Salzburg Cathedral is located in the very centre of the city. Its modern building was built in the early 16th century and is a masterpiece of Baroque architecture.
The first religious building on this site dates back to the 8th century and was built by St Virgil, one of the first bishops of Salzburg. The church is now consecrated in honour of both patrons of Austria - Virgil, who died in 784, and Rupert, who died more than half a century earlier.
Salzburg's first cathedral was burnt down in 1167 by order of Emperor Frederick Barbarossa. Subsequently, the church was burnt several times in numerous fires, so in 1598 the archbishop ordered to destroy all the damaged buildings near the old cathedral and to build a new church designed by architect Santino Solari. The construction began only in 1614, and the solemn lighting took place 14 years later - in 1628. It is believed that it was the most sumptuous celebration in the history of the whole of Salzburg.
The cathedral had several more fire outbreaks, but did not lead to large-scale destruction. However, during the bombardment of the city during World War II, the dome of the building collapsed, the rebuilding of which took 15 years.
Now the Salzburg Cathedral is a masterpiece of Baroque architecture. The portal of the church is decorated with figures of the two patrons of the city, St Virgil and St Rupert, as well as figures of the two apostles, Peter and Paul. Two 81-metre high towers frame the facade of the cathedral with three bronze doors. The dome sits slightly lower than the towers - it is only 79 metres high.
The interior of the cathedral is amazing with its luxurious decorations, as well as its length. In total, the temple can accommodate about 10,000 people. There are 11 altars and 5 organs in the cathedral. Among the details of the interior is especially worth noting two ancient bells cast in 1628, as well as a bronze font of the XIV century, in which the little Mozart was baptised.
