converted into a hay store. Kollegienkirche functioned as a military church and, under the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, was a classical secondary school. In 1922, the premiere of the Great World Theater was held here. With the reopening of the University of Salzburg, Kollegienkirche regained its original purpose.

The bright and spacious interior

The bright and spacious interior

One of the most celebrated churches in Austria and he largest church in Salzburg from the Baroque period, it was designed by the great Baroque architect Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach (who also built the Mirabell Garden, Holy Trinity Church, Markuskirche and Dreifaltigkeitskirche). Attached to the church  is the Furtwänglerpark, a lovely piece of green, and the oldest buildings of the university.

Altar built by Josef Anton Pfaffinger in 1735

Altar built by Josef Anton Pfaffinger in 1735

The Kollegienkirche, built on a modified Greek cross (cruciform) plan, has a unique, ornamental north-facing convex façade with many finely wrought details. It is flanked by two free standing bell towers.  On the top of the façade are four tapering statues resting on a coping which is bordered by balustrades.

Figures above the tabernacle

Figures above the tabernacle

Its spacious and bright interior, with its very steep proportions, is one of the most impressive and unusual creations in Baroque style. It is filled with elaborate stucco works, large windows surrounded by delicate decorative features, the coat of arms of Archbishop Johann Ernst von Thun set in the closing gable area, angels and an eye-catching Maria Immaculata statue, designed by Fischer von Erlach and Diego Francesco Carlone, framed by statues of the Four Evangelists on the left tower and of the four Church Fathers on the right, all done by Michael Bernhard Mandl. The porch is separated from the nave by three round-arched arcades. The cupola and transept are situated exactly in the center.

Side Altar (1)

Side Altar (2)
Initially, instead of a high altar, the Kollegienkirche choir originally held only a high tabernacle of stone.  Today, however, the church does have an altar, made by Josef Anton Pfaffinger and dating from 1735. Its seven classical columns (representing the Seven Pillars of Wisdom), of red marble, in the center hall, are topped by angels, with St. Michael the Archangel in the middle.

Side Altar (3)

Side Altar (4)

Around the tabernacle are figures, surmounted by throned allegorical figures representing Faith, depict the various aspects of the human spirit. Above the angels is a stucco aureole of clouds, rays and putti (cherubs) encircling the floating Immaculate Virgin. This design, by Fischer von Erlach, was executed by Diego Francesco Carlone and Paolo d`Allio.

Side Altar (5)

Side Altar (6)

The elaborate side nave altars bear remarkably intense colors. The altar paintings on the left hand side were made by Johann Michael Rottmayr in 1721 and depict St. Barromäus. The painting is flanked by St. Rupert and St. Vergillius.  The altar paintings on the right hand side, painted by Rottmayr in 1722, depicts St. Benedict baptizing a pagan chief.  It is flanked by St. Erentrude and St. Scholastika. The Stations of the Cross, depicting the passion of Jesus Christ, adorn the spandrels.

Statue of St. Joachim

Statue of St. Joachim

Statue of St. John

Statue of St. John

The statues in the side chapels refer to the “Fakultäten,” the schools of the university: St. Thomas Aquinas (school of theology), St. Luke (school of medicine), St. Ivo (school of law) and St. Catherine (school of philosophy). The sparse use of sculptures and stucco works aims to highlight the architecture.

Statue of St. Leonard

Statue of St. Leonard

Kollegienkirche: Universitätsplatz (University Square), 5020 Salzburg, Austria. Tel:+43 662 841327.  Open daily, 9 AM – 6 PM.

Residenz Palace (Salzburg, Austria)

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Residenz Palace

Salzburg Residenz, a Baroque  palace located at Domplatz and Residenzplatz in the old part of the city has, throughout the centuries, been the residence of the Archbishops of Salzburg (who used the palace to present and represent their political status) as well as a place of public gatherings and state affairs, all taking place in a setting that reflected power and grandeur.

Along with Salzburg Cathedral and St. Peter’s Abbey, the Salzburg Residenz is one of the three buildings which provide the backdrop for the Dom Quartier (opened in 2014). The Residenz Palace is also, alongside with the Hohensalzburg Fortress and the Salzburger Dom, probably the most important historic building of Salzburg.

Check out “Salzburg Cathedral,” “Hohensalzburg Fortress“ and “St. Peter’s Cemetery“

Today, the Salzburg Residenz, one of the most impressive attractions in the city, houses the Residenzgalerie (visited separately from the palace), a museum intended to replace the art collection of the prince-archbishops, which had been lost during the Napoleonic wars in the early nineteenth century.  Intended to support a planned academy of art, as well as promote tourism, it houses paintings from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century, and Austrian paintings from the nineteenth century.

The so-called Tuscany Wing (Toskanatrakt), in the north, is used by the School of Law and the law faculty of Paris Lodron University of Salzburg.    The palace is also used during the Salzburg Festival, for state receptions, conferences and international congresses can also be rented for private occasions.  The Knights’ Hall, with its excellent acoustics, is ideal for concerts and other events.

We were able to visit the palace using our Salzburg Card but photography wasn’t allowed inside. During our visit, the exhibit “Seduction: Tempting Beauty, Deadly Charm” (July 10 – November 1, 2015) was ongoing.

Here is the historical timeline of the palace:

  • The earliest recorded reference to the bishop’s palace was in a document dated 1232. Construction began under Archbishop Conrad I.
  • In the sixteenth century, several changes and additions to the structure were made.
  • Under the auspices of Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau (1587–1612), the bishop’s palace took on its present appearance.
  • In 1606, the Hofbogengebäude and Wallistraktwere finished.
  • In the early seventeenth century, work began on the south wing, which included the addition of the large staircase and the Carabinieri-Saal, a section that connected the palace to the Franziskanerkirche and a large courtyard.
  • To allow the Residenz Palace to blend in visually with the Salzburger Dom, Prince Archbishop Guidobald Reichsgraf von Thun (1654 to 1668) added a floor to the main building.
  • In 1660, the Carabinieri-Saal was enlarged
  • In 1689, the elaborate stucco work and the three paintings on the ceiling of the  Carabinieri-Saal were  finished
  • In 1690, the additional floor at the Wallistrakt was completed.
  • Around 1710, the façade was renewed under Prince Archbishop Franz Anton von Harrach according to a design by Johann Lucas von Hildebrandt.
  • In 1714, the ceiling paintings at the Rittersaal were completed.
  • During the 19th century, the Residenz Palace was temporarily used as a private palace by some members of the Austrian royal family as well as the line of Habsburg-Toskana.
  • Through to the end of the eighteenth century, the successors of Wolf Dietrich continued to expand and refine the palace.
  • On May 1, 1816, Emperor Francis I accepted homage and the oath of allegiance from the civic leaders of Salzburg at the Knights’ Hall, marking the beginning of Salzburg as a part of Austria.
  • In 1867, Emperor Franz Joseph I received Emperor Napoleon III at the Residenz.
  • In 1919, a plan to assemble an art gallery was proposed by the Residenzmuseum.
  • In 1922, planning for the Residenzgalerie was completed by Eduard Hütte, the official curator of Salzburg.
  • In 1923, the Residenzgalerie was opened

Ticket counter

During our visit, we first stepped into the  Carabinieri-Saal, the sala grande of the Salzburg Residenz.  The Carabinieri-Saal, used as a common room for the Prince Archbishop′s bodyguards, but also for theatre and banquettes or balls, and Rittersaal Halls, also called Prunkräume or “glorious rooms” (State Apartments), are the two most important halls for representative purposes in the Residenz Palace.

