Overhead of the Dom (cathedral) from Festung Hohensalzburg (fortress).

Getty Images/Lonely Planet Images

Dom

Salzburg


Gracefully crowned by a bulbous copper dome and twin spires, the Dom stands out as a masterpiece of baroque art. Bronze portals symbolising faith, hope and charity lead into the cathedral. In the nave, both the intricate stucco and Arsenio Mascagni’s ceiling frescos recounting the Passion of Christ guide the eye to the polychrome dome.

Italian architect Santino Solari redesigned the cathedral during the Thirty Years’ War and it was consecrated in 1628. Its origins date to an earlier cathedral founded by Bishop Virgil in 767.

For more on the history, take one of the guided tours (though in German only), offered 2pm Monday to Friday in July and August.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Salzburg attractions

1. Sphaera

0.03 MILES

A real attention-grabber on Kapitelplatz, this gigantic golden globe by German artist Stephan Balkenhol is topped by a statue of a man.

2. Dommuseum

0.03 MILES

The Dommuseum is a treasure trove of sacred art. A visit whisks you past a cabinet of Renaissance curiosities crammed with crystals, coral and oddities…

3. Residenzplatz

0.04 MILES

With its horse-drawn carriages, palace and street entertainers, this stately baroque square is the Salzburg of a thousand postcards. Its centrepiece is…

4. Domgrabungsmuseum

0.04 MILES

Map out the city’s past with a look at the rocks in this subterranean archaeology museum beside the Dom. Particularly of interest are fragments of Roman…

5. Residenzbrunnen

0.04 MILES

The showpiece of baroque Residenzplatz is this enormous marble fountain ringed by four water-spouting horses and topped by Triton bearing a conch shell.

6. Residenz

0.05 MILES

The crowning glory of Salzburg's DomQuartier, the Residenz is where the prince-archbishops held court until Salzburg became part of the Habsburg Empire in…

7. Christmas Museum

0.07 MILES

If you wish it could be Christmas every day, swing on over to this museum. The private collection brings festive sparkle in the form of advent calendars,…

8. Salzburg Museum

0.07 MILES

Housed in the baroque Neue Residenz palace, this flagship museum takes you on a fascinating romp through Salzburg past and present. Ornate rooms showcase…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "austria/salzburg/attractions/dom/a/poi-sig/1113922/358606",
      "destination": "Salzburg",
      "continent": "Europe",
      "country": "Austria",
      "city": "Salzburg",
      "position": "superzone"
    }