St. Peter's Abbey, Church, Cemetery and Catacombs in Salzburg, Austria

St. Peter's Abbey, Church, Cemetery and Catacombs in Salzburg, Austria

Hello travelers

Dear friends if in the last blog I shared with you the fortress Hohensalzburg (if you want to see it you can do it here), in today's blog we are not going too far away and we are going to visit some absolutely spectacular places.

I love this city so much that right now I would pack my bags and visit it again, I know, we visited it at the beginning of August 2023, and yes, it was in the peak tourist season, this aspect attracts the crowds, but with patience you can overcome that, we didn't mind that we were visiting a sight with half of the world, hehe.

The first objective with which I start is St. Peter's Abbey (Erzabtei / Stift St. Peter), I didn't have access to the inside but only a look from the outside, but even so the place gave me an amazing energy, the same thing I felt when I visited the cemetery.

As the oldest monastery in the German-speaking world, the Archdiocese of St. Peter's can look back on an unbroken continuity in the heart of Salzburg's Old Town. Monks have lived, prayed and worked here since 696.

We go further inside the church to admire the beauty that has been here for a very long time.

The present collegiate church was built in the 12th century. Built in and throughout the century, it is now redesigned and combines elements of Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Rococo. Particularly worth seeing are the historic organ and the various chapels. St. Peter's Museum and the Lange Gallery are accessible via DomQuartier.

Look we are just at the beginning of our visit here and already my mind is going crazy, there are so many places loaded with spectacular history, there is so much information and I am a history devourer, as you already know I love these places where history is still alive, it is right in front of our eyes, we just have to open our eyes and our minds and savor it.

Our visit here continues with the cemetery (Petersfriedhof) here, I know some people may consider that a cemetery is not a place to visit, but I come here with arguments and write that a cemetery can always become a very visited place.

Peters Cemetery was created in late antiquity and is thus older than the Arhabbey itself. The many monuments and tombs around the late Gothic Margarethenkapelle in the center of the complex make the Peters Cemetery so impressive. Famous personalities, artists, scholars and merchants have found their resting place here.

Let's take a few more steps through the cemetery and see the Margarethenkapelle.

In the middle of the Peters cemetery stands the Margaretenkapelle. This small church is a uniform Gothic building.
Archaeological excavations in the church found the pre-Roman remains of the old Capele Amandus, which had been built by St. Rupert. Renovated under Archbishop Arno, it was restored after a fire in 1127.
In the years 1485 - 1491, the old church, which had become dilapidated, was built in honor of Saint Margaret.
In the 18th century, the chapel was decorated with a high baroque altar by Pietro Antonio Lorenzoni, which today is located in the Long Gallery of St. Margaret's. Under the artistic direction of Georg Petzolt, the Fanfare of St. Margaret was established in the 19th century. Early 20th century.

I forgot to write here that all the places I have shown you so far can be visited free of charge, and for the program of visits please consult the official website.

I left for last the part that I like the most, the catacombs, if you can visit the rest of the sights for free here you have to pay a fee of 2euro/person.

Constructed during the 1100s, the catacombs were impressively carved into the Mönchsberg mountain. In antiquity, the caves were seen as a mystical site that served as a sacred burial location and a place reserved for Christian hermitage.
The monastic brotherhood established when St Peter's Church was founded in the 7th century is still active, making it the oldest monastic order in the German-speaking world. The catacombs are also among the oldest in Austria and are well maintained, containing the preserved remains of altars, relics, tombs, inscriptions, and faded murals that all date back to antiquity.
Additionally, the catacombs are of great cultural significance. Both Michael Haydn and Mozart's sister, Nannerl are buried near the entrance of the catacombs. The catacombs and cemetery were also featured in the 1965 film, The Sound of Music. At one point in the film, the Trapp family flees from National Socialists through St. Peter's Cemetery, and ultimately take refuge in the catacombs before escaping to Switzerland.
Currently, there are two levels of catacombs open to the public. The first, “Gertrauden Chapel,” dates back to 1178 and the second, the “Maximus Chapel," lies nearly 40 steps higher and is arguably much older. The windows and balcony from the catacombs provide a breathtaking view of the city and offer an experience that can't be missed.

My dear visitors, today's blog has come to the end point, I am still very happy to have passed through these special places again.