The Dom and Beyond
The Dom zu Salzburg or Salzburg Cathedral counts among one of the most important buildings in Salzburg. Located in the Altstadt it is considered a treasure in the german-speaking world. The original cathedral was first consecrated in 744 A.D. by The Abbott and Bishop Virgil who later became St. Virgil. The wrought iron gates at the entrance of the Cathedral contain the dates 744, 1628 and 1959. The original cathedral was demolished after a fire and was rebuilt in 1628. Following bombing by the Allies on October 16, 1944, the Cathedral dome was destroyed and again the cathedral was rededicated on May 1, 1959.
The Domplatz, the courtyard of the Cathedral, has been the annual stage setting for the traditional performance of "Everyman" since 1920. The statues on the facade of the cathedral unites the international and the local church: Peter and Paul with the Salzburg patrons St. Rupert and Virgil. Above them the Four Evangelists, on the pediment Christ flanked by Moses and Elijah. A statue of the Virgin Mary, commissioned by Archbishop Sigismund Graf Schrattenbach and sculpted by Wolfgang and Johann Baptist Hagenauer from 1766 to 1771, is located in the center of the square. The photo on this page displays the Dom's facade and statues.
Churches of The Old City
The large white church in the foreground is the College Church of the University of Sazburg. To the right is the Franziskirche (Franciscan Church) dedicated in 1221. On the far right is Stiftkirche St. Peter built in a Romanesque style dating from 1147. Beyond in the middle is the Dom and the white spire with the red cupola is the Stift Nonnberg, a benedictine convent founded in the 8th century by the first bishop of Salzburg, St. Rupert. Throughout the old city are many other churches. The workmanship is phenomenal. After the Dom was bombed in World War II, the workman were unable to replicate the original dome. The current dome is not perfectly centered, a back-handed tribute to the craftmanship of the orignial builders! Stiftskirche St. Peter was built adjacent to catacombs of early christians dating from the 3rd Century. The cemetery and catacombs of Stiftskirche St. Peter can still be toured today.