The elaborate stucco work of the Carabinieri-Saal was made by Francesco and Karlo Antonio Brenno and Antonio Carabelli. The three paintings on the ceiling, painted by Johann Michael Rottmayr depict representations of the four elements – Neptune rules over the wind (water and air), the Calydonian hunt for boars (earth) and the workshop of Vulcanus (fire). The smaller artworks in the corners represent the four gods of wind. The four gates, made of marble, date back to around 1610.

Illuminated fountain at Residenzgalerie yard

The Rittersaal, bordering the Carabinieri-Saal, has ceiling paintings, done by Johann Michael Rottmayr, depicting scenes from the life of Alexander the Great, mainly his taming of the horse Bucephalus.  Over the mantelpieces are plastic allegories and armor trophies. A gate towards the east, dating back to 1770, connects the Residenz Palace with the Salzburger Dom.

The Wallistrakt, a wing of the prince archiepiscopal Salzburg Residenz, is a composition of various architectural components built during different construction stages. The only original wing contains a two-storey hall with a central pillar in Tuscany style that was taken from the old cathedral.

Due to several re-constructions and changes of proprietors, the apartment here hasn’t been dealt with as a part of the prince archiepiscopal residence.  It connects the Residenz Palace with a pillar hall over the Franziskanergasse alley.

On the northern side of the Wallistrakt are two Roman mosaics from the 3rd century, found during the 1964 to 1965 renovation work, added to the arcades.

The so-called Hofbogengebäude was originally a place of accommodation for the apartment of prince archbishop Wolf Dietrich of Raitenau.

There was enough space in the medieval Frohnhof (the forecourt of the cathedral) to quickly build a new living unit for the prince archbishop without disturbing the procedures of the residence or having to redeem civic houses. After the Hofbogengebäude was completed, the medieval Residence was open to further renovation and modernization.

To the north, the Hofbogengebäude was connected directly to the Carabinieri-Saal hall. From there, the second floor apartment extended southwards to the prince archbishop’s private chambers in the very south of the building. From there, a richly stuccoed staircase led to a garden hall which opened towards the Hofgärtl, a giardino segreto (secret garden) located in the west surrounded by a high garden wall.

Jandy, Cheska, Kyle and Grace making their way down a stairway

The buildings of the Toskanatrakt wing, ordered erected by Prince Archbishop Hieronymus von Colloredo (1772–1803), replaced former wings from the time of Prince Archbishop Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau (Colloredo planned to rebuild the western wings in Neo-Classic style, but only the Toskanatrakt wing was altered).

Its façade bears decorations around the windows that date back to the late 18th century. The northern wing consists of arcades, built in the early 17th century, with ionic pillars that span two floors. The southeast corner, dating back to the first building period of the Residenz Palace, contains a staircase and stucco work from around 1600.

The first floor Steinsaal hall contains elaborate stucco decorations from the 18th and 19th century while the second floor Toskana Appartement (Tuscany apartment) contains a ceiling and walls with stucco work from 1862.

Odysseus and the Sirens (Ferdinand Alexander Bruckmann, 1829)

Salzburg Residenz: Residenzstraße 1, München, Salzburg, Austria. Tel: +49 89 290671. Open 10 AM – 5 PM.

Residenzplatz (Salzburg, Austria)

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Residenzplatz (Residence Square)

Residenzplatz (Residence Square), a large, stately especially magnificent forecourt in the historic centre (Altstadt), is one of the city’s most popular places to visit. It was named after the Residenz building of the Prince-Archbishops of Salzburg, adjacent to and enclosed by Salzburg Cathedral (Salzburger Dom) in the south, the Alte Residenz in the west and the Renaissance–style Neue Residenz (New Residence, erected from 1588 onwards), with its prominent bell tower, in the east.

Check out “Salzburg Cathedral” and “Residenz Palace“

To the north, several historic bürgerhäuser (private houses) frame the square among them the temporary home, at No. 2, of the Baroque painter Johann Michael Rottmayr  where, around 1690, he stayed while creating the ceiling frescoes in the Alte Residenz . The adjacent Mozartplatz leads to the Salzburg Museum.

Check out “Mozartplatz”

The setting for the annual kermesse (Kirtag), celebrating the feast of Saint Rupert on September 24, and the Salzburg Christmas market during Advent, Residenzplatz is also a popular venue for big sports or music events, including public airings of football games, live rock concerts in the 1980s and 1990s (Joe Cocker, Tina Turner, Neil Young, etc.) and New Year’s Eve parties. Every summer (July and August), the square is also transformed into an open air cinema where, typically, taped performances of the Salzburg Festival are shown.

Alte Residenz Building

From 1587 onwards, the Residenzplatz, probably the largest and most beautiful of the five squares built at the behest of Prince-Archbishop Wolf Dietrich Raitenau, was laid out, Then called Hauptplatz (“Main Square”), the new public plaza corresponded with the reconstruction of Salzburg Cathedral, according to the Mannerist plans laid out by the Italian architect Vincenzo Scamozzi.

Neue Residenz

Von Raitenau ordered the cemetery of the former medieval monastery north of Salzburg Cathedral abandoned (remnants of the cemetery were recently discovered underneath the square’s surface). Fifty-five medieval buildings were also torn down to provide space for the square.

Residenzbrunnen (Residence Fountain)

The Residenzbrunnen (Residence Fountain), the richly decorated fountain in the center of the square, was commissioned by Archbishop Guidobald von Thun, a fountain enthusiast, designed by Tommaso di Garona and was erected with Untersberg limestone (Untersberger Marmor) between 1656 and 1661.

Two of the four horse statues on the fountain

Considered to be the most beautiful fountain in the city of Salzburg and the largest and most significant Baroque fountain in Central Europe, it has four snorting horses seem to spring forth from the spouting rock plus giants, rooted in the rock, carrying the lower basin.

Statues of giants carrying the lower basin

Three dolphins balance the scalloped upper basin which is topped by a Triton statue ejecting the waters upwards into the air from his conch-shell trumpet.

The scalloped upper basin with the statue of Triton

In the Hollywood movie The Sound of Music, as Maria leaves to take up her post with the Von Trapp family, I Have Confidence in Me was filmed in the Residenzplatz, through which Maria enters, and the Residenzbrunnen, in which she splashes. Also, during their carriage ride through the city, Maria and the children sing as they pass the fountain. The Anschluss scene (Austria’s enforced unity with Nazi Germany) was staged in the Residenzplatz.

Check out “Original Sound of Music Tour” 

Bird’s eye view of the square

Relatively recently, a patch of the original river-stone surface was revealed, prompting the city to overhaul and refurbished the Residenzplatz completely  with the addition of new paving and a monument commemorating a Nazi book burning conducted at the site on April 30, 1938.

