Salzburg cathedral is a Baroque style Roman Catholic church, and it also known for being Mozart’s place of baptism.
The cathedral was completed in 1628 from plans by Italian architect Santino Solari, who in turn used earlier, unused plans by Vincenzo Scamozzi as an inspiration for the church.
When it was completed, the cathedral was the most significant church north of Alps, and had an effect on architecture, not only in Austria, but throughout the region, including Southern Germany.
PHOTO: Cathedral of Salzburg, as seen from Domplatz.
PHOTO: A view into the cathedral buildings from the nearby Hohensalzburg fortress, located on top of Festungsberg.
PHOTO: The monument within Domplatz is “Maria Immaculata”, portraying the miracle of virgin birth. Statues surrounding the Virgin Mary sculpture are allegorical to: Angel, Devil, Truth (Wisdom), and Church. A placate within the cathedral wall tells of the symbolism’s significance: the mystery of the virgin birth was so great that it caused the joy of the angels, the envy of the devil, the losing of comprehension for the people, and the victory of the church.
PHOTO: In the monument, Virgin Mary is standing on top of a marble-earth, which carries an inscription: “In Conceptione Immaculata Permansisti et Nobis Christum Peperisti“, in English “In a State of Purity You Have Given Us the Birth of Christ.”
Construction of the building was partly done using foundations from an old basilica that used to be at the location.
You can see part of those foundations at Domgrabungen, excavations under the cathedral, where the other highlights include mosaics and other objects from a period when the location had a forum (as part of ancient Roman city of Juvanum).
Highlight of the Domplatz, square in front of building, is the “Maria Immaculata” monument, done with inspiration taken from similar monuments in Vienna and Munich.
The commission to build Maria Immaculata was given by Archbishop Sigismund Graf Schrattenbach, and it was made by brothers Wolfgang and Johann Baptist Hagenauer, mixing marble and cast iron to complete the monument.
An interesting detail between the Maria Immaculata monument and the Salzburg cathedral is that when looking directly in front of the monument (from a correct angle) towards the cathedral, the Virgin Mary statue seems to be part of the cathedral’s (angel) artwork, with the golden crown on the church facade setting on Virgin Mary’s head.
The closed form of Domplatz has made it a popular event venue, with, for example, Hugo von Hofmannsthal’s famous “Jedermann” play being performed here during the Salzburg festival season.
Nearby the cathedral, you can find several of the most important attractions in Salzburg, including the historical residence for the Salzburg archbishops (Alte Residenz palace), Festung Hohensalzburg fortress, andGetreidegasse shopping street.