Salzburg Cathedral (Dom) dominates the centre of the old town and is the third to stand on the site. The first cathedral was in 774 and expanded in the 11th and 12th centuries. It was destroyed in a fire in 1167.
Archbishop Konrad III then built a huge Romanesque basilica with 5 towers. After a fire it too was demolished in 1598. The cornerstone of the current cathedral was laid in 1614 and consecrated by Archbishop Paris Lodron in 1628. Prince-Archbishop Wolf Diettrich added the two towers you see today when he created Residenzplatz.
The foundations of the preceding church can be seen in the excavation site underneath the Cathedral. This also features Roman mosaics and other artifacts. Inside the Dom is the 14th Century Gothic baptisimal font in which Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was baptised.
Unfortunately an allied bomb hit the Cathedral in World War II destroying the central dome. You can see pictures of the damage inside. It was restored in 1959.
Outside of the Dom are four large sculpted figures. St Rupert, who is holding a salt barrel. St Virgilius holding a church. St Peter holding keys and St Paul holding a sword. These all date from the 1690’s.
The baroque façade of Salzburg Cathedral faces Domplatz, an enclosed square that contains the impressive column of Maria Immaculata. Built between 1766 and 1771 and constructed of marble and cast iron. If you stand at the back of Domplaz in the arches facing the Dom, you can position yourself so that the central figure on the column appears to be wearing the crown mounted on the wall of the Dom.
Cost: Free.