Residentzplatz: Salzburg, 5020 Austria

Mozartplatz (Salzburg, Austria)

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Mozartplatz (Mozart Square)

The Mozartplatz (Mozart Square), a rectangular square located in the center of the old Salzburg  historical district, is flanked by Residenz- and Waagplatz squares. This popular tourist attraction in the heart of Salzburg’s Old City is an ideal starting point for city tours.

The main traffic axis, from west to east, ran across the square from Universitätsplatz via Alten Markt and Residenzplatz, which gained additional importance with the construction of the Sigmundstore . From the square, you have direct access to Neue Residenz, Salzburg Cathedral and Traklhaus on Waagplatz.

Check out “Salzburg Cathedral“

The square was planned by Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau  in 1588. In 1620, Paris Lodron left the building plots, in the east of the square, to the cathedral architect Santino Solari while on the north, he left the plots to the High Prince Council of Friedrich von Rehlingen. House Mozartplatz 1, the New Residence, now houses the Salzburg Museum .

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Mozart Square and its buildings have close ties to the story of the famous boy genius Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Constanze Mozart-Nissen, Mozart’s wife, once lived at the house at No. 8 Mozart Square. A plaque, installed on the wall of the house, reminds us of that time.

Mozart Memorial

The focal point and standing in the middle of Mozart Square is the Mozart Monument, designed by Ludwig Schwanthaler and cast in bronze by Johann Baptist Stiglmaier, the memorial was solemnly unveiled on September 5, 1842 in the presence of Franz Xaver and Carl Thomas, both Mozart’s surviving sons. However, Mozart’s widow could no longer experience the inauguration (She died on May 1842). King Ludwig I of Bavaria donated  the marble plinth of the bronze statue.

Antretterhaus

The well-structured Rehlingen (Antretterhaus), a splendid and lively Rococo building at Mozartplatz 4, is the former city palace (Stadpalis Rehlingen) of the noble family of the Lords of Rehlingen  who lived here around 1592 until September 25, 1765 when Johann Ernst von Antretter, the chancellor of the Salzburg countryside and court war councilor, and his wife Maria Anna bought this house.

Subsequently, the Antretter family closely involved Leopold Mozart and his family. Together with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Johann’s son Cajetan Antretter was a member of the Bölzlschützenkompanie, while Johann’s daughter was a student of Maria Anna (“Nannerl”) Mozart.

The Antretter family also commissioned the Antretter Serenade, KV 185, a well-known serenade for orchestras in D major by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. On January 28, 1793, the property was auctioned off to the court book printer Franz Xaver Duyle (ca.1743 – 1804 ) and his wife Theresia Weibhauser.  Others who lived in the house were, among others, Johann Alois Duregger (died 1876) and Otto Spängler (1841 – 1919).

It has two courtyards, a richly structured wicker arch portal built between the 16th and 18th centuries and elegant, artfully shaped facade with curved window frames that date from around 1760.  The portals, on the first floor of the house, are made of red marble with relief medallions (lion heads, portraits, Caesar head, pictures of stork, pelican and phoenix) made around 1550 (the coat of arms of the Eberl von Strasenegg bears the year 1656). In addition to the law firms of various lawyers, the Antretterhaus also houses the Institute for Musicology at the University of Salzburg.

Bell tower of Hauskapelle Mariae Himmelfahrt

The noteworthy, private house chapel (Hauskapelle Mariae Himmelfahrt) attached to the main house, built in 1592 by Friedrich von Rehlingen  on the old city ​​wall and clearly visible from Rudolfskai, is adorned with delicate framed Rococo windows and a bell tower with an onion helmet.

Imhofstöckl

The Antretterhaus is adjoined by the low, two-storey  Imhofstöckl (Mozartplatz 5–7).  Built shortly before 1620,  it is a simple, elongated house covered with wooden shingles and divided by arched, basket-handle portals.  It is only separated from the old Paris Lodron wall by a narrow courtyard. Today, among other things, an official building of the magistrate (cultural department) is housed here.

Kanonikalhöfe

The three Kanonikalhöfe  (Mozartplatz 8, 9 and 10), courts that date from the 17th century, have a uniform facade and. House No. 9 bears the coat of arms of Prince Archbishop Sigismund von Schrattenbach and a coat of arms of Max Gandolf von Kuenburg, including the inscription (1670), can be found above the northern side portal.

After the first owner Santino Solari sold the buildings to the cathedral chapter, the cathedral canons lived here for a long time. Today, apart from apartments, the main offices of the Salzburg State Government and the State School Council are housed there.

Salzburg Cathedral (Austria)

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Salzburg Cathedral

This cathedral, of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Salzburg, is dedicated to Saint Rupert and Saint Vergilius. It was founded by St. Rupert on the remnants of a Roman town. The first cathedral was built under Saint Vergilius of Salzburg, who might have used foundations by St. Rupert.

The present seventeenth-century  Baroque cathedral was built in the seventeenth century under Prince-Bishop Wolf Dietrich Raitenau  (also responsible for the building of the nearby Alten Residenz, which is today connected to the cathedral), a patron and supporter of modern Italian Baroque architecture, having seen it from its origins in Italy and particularly Rome.

Statues of diocesean and cathedral patrons. The coats-of-arms of Prince Archbishop Guidobald von Thun and Prince Archbishop Johann Ernst von Thun are at the bases.

Here’s a historical timeline of the cathedral’s construction:

  • In 774, the first Dom was recorded.
  • From 767 to 774, the so-called 66 m. long and 33 m. wide Virgil Dom was built
  • Archbishop Arno (785 – 821) was the first to arrange renovations of the Dom, which was in place for less than 70 years.
  • In 842, the building burned down after being struck by lightning.
  • Three years later, the re-erection of the building started.
  • Between 1000 and 1080, under Archbishop Hartwig, a long choir with a crypt was built and an extension of the rebuilt cathedral was built towards the towards the west
  • From 1106 to 1147, under Archbishop Konrad I, the west towers were built
  • In 1167, the Virgil Dom was seriously damaged in a fire.
  • In 1181, the cathedral was rebuilt during the reign of Archbishop Konrad III
  • During the early Middle Ages, the original church experienced at least three extensive building and rebuilding campaigns, the final result of which was a somewhat ad hoc Romanesque basilica.
  • In 1598, the basilica was severely damaged in a fire
  • After several failed attempts at restoration and reconstruction, Prince-Bishop Wolf Dietrich Raitenau (Archbishop from 1587–1612) ordered that the building be finally demolished.
  • In 1614, Mark Sittich von Hohenems (Archbishop from 1612–19 and Wolf Dietrich’s successor),  laid the cornerstone of the new cathedral.
  • In 1628, remarkably in less than 15 years, the cathedral was completed. That same year, the Marienglocke and the Virgilglocke, the oldest bells in the cathedral, were both cast.
  • On September 24, 1628, the cathedral was consecrated by Prince Archbishop Paris Lodron.
  • In 1652 and 1655, the towers were finished.
  • Between 1766 and 1771, the Maria Immaculata (Immaculate Mary) column was executed by brothers Wolfgang and Johann-Baptist Hagenauer.
  • During World War II, the cathedral was damaged when a single bomb crashed through the central dome over the crossing.
  • From 1945 to 1959, the Salzburger Dom was rebuilt in its original shape and reopened by Archbishop Andreas Rohracher.
  • On September 24, 1961, 5 new bells were added.

