The St. Sebastian’s Church is a 16th century catholic church in Salzburg. The attached cemetery is the final resting place of many well known merchants and scholars.
The St. Sebastian Church was built by the Austrian architect and stuccoist, Kassian Singer between 1749 and 1753. It had a baroque architectural style with some Rococo elements. The original church had beautiful ceiling frescoes and an altar painting by artist, Paul Troger. A fire destroyed the altar and frescoes in 1818. The church was later restored and a statue of St. Sebastian made by Konrad Asper between 1614 and 1620 was installed in the façade. Mass is celebrated entirely in Latin even today.
The St. Sebastian Cemetery was recreated for the escape scene in the Hollywood movie, ‘The Sound of music’. Prince- Archbishop Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau planned the cemetery to replace an older graveyard in 1600. The design was inspired by the Italian Campo Santo or sacred field. It had a central square surrounded by arcades. At the centre of the square is a brightly tiled mannerist mausoleum built for Archbishop Wolf Dietrich. His remains are interred in the mausoleum. At the entrance of the cemetery is the mausoleum of the scientist and scholar from Salzburg, Paracelsus. It is also the final resting place of Mozart’s father Leopold and his widow, Constanze.

The Holy Trinity Church is a baroque church in Salzburg with a design based on the Sant’ Agnese Church in the Piazza Navona in Rome. It consists of the main church, a seminary and a house for priests.
The Holy Trinity Church, the seminary and house for priests was commissioned by Archbishop Johann Ernst von Thun. It was designed by architect Fischer von Erlach and was built between 1694 and1702. The notable feature in the church is the dome fresco by artist Johann Michael Rottmayr depicting the crowning of Virgin Mary and the Holy Trinity. The design of the church is somber compared to the pomp and splendor of other churches commissioned in Salzburg at the time.
The Holy Trinity Church also houses a museum displaying church treasures and other objects relating to church history. There are liturgical vessels and clothes including a Eucharistic Dove and a jewel studded monstrance created by the court goldsmith, Ferdinand Sigmund Amende in 1697. There are paintings and sculpture from the 15th to the 18th century. Loan exhibits from the archdiocesan estate are also displayed including the St. Rupert’s Crucifix from the 8th century and a winged altar with relics called the Grillinger Altar made in 1443. The museum also holds temporary exhibitions on themes of art and church history every year.

The St. Blasius Church was the church of the Burgerspital or Civic Hospital in Salzburg. It is the first hall church in the city and the naves and aisles have the same height.
In 1327, Archbishop Frederick III established a civic hospital to give shelter and serve the sick and ailing. The townsfolk provided food for the patients. The site chosen was of an old 12th century chapel dedicated to St. Blasius, the patron saint of throat ailments. The present structure replaced the old church and was constructed between 1327 and 1350. The architect is unknown and the gothic structure is austere and unpretentious. The main altar has a classicist style with marble extensions and a crucifix group. Notable features in the interior are a giant rococo screen that separates the entrance, divided by slim octagonal columns and a wood carved gilded tabernacle located to the left of the main altar. The tabernacle dates back to 1460. It also has beautiful stained glass windows and a vaulted ceiling. In the 18th century, Prince Archbishop Colleredo had parts of the church removed and only five of the original nine altars remain today.
The St. Blