St. Peter's Abbey and Cemetery, Salzburg (must see)
Saint Peter's Abbey (Stift Sankt Peter) is a Benedictine monastery and former cathedral. Considered one of the oldest monasteries in the German-speaking world, the abbey was founded in 696 by Saint Rupert. Despite challenges during the Nazi regime in 1938, the abbey maintained operation and remains active to this very day.
A marvelous steeple crowned with an onion dome gives an admirable facade to the Abbey Church. Since its dedication in 1147, this Romanesque church underwent multiple renovations, acquiring its Rococo style in 1782. The church houses significant graves, including that of Martin Luther's superior.
Saint Peter's Abbey is home to Austria's oldest library, comprising nearly 100,000 volumes. The Rococo-style library is particularly noted for its extensive collection of manuscripts, incunabula, and local history volumes, along with special collections of graphics and maps. It also contains a notable collection of music manuscripts from composers like Mozart and Haydn. Additionally, the abbey houses diverse collections of paintings and other artifacts, although some are not accessible to the public. Access to the library requires a special permit.
During his early years in Salzburg, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart composed the Dominikus Mass for Saint Peter's Abbot Dominikus Hagenauer, in 1769. Hagenauer wrote in his diary: "Music for the Mass composed by Wolfgang Mozart, 14 years of age, was in every one's opinion most elegant. Wolfgang Mozart played on the great organ for half an hour to the astonishment of all." The composer returned to Saint Peter's in 1783 to conduct his "Mass in C minor," which is now performed at the Salzburg Festival each summer.
The abbey complex also contains a very old (established circa 700 AD) cemetery. The oldest graves in Saint Peter's Cemetery (Petersfriedhof) date back to the late 13th century. Distinguished individuals including Mozart's sister Nannerl (an accomplished musician in her own right), Joseph Haydn's brother Michael, and sculptor Josef Thorak are buried here.
The cemetery grounds are also known for the catacombs carved into rocks, which served as early Christian assembly places and hermitages. Wonderful to visit, they are filled with early altars, faded murals, and inscriptions.
In "The Sound of Music" movie, the Von Trapp family goes into hiding from the Nazis at a local cemetery. The actual scene was filmed on a Hollywood set meticulously recreating the setting inspired by Saint Peter's cemetery.
Why You Should Visit:
Everything here is free to visit except for the catacombs which cost a modest fee.
A marvelous steeple crowned with an onion dome gives an admirable facade to the Abbey Church. Since its dedication in 1147, this Romanesque church underwent multiple renovations, acquiring its Rococo style in 1782. The church houses significant graves, including that of Martin Luther's superior.
Saint Peter's Abbey is home to Austria's oldest library, comprising nearly 100,000 volumes. The Rococo-style library is particularly noted for its extensive collection of manuscripts, incunabula, and local history volumes, along with special collections of graphics and maps. It also contains a notable collection of music manuscripts from composers like Mozart and Haydn. Additionally, the abbey houses diverse collections of paintings and other artifacts, although some are not accessible to the public. Access to the library requires a special permit.
During his early years in Salzburg, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart composed the Dominikus Mass for Saint Peter's Abbot Dominikus Hagenauer, in 1769. Hagenauer wrote in his diary: "Music for the Mass composed by Wolfgang Mozart, 14 years of age, was in every one's opinion most elegant. Wolfgang Mozart played on the great organ for half an hour to the astonishment of all." The composer returned to Saint Peter's in 1783 to conduct his "Mass in C minor," which is now performed at the Salzburg Festival each summer.
The abbey complex also contains a very old (established circa 700 AD) cemetery. The oldest graves in Saint Peter's Cemetery (Petersfriedhof) date back to the late 13th century. Distinguished individuals including Mozart's sister Nannerl (an accomplished musician in her own right), Joseph Haydn's brother Michael, and sculptor Josef Thorak are buried here.
The cemetery grounds are also known for the catacombs carved into rocks, which served as early Christian assembly places and hermitages. Wonderful to visit, they are filled with early altars, faded murals, and inscriptions.
In "The Sound of Music" movie, the Von Trapp family goes into hiding from the Nazis at a local cemetery. The actual scene was filmed on a Hollywood set meticulously recreating the setting inspired by Saint Peter's cemetery.
Why You Should Visit:
Everything here is free to visit except for the catacombs which cost a modest fee.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Salzburg. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "51爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
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St. Peter's Abbey and Cemetery on Map
Sight Name: St. Peter's Abbey and Cemetery
Sight Location: Salzburg, Austria (See walking tours in Salzburg)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Salzburg, Austria (See walking tours in Salzburg)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Salzburg, Austria
Create Your Own Walk in Salzburg
Creating your own self-guided walk in Salzburg is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Old Town Gift Shops
Specialty shops make up an integral part of tourist life in Salzburg. The picturesque Old Town of Salzburg boasts a delightful array of gift shops, all within a pleasant walking distance, offering a diverse range of souvenirs and local treasures. Let's take a stroll through some of the notable establishments in this historic area.
We start at Kirchtag, a quaint gift shop known for its... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 0.9 Km or 0.6 Miles
We start at Kirchtag, a quaint gift shop known for its... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 0.9 Km or 0.6 Miles
Historical Religious Buildings Walking Tour
The historic center of Salzburg, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996, is home to numerous landmarks, including religious sites. Collectively, these historical sanctuaries, from small churches to the impressive Baroque-style Salzburg Cathedral, bear witness to the city's fascinating past and contribute a great deal of charm to its alluring present.
The local Saint Peter's Abbey is... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.4 Km or 0.9 Miles
The local Saint Peter's Abbey is... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.4 Km or 0.9 Miles
Sound of Music Tour
As the hometown of Mozart, Salzburg is a true mecca for music fans, with no shortage of visitors. In the past few decades, though, Salzburg's Old Town has gained international fame thanks to the Hollywood film "The Sound of Music," shot in 1965. Set on the eve of World War II, the movie follows the lead characters, the Von Trapp family and their nanny played by Julie Andrews, all... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.2 Km or 2.6 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.2 Km or 2.6 Miles
Salzburg Introduction Walking Tour
Dubbed the "City of Mozart", the enchanting Austrian city of Salzburg has gone down in history primarily as the hometown of its greatest son, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. His birthplace on a busy shopping street called Grain Lane (Getreidegasse) is now a museum. Also popular is the Mozart Residence, a place where the 18th-century composer spent much of his early life.
Apart from Mozart,... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.8 Km or 1.7 Miles
Apart from Mozart,... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.8 Km or 1.7 Miles
Mozart Walking Tour
Salzburg was Mozart's home throughout most of his short life. For those who wish to immerse themselves in the Mozart world, there are several locations in the city well worth exploring.
Born on Grain Street (Getreidegasse) and baptized in the nearby Cathedral, Mozart played his first big concert, at age 6, at the Residence Palace.
Later, he served as an organist for the Cathedral,... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.4 Km or 1.5 Miles
Born on Grain Street (Getreidegasse) and baptized in the nearby Cathedral, Mozart played his first big concert, at age 6, at the Residence Palace.
Later, he served as an organist for the Cathedral,... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.4 Km or 1.5 Miles