Coats of arms of Markus Sittikus and Paris Londron at the tympanum

Here are some interesting trivia regarding the cathedral:

  • The present cathedral was built partially upon the foundations of the old basilica. Indeed, the foundation stones of the preceding church building may be seen in the Domgrabungen, an excavation site under the cathedral that also features mosaics and other artifacts found here when this location was the forum of the Roman city Juvavum.
  • Italian architect Vincenzo Scamozzi was hired by Wolf Dietrich to prepare a plan for a comprehensive new Baroque building but the present cathedral was designed by Santino Solari, who fundamentally changed the original Scamozzi plan.
  • At the cathedral’s consecration, 12 choirs positioned in the marble galleries of the cathedral sang a Te Deum composed by Stefano Bernardi,   the Kapellmeister to the Salzburg court. The score has since been lost.
  • One other surviving relic that predates the Baroque edifice is the 14th century Gothic baptismal font.
  • Salzburg Cathedral still contains the baptismal font in which composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was baptized.
  • When the cathedral was completed, the relics of St. Rupert were transferred here.
  • The finished church is 466 ft. long and 109 ft. high at the crossing/dome.
  • The Baroque style can be seen in the choir and the nave.
  • The Salvatorglocke (“salvation bell”) of the cathedral, weighing 14,256 kgs., is the 2nd largest bell in Austria, after the Pummerin bell in Vienna Cathedral

Statues of the Four Evangelists

The cathedral is located adjacent to Residenzplatz and Domplatz (accessed by three open arcade arches in the north, south, and west) in the Altstadt (Old Town) area of Salzburg.

Statue of St. Paul

The “cathedral arches” unite the cathedral with the Salzburg Residenz and St. Peter’s Abbey , forming a unique self-contained square. It is 101 m. long, 69 m. wide and 81 m. high.

Statue of St. Peter

The richly decorated façade, made of bright Untersbergmarmor (Untersberg mountain marble) and divided into three horizontal sections, is framed by two towers and a curved gable.

Statue of St. Rupert

Three high round arches or portals, at the lower section, provide access to three bronze doors and are flanked by four large sculpted figures representing the diocesean and cathedral patrons.

Statue of St. Virgilius

The mitered figures of St. Rupert, holding a salt barrel, and St. Virgilius, holding a church, were created c. 1660 by Bartholomäus van Opstal. The inside figures of St. Peter, holding keys, and St. Paul, holding a sword, were sculpted c. 1697 by Bernhard Michael Mandl, who also created all the pedestals.

Interior of the cathedral

The coats-of-arms of Prince Archbishop Guidobald von Thun and Prince Archbishop Johann Ernst von Thun are at the bases. The mantelpieces, over the central windows, contain a lion and an ibex (the animals depicted in the coats-of-arms) and a golden crown that aligns with the Marien column in the Domplatz.

The main altar

The statues of the Four Evangelists (Saint Matthew, Saint Mark, Saint Luke and Saint John), at the central section of the façade, represent the salvation offered through their preaching.  The coats-of-arms of the builders of the cathedral, Markus Sittikus and Paris Londron, are at the top section tympanum.

The cathedral dome with frescoes depicting scenes from the Old Testament around it.  Above it are the coats-of-arms of Prince Archbishop Paris Lodron and Archbishop Andreas Roracher. At the corners are paintings of the Four Evangelists.

The figure group on the pediment, representing the Transfiguration of Jesus on Mt. Tabor, shows Christ as Salvator Mundi, with Moses holding the tablets on the left and the prophet Elijah to the right. Tommaso di Garona, the mason who built the Residenz Fountain, created the three statues in 1660. An old oven, used for baking communion bread, is housed in the north tower.

The main nave with paintings showing scenes from the life (10 smaller ones) and passion (15 large ones) of Christ, done by Donato Mascagni and Ignazio Solari.

The three bronze gates inside the portals, representing the 3 divine virtues (Göttliche Tugenden) of faith, hope and love, were erected in 1957 and 1958.  The Gate of Faith (Tor des Glaubens ), on the left, was created by Toni Schneider-Manzell (1911-1996); the Gate of Love (Tor der Liebe), at the center, was created by Giacomo Manzù (1908-1991); and the  Gate of Hope (Tor der Hoffnung), on the right, was created by Ewald Mataré (1887-1965). The flanking towers, also divided into three horizontal units, bear clocks and the bells.

Paintings on the main nave, showing scenes from the life (10 smaller ones) and passion (15 large ones) of Christ, were done by Donato Mascagni and Ignazio Solari. The stucco works were done in white (and crested by black stucco)  by Guiseppe Bassarino around 1628.  Four chapels, on each side along the main nave, each have a side altar and palatine frescos.

The 71 m. high dome, with two rows of eight frescos each, displays scenes from the Old Testament that relate to the life and passion scenes from the nave. They were also painted by by Donato Mascagni and Ignazio Solari.

On top of these paintings are paintings of the Four Evangelists (Mark, Luke, Matthew and John) and, beyond that, the coats-of-arms of Prince Archbishop Paris Lodron and Archbishop Andreas Roracher.

On the left and right side of the nave are motives of St. Francis and Virgin Mary respectively. To the left and right of the St. Francis Altar are epitaphs of Prince Archbishops Leopold Anton von Firmian (died in 1744), Guidobald von Thun (died in 1668), Max Gandolf von Kuenburg (died in 1687) and Jakob E. von Liechtenstein (died in 1747).

Around the Virgin Mary Altar are epitaphs of Prince Archbishops Andreas J. Dietrichstein (died in 1753), Johann E. Thun (died in 1709), Franz A. Harrach (died in 1727) and Siegismund Schrattenbach (died in 1772).

The main altar, probably built by Santio Solari in 1628, has a painting depicting the Resurrection of Christ and made by Donato Mascagni.

Above the painting are statues of St. Rupert and St. Virgil as well as allegories of Religio and Caritas. Between the figures is an inscriptions that reads: Notas mihi fecisi vias vitae (“You showed me the way of life”).

On top of the altar there are statues of angels holding golden crucifixes.  The right and left hand side of the main altar has epitaphs of Prince Archbishops Markus Sittikus (died in 1619) and Paris Lodron (died in 1653) respectively.

The main altar backdrop with a painting depicting the Resurrection of Christ made by Donato Mascagni

On the right hand side of the main altar is the entrance to the crypt (the tombs of the Archbishops of Salzburg) based on the foundations of the Romanesque Virgil Cathedral.

The Zehneckraum (“Ten corner room”) contains the tombs of the Prince Archbishops from the 17th to the 18th century. In the round tower is a mosaic showing the scale of the former Salzburger Dom in comparison to today′s cathedral.

The new organ built in 1988

The organ that is in use for services today was built in 1988.  The old organ is essentially the same as the one built by the famous organ builder Josef Christoph Egedacher in 1703.

The old organ built in 1703 by Josef Cristoph Egedacher

Salzburg Cathedral: Domplatz 1a, 5020 Salzburg, Austria. Tel: +43 662 80477950. Open 8AM-5PM. From June to September, there is a one-hour organ recital every Wednesday and Saturday at 11.15.

St. Peter’s Cemetery (Salzburg, Austria)

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St. Peter's Cemetery

St. Peter’s Cemetery

After our tour of Hohensalzburg Castle and leaving the Funicular Railway entrance, we walked down the hill to nearby St. Peter’s Cemetery (Petersfriedhof) which, together with the burial site at Nonnberg Abbey , is the oldest cemetery in Salzburg and one of its most popular tourist attractions.   My original intention for visiting was to see for myself where the Von Trapps hid from the Nazis in “The Sound of Music” as some overenthusiastic tour guides would tell tourists visiting the place. I didn’t find it. Only later did I find out that the actual scene was just a studio set filmed in Hollywood, though its design is clearly based on St. Peter’s Cemetery.

Check out “Hohensalzburg Fortress“

 

The Hollywood set of the Sound of Music

The Hollywood set of the Sound of Music based on St. Peter’s Cemetery

Still, the beautiful flower-filled cemetery of adjacent St. Peter’s Abbey (Stift St. Peter), sheltered by the Monchsberg, was still worth a visit for its rich history and carefully and lovingly tended  graves, many with flowering plants land small trees (it looks more like a garden than a cemetery).

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It was probably laid out during the foundation of the abbey in 696 AD by St. Rupert of Salzburg. This burial ground was first mentioned in an 1139 deed  issued by Alcuin of York, an English scholar attendant, during the rule of Archbishop Conrad I.

More of a garden than a cemetery .......

More of a garden than a cemetery …….

Several tombs are located in arcades, with elegant wrought iron fences and lovely and ornate iron scrollwork crosses and grave markers, built at the foot of the Festungsberg Hill.

Arcade

Tombs located in arcades

Arcades (2)

The oldest preserved headstone is from 1288 AD. The cemetery is centered around the Late Gothic-style, stone block St Margaret’s Chapel (Margarethenkapelle), built in 1491, and the Romanesque-style Chapel of the Cross, dedicated about 1170 and refurbished as a mausoleum in 1614/15, according to plans by Santino Solari. The former contains some precious artwork inside and marble panels emblazoned on the wall.

St. Margaret's Chapel (Margarethenkapelle)

St. Margaret’s Chapel (Margarethenkapelle)

The chapel's interior

The chapel’s interior

The serene and unique cemetery grounds, probably the most peaceful stop in all of Salzburg, are also known for its underground ‘catacombs,’ a combination of natural and hand-excavated caves embedded in the limestone cliffs of Monchsberg.  Carved out of the conglomerate rocks of Festungsberg Hill, above the cemetery, they probably date back even further to 215 AD, from the Early Christian days of Severinus of Noricum during the Migration Period, serving as an Early Christian place of assembly and hermitage.  Up until 1454, only priests and monks were buried here.

Altar within the catacombs

Altar within the catacombs

Catacombs (3)

The catacombs include two chapels dedicated to St. Gertrude (Gertraudenkapelle) and Maximus (Maximuskapelle), a Christian martyr, consecrated in 1178 under the Salzburg Archbishop Conrad of Wittelsbach and dedicated to the assassinated Archbishop Thomas Becket of Canterbury.

Catacombs (2)

The cemetery was closed in 1878, slowly decaying until 1930 when the monks of St. Peter’s successfully lobbied for the admission of new burials.  Unlike most cemeteries around the world, you do not buy the plots here.  Instead, every 10 years, relatives of the dead must pay rent for the plot and must also be the caretakers.  If your family doesn’t pay your rent, they toss your body out.

Kyle, Cheska and Grace

Kyle, Cheska and Grace strolling around the cemetery grounds

Many members of Salzburg’s old blue-blooded patrician families are buried here, along with many other notable figures.  Architect Santino Solari, (1646), who designed Salzburg Cathedral, Hellbrunn Palace and the trick fountains, is buried in Crypt XXXI while Salzburg mayor Sigmund Haffner (1772), a patron of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart who composed a symphony and named a serenade after him, is buried in Crypt XXXIX. Maria Anna Mozart (Nannerl, 1829), elder sister of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and an exceptionally gifted musician herself, is buried in Crypt LIV, by the catacombs, together with the torso (his head is stored in an urn in St. Peter’s Church) of composer Michael Haydn (1806), the younger brother of Joseph Haydn.

Michael Haydn Grave

Michael Haydn Grave

Other prominent people buried here include architects Clemens Holzmeister (1983), Johann Georg von Hagenauer (1835, younger brother of Wolfgang Hagenauer) and Wolfgang Hagenauer (1801); composers Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber (1704);  Salzburg mayors Johann Christian Paurnfeind (1768), Richard Hildmann (1952) and Heinrich Ritter von Mertens (1872); Mozart librettist Ignatz Anton von Weiser, (1785); conductor Bernhard Paumgartner (1971); opera singer Richard Mayr (1935); painter Georg Pezolt (1878); historian Franz Martin (1950); artist Carl Mayr (1942, elder brother of Richard Mayr);  poet Otto Pflanzl (1943); actor Georg Schuchter (2001); politician Hans Lechner (1994); noblemen Hans Stefan, Count von Heistler (2010), Viktor Schmidt, Count von Heistler (2011), Alfred Schmidt, Count von Heistler (2011) and Wulfric Brian von Heistler (2011); and US Army Major General Harry J. Collins (1963).

View of Salzburg from the catacombs

View of Salzburg from the catacombs

We also climbed a steep set of stone-carved stairs to view several rooms with altars, faded murals and inscriptions of the fascinating catacombs. Here, we had amazing views of the city. On our way out, we passed a water wheel which runs in the cemetery.  At one time, it supplied power for industries run by the friars.

Water wheel

Water wheel

St. Peter’s Cemetery: Sankt-Peter-Bezirk 1, 5020 Salzburg, Austria. Tel: +43 662 844576. Open daily,  6:30 AM -7 PM (April-September) and 6:30 AM – 6 PM. (October-March). Admission to cemetery is free; Catacombs:  1€ (adults) and 0.60€ (children).

Hohensalzburg Fortress (Salzburg, Austria)

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Fortress Hohensalzburg

From Krapitelplatz (Chapter Square), we made our way towards Hohensalzburg Fortress.  The whitewashed and solidly built Hohensalzburg Fortress sits atop a rock spur on the  Festungsberg, a small hill at an altitude of 506 m. high above the rooftops of the Baroque historical district.  It can be seen from almost anywhere in the city.

Check out “Kapitelplatz”

At the “Sperrbogen” (entrance gate to the fortress grounds), we used our Salzburg Cards for free entry to the fortress and went up there via elevator.  Our card allowed us to tour the fortress’ entrance courtyards and observation tower (Footpath Ticket).

The fortress consists of various wings and a courtyard with a few shops for souvenirs and a place to get a bite to eat at the Panorama Terrace.  Cannons were placed in strategic locations on the battlements.

View of Salzburg from atop the fortress

From the fortress, we had a magnificent, 360 degree views of the Old Town of Salzburg, the Salzach River and the surrounding panorama of the Alps.

Here are some interesting trivia regarding the fortress:

  • The fortress was erected at the behest of the Prince-Archbishops of Salzburg who, in the Holy Roman Empire, were already powerful political figures. They expanded the castle to protect their interests.
  • With a length of 250 m. (820 ft.) and a width of 150 m. (490 ft.), it is one of the largest and best preserved medieval castles in Europe and the largest preserved fortress in Central Europe. It has 50 buildings and covers an  area of 33,000 sq. m.
  • The Austrian Nonnberg Abbey commemorative coin (the first coin of the series “Great Abbeys of Austria”), minted on April 5, 2006, shows the Benedictine convent of Nonnberg Abbey while, on the hilltop on the background, the Hohensalzburg castle and the Kajetaner church castle
  • In 1977, the Austrian Mint issued a coin for the 900th anniversary of Hohensalzburg castle.
  • The Reisszug, a very early and primitive funicular railway built in 1892 that provided freight access to the upper courtyard of the castle, still exists (albeit in updated form) and is the oldest in Austria and probably the oldest operational railway in the world.

Kyle beside one of the fortress’ cannons

The fortress had a number of museums which were not included in the Footpath ticket. The Fortress Museum  has historical exhibits that focus on the lifestyle and courtly life led by the prince archbishops and documents the history behind the building of what remains the biggest fully preserved medieval fortress in Europe.

The Marionette Museum, housed in the vaulted former gun deck (“Feuergang”), is dedicated to the “World of Marionettes.” One focus of this exhibition is the history of Salzburg itself.

The Altes Zeughaus,  an interactive exhibition at the historical Zeughaus (arsenal), shows how the defensive fortifications of Hohensalzburg developed over time with the introduction of firearms.

It documents the development of cannons, armaments and firearms, and the effects of such developments on the design of fortifications. Visitors, with the help of interactive models, can actually experiment with the various attack and defense strategies affecting medieval fortresses.

Bas relief of the coat-of-arms of Salzburg

The Museum of the Rainer Regiment, commemorating the former Salzburg house regiment (formally known as “k. u. k. Infanterieregiment ‘Erzherzog Rainer’ No. 59”), exhibits weapons, uniforms and other memorabilia from times of war and peace.

Leon Einberger Atelier

Its state apartments were primarily used for representative purposes and for festivities.  The rooms in which the archbishops would normally have lived were one floor below. The bedchamber is the most intimate room of the princely chambers.

Marionette Museum entrance

The Prince-Bishop’s magnificent state apartments, installed on the third floor, in the so-called “Hoher Stock” (high floor), were started in 1498 by Archbishop Leonhard von Keutschach who, in order to gain more space, had four massive marble pillars constructed on the right-hand outer wall with a loggia added on.

St. George’s Chapel

As in the other rooms, its ceiling is coffered with each coffer being adorned with gold buttons symbolizing the stars in the sky. The 17 m. long beam, supporting the ceiling, is painted with the coat of arms of von Keutschach, together with those of the Holy Roman Empire, the most powerful German towns and the bishoprics that were connected to Salzburg. In many places in the fortress, the coat-of-arms can be found, an indication of prince-archbishop Von Keutschach’s building activity.

At a later time, Von Keutschach had one of the figure consoles in the beam ceiling removed to make room for a chapel to be built.  Its ceiling is decorated with a richly ornamented star vault while the inner part of the door at the entrance is covered with stucco. Red columns, on a high plinth with grey capitals, is shown at the painted frame.

At the tympanum, beneath the mitre, legate cross and sword, the coat of arms (a special feature is the turnip) of Salzburg and of Leonhard von Keutschach is reproduced. In the chapel’s north wall, there are two openings which made it possible to attend the church service from the side room.

The bedchamber’s original furniture and precious textiles, such as tapestry were, in the course of time, replaced by more “modern” ones. The upper part of the panels of the elaborate wainscoting (which keeps out the cold) is decorated with gilded buttons and rosettes.

Entrance to St. George’s Chapel

The now bare lower part was probably covered with leather or velvet tapestry. The toilet, a highly modern sanitary facility back in the past accessible from each floor, is basically a hole in the floor with a wooden frame and is concealed by a door.

Relief of Leonhard von Keutschach blessing the city of Salzburg

 Here is the historical timeline of the fortress:

  • In 1077, construction of the fortress began under Archbishop Gebhard von Helfenstein. This original design was just a basic bailey with a wooden wall.
  • In 1462, the ring walls and towers were built under Prince-Archbishop Burkhard II von Weißpriach.
  • In the 16th century, the current external bastions, added as a precaution because of fears of Turkish Invasion, were begun and completed in the 17th During his term from 1495 until 1519, Prince-ArchbishopLeonhard von Keutschach  further expanded the castle.
  • During the German Peasants’ War in 1525, the fortress came under siege (the only time in its history) when a group of miners, farmers and townspeople tried to oust Prince-Archbishop Matthäus Lang, but failed to take the castle.
  • In 1612, the deposed Archbishop Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau died here in prison.
  • During the Thirty Years’ War, Archbishop Count Paris of Lodron strengthened the town’s defenses, including Hohensalzburg. He added various parts to the fortress, such as the gunpowder stores and additional gatehouses.
  • During the Napoleonic War of the Second Coalition in 1800, the fort was surrendered, without a fight, to French troops under Gen. Jean Victor Marie Moreau.  Count Hieronymus von Colloredo, the last Prince-Archbishop, fled to Vienna.
  • In the 19th century, it was used as barracks, storage depot and dungeon
  • In 1861, the castle was abandoned as a military outpost.
  • From the late 19th century onwards, Hohensalzburg castle was refurbished and became a major tourist attraction.
  • In 1892, the railway to the Hasengraben Bastion was put into operation. The former house of Johann Michael Haydns was converted into the Valley Station.
  • During World War I, it was used as a prison, holding Italian prisoners of war
  • In the 1930s, before the Anschluss with Germany, it was used as a prison for Nazi activists.

The richly decorated Golden Hall, the most magnificently furnished room of the princely chambers, indicates that the fortress served the archbishops not only as a refuge in times of crisis, but frequently also as a residence up to the 16th century. Its two long walls are taken up by richly decorated (with vines, grapes, foliage and animals) benches that used to be covered with cloth or leather, but the upholstery has not survived into the modern age. The lower part of the walls also used to be adorned in gold-embossed leather tapestry.

 

The “Salzburg Bull” (Salzburger Stier), a large aerophon of more than 200 pipes, is housed in the Krautturm (powder tower). This huge mechanical organ, built in 1502 by Archbishop Leonhard von Keutschach, was renewed by Rochus Egedacher in 1735.

The “Salzburg Bull,”  played daily, from Palm Sunday to October 31, at 7 AM, 11 AM and 6 PM, thus initiates the playing of the carillon at the Residenzplatz and ends it again. One of Austria’s most famous cabaret groups is named after it.

The author (left) at Hohensalzburg Fortress. On the right is the 16th century cistern

Instead of the elevator, we exited the fortress via the Festungsbahn cable car.  Opened in 1892, the most recent renovation of the Festungsbahn took place in 2011 (two new carriages and technical upgrades to the electronic equipment).  It leads up from the town to the Hasengrabenbastei and runs every 10 minutes. The valley station is located in the heart of the historic district (No. 4 Festungsgasse).

Entrance to funicular railway

The funicular (better known as a tram or cliff lift) travels a total distance of 198.5 m.  (beginning at 437 m. and rising to 536 m.) and our ride lasted just under one minute and, from its big observation windows, we were treated to fabulous and sensational views extending across beautiful downtown Salzburg City to the surrounding mountains.

The funicular railway

After our funicular ride, we dropped by the Rdzeniewski, the biggest amber shop in Europe, opened in 2002 at the foot of the fortress, before proceeding to St. Peter’s Cemetery.

Check out “St. Peter’s Cemetery”

 

Rdzeniewski

Fortress Hohensalzburg: Mönchsberg 34, 5020 Salzburg, Austria.  Tel: +43 662 84243011. Open daily, 9:30 AM -5 PM (January-April and October-December), 9 AM – 7 PM (May to September). 

Admission:

  • Basic Rate (Including ascent and descent by fortress funicular,
    guided tour with audio guide, Fortress Museum, Rainer Regiment Museum, Marionette Museum, Alm passage exhibition, Arsenal exhibition): €12.90 (adults), €7.40 (children, 6-14 years), €28.60 (families), €11.90 (per person for groups of 10 adults or more) and €6.80 (per person for groups of 10 children/youths or more, 6-19 years) People with disabilities greater than 50% receive a reduction.
  • All Inclusive Ticket (Including ascent and descent by fortress funicular,
    Princes’ Apartments in the main castle and the Magic Theater, guided tour with audio guide, Fortress Museum, Rainer Regiment Museum, Marionette Museum, Alm passage exhibition, Arsenal exhibition): €16.30 (adults), €9.30 (children, 6-14 years), €36.20 (families), €15.00 (per person for groups of 10 adults or more) and €8.60 (per person for groups of 10 children/youths or more, 6-19 years)
  • Footpath (includes ride down on the funicular, entrance courtyards and observation tower, with audio guide): €10.00 (adults), €5.70 (children, 6-14 years), €22.20 (families), €9.20 (per person for groups of 10 adults or more) and €5.20 (per person for groups of 10 children/youths or more, 6-19 years)
  • Panorama Ticket (Including ascent and descent by fortress funicular, entrance courtyards and observation tower, with audio guide, available May–September: 8:30 A -10 AM and 6 – 8 PM; October–April: 4- 5 PM): €11.00 (adults), €6.30 (children, 6-14 years), €24.40 (families), €10.20 (per person for groups of 10 adults or more) and €5.80 (per person for groups of 10 children/youths or more, 6-19 years).

Rdzeniewski: Festungsgasse 4, 5020 Salzburg, Austria. Tel: +43 662 8410140.

Kapitelplatz (Salzburg, Austria)

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Kapitelplatz (Chapter Square)

On our way to Hohensalzburg Fortress, we passed by the small but beautiful Kapitelplatz (Chapter Square). This square, a place of concentrated activity in Salzburg’s old town, is bordered by  Salzburg Cathedral, on the south, by the Cathedral Provostry (Dompropstei) and Archiepiscopal Palace in the east, the Novice’s Wing of St. Peter’s Abbey in the west and the Cathedral Chapter’s mills.

Check out “Salzburg Cathedral” and “Hohensalzburg Fortress“

The cathedral as seen from the square

The Cathedral district was comprised of austere, sovereign residences lined up on Kapitelgasse, Kaigasse and Chiemseegasse and Chapter Square was once the site of the Cathedral Abbey.  Until the archbishopric was dissolved in 1803, the high clergy once resided on the square and in the palaces in the adjacent streets. Dominated by the cathedral canon, this area was defined by majestic and imposing residences lined up along Kapitelgasse, Kaigasse and Chiemseegasse.

Cheska, Kyle, Grace and Jandy browsing at one of the souvenir stalls inside the square

The constant water supply of the canal for the millstones of St. Peter and the Cathedral, diverted through Mönchsberg to the Kapitelplatz,  still supplies water to St. Peter Bakery and the Chapter Fountain (which dates from the 17th century) on the square.

Grace, Kyle and Cheska with the Chapter Fountain in the background

Slightly secluded from the spacious square, the fountain (or horse flood) was modeled on Roman fountains and built under Archbishop Leopold Freihher von  Firmian  in 1732 to plans by  Franz Anton Danreiter. The winged horse ( Pegasus ) which once stood there is now in the Mirabell Gardens.

Check out “Mirabell Palace and Gardens”

Te statue of Neptune

Framed by a marble balustrade, it has a niche architecture built in front of the fountain house. The ramp, used by the horses to access the water, leads straight up to the monumental figure of Neptune (God of the Sea), in a high arched niche carried by double pilasters, holding a trident and crown as well as the mane of the horse with one hand and mounted on a seahorse with a fishtail and with water leaping from its nostrils.

The tritones on the left

The tritones on the right

The two water-spitting and much older (made in 1691) Tritones  came to their present place only later.  The water flows in a wide band, under the seahorse, into the lower-lying pool. The Baroque figure, one of the most stylish in Salzburg, was sculpted by  Josef Anton Pfaffinger.  Above the display bell  is a vase decorated with putti with a  chronogram (” LeopoLDVs prInCeps Me eXtrVXIt “) with Archbishop Firmian’s coat of arms found above the niche.

The chronogram above the niche

Filling the square with life are a number of giant communal chess-boards (where people play a game of chess with oversized chess pieces), plenty of colorful souvenir stalls and the “Sphaera,” a work of art by German artist Stephan Balkenhol.

The Sphaera, designed by German artist Stefan Balkenhol, is part of the “Salzburg art project.” Standing about 9 m. high (including the pedestal), this work of art is better known under the slang term “Balkenhol-Mozartkugel.” This abstract, gold-plated, two-ton ball, with a diameter of 5 m., is made of glass fiber reinforced plastic and lies on a wrought iron frame with a weight of 3.5 tons. On top is a 300 kg., bronze male figure dressed in white shirt and black trousers and emanating a neutral expression.

Kapitelplatz: Salzburg 5020, Austria

Minor Basilica of St. Michael the Archangel (Mondsee, Austria)

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Minor Basilica of St. Michael the Archangel

Minor Basilica of St. Michael the Archangel

The last leg of our “Original Sound of Music Tour,” via Panorama Tours, brought us to Mondsee, a quaint and colorful town of lush countryside, shops and restaurants, where we made our final stopover at the Minor Basilica of St. Michael the Archangel situated right smack in the middle of the town center.  We were given an hour to explore the area.

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Maria (Julie Andrews) von Trapp walking down the aisle of St. Michael’s Basilica in the film “Sound of Music.”

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Another movie scene of Maria walking down the aisle. Behind is the Wolfgang Altar

Do you remember Maria (Julie Andrews) and Captain Georg (Christopher Plummer) von Trapp’s wonderfully famous wedding scene at the “Sound of Music?” This is where the wedding in the film took place (though, in real life, they got married at Nonnberg Abbey where Maria was a postulant). The exterior of the church was never shown in the movie, as it was then under renovation.

Maria and Captain von Trapp at the high altar

Maria and Captain Georg von Trapp (Christopher Plummer) at the high altar

The bright and welcoming yellow and white, Late Gothic-style and three-aisled St. Michael’s Basilica, located next door to the monastery building (founded by Bavarian Duke Odilo II in 748, it has been restored and turned into a classy hotel) and courtyards, is the cultural and spiritual heart of the Mondsee region.

View of pipe organ from high altar

View of pipe organ from high altar

The second biggest church in Upper Austria, it is also one of the most prominent and largest monuments in Austria. This former Benedictine abbey church, officially as Pfarrkirche St Michael, was constructed under the direction of Abbot Benedikt Eck and consecrated in 1487.

High Altar designed by Salzburg sculptor Hans Waldburger

High Altar designed by Salzburg sculptor Hans Waldburger

The pink and white ceiling with snowflake-like designs

The pink and white ceiling with snowflake-like designs

In 2005, Pope John Paul II upgraded the church to a minor basilica and, that same year, a huge restoration and renovation of the interior began that included every part of the basilica. During one of the many restorations, the framing on the Gothic vaults have been discovered to have been painted in the original light pink color. It took 3 years to complete and, in 2009, the church was reopened and was conferred  the title “Austria’s Monument of the Year.”

Side Altar (1)

Side Altar (2)

The basilica has two 52-m. high towers and statues of Saints Peter and Paul on the façade. For architecture buffs like me, it is unassuming on the outside but beautiful inside. We entered the basilica through a small lovely gift shop which helps in the upkeep of the basilica. The beautiful Baroque interior, dating back to the 17th century, features Baroque-style altars collaboratively created by Matthais Wichlhammer and the famous Swiss Baroque sculptor Meinrad Guggenbichler, outstanding pieces of work, with lots of black and gold, that are really stunning and nothing short of extravagant.

Poor Souls Altar

Poor Souls Altar

The light and airy interior, exactly the same as it was when the movie was filmed, was even more impressive when we looked at the ornate details up close. The ceiling, with soft almost pink snowflake-like designs on a clean white background, was also beautiful.

Wolfgang Altar

Wolfgang Altar

Seven of these altars were carved by Meinrad Guggenbichler who, from 1680, dedicated much of his life to beautifying the monastery.  Its 18 m. high early Baroque high altar. with the relics of Abbot Konrad II, dates from 1626 and was designed by Salzburg sculptor Hans Waldburger.

Altar Josef

Altar Josef

More altars were then built in the monastery church.  These included the Holy Spirit Altar, the Wolfgang Altar, the Corpus Christi Altar, the Poor Souls Altar, the Sebastian Altar and the St. Peter Altar. Later, other altars were added, this time by Franz Anton Koch. These were the John Altar, the Altar Josef, the Anna or Virgin Altar and Antonius Altar. The altar cross was put together by a Mondsee  sculptor.

Antonius Altar

Antonius Altar

Once up the high altar, we could see the equally beautiful and impressive pipe organ at the opposite end of the basilica. There are also additional artifacts to be viewed at the museum attached to the basilica. The gilded statues and paintings made me wonder where they got the resources for such extravagance.

Altar of Annunciation (1680) by Meinrad Guggenbichler

Altar of Annunciation (1680) by Meinrad Guggenbichler

I am not used to seeing such splendor. One of the most photographed churches all over the world, this cinematically famous basilica is visited by more than 200.000 people each year. Even if you are not a “Sound of Music” movie fan, the elegant and classy St Michael’s Basilica is still worth spending time walking through. 

John Altar

John Altar

Minor Basilica of St. Michael the Archangel: Kirchgasse 1, Mondsee 5310, Austria. Tel: +43 6232 4166. Open daily, 9 AM – 7 PM. Although entrance to the basilica is free, there is a small admission fee for the museum.

The museum

The museum

Gift Shop

Gift Shop

How to Get There: Bus140 from Salzburg runs every 30 minutes and takes approximately 50 minutes (25 kms.) to reach Mondsee.

The Colorful, Sound of Music Town of Mondsee (Austria)

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Mondsee

After our short photoop stopover at the Salzburg Lake District, we again boarded our tour bus for the final destination of the Original Sound of Music Tour – the scenic and lovely, Baroque Upper Austrian  lakeside town of Mondsee in the Vöcklabruck district.

Check out “The Original Sound of Music Tour”

Peter briefing tour participants upon arrival at Mondsee

Located at the northern banks of Mondsee Lake (one of Austria’s last privately owned lakes), it is named for the lake’s crescent-moon shape. One of the biggest (and the warmest) of the Salzkammergut 76 lakes, Mondsee lake is 11 kms. (6.75 miles) long and 2 kms. (1.25 miles) at its widest.

Cheska at the town square

At the town, our Panorama Tours guide Peter allotted us time to avail of lunch as well as explore the lemon-and-white, twin-spired Minor Basilica of St. Michael the Archangel, the cloister collegiate church of the historic medieval Mondsee Abbey (founded in 748).

The author (left) with the Minor Basilica of St. Michael the Archangel in the background

The interior of the church hosted the wedding of Maria (played by Julie Andrews) and Captain von Trapp (played by Christopher Plummer) in the famous 1965 Austrian-set musical film The Sound of Music.

Grace and Kyle at a fountain beside the church

It has made the town the go-to wedding destination of the region, with 400 weddings taking place throughout the year.

Check out “Minor Basilica of St. Michael the Archangel”

Colorful townhouses

Apart from its connection with the movie, charming Mondsee is a riot of gaily painted townhouses, mostly restaurants and stores selling handcrafted wares, bordering its main square and along its streets.

The Rathaus (town hall)

Right outside the church is the city tram stop where trams bring visitors to the lakeside promenade which is lined with several highly rated and elegant restaurants and cafés serving traditional Austrian fare (such as local apple strudel and freshly baked rye bread from a traditional mill) as well as modern cuisine.

Drachenwand (Dragon Wall) MountainA stunning backdrop is formed by the craggy rock face of the impressive Drachenwand (Dragonwall) at the southern shore of the lake.

Schlossbräu Mondsee,

Mondsee is also home to a series of Neolithic pile-dwelling (or stilt house) settlements discovered in 1864 in the lake.  Dating back 5,000 years, they are that are part of the Prehistoric Pile dwellings around the Alps UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Kyle and Jandy

In the warmer months, Mondsee offers stunning scenery and, in December, charming Weihnachts (Christmas) festivities.

Mondsee Tourist Information Office

The town is a 28-km. (21 min.), drive, via the A1, from Salzburg and thanks to its proximity to the city, Mondsee is frequented by visitors every weekend.

Mondsee Town Square

Mondsee Tourist Information Office: Dr.Franz-Müller-Straße 3, 5310 Mondsee, Austria. Tel: +43 6232 2270. Website: salzkammergut.at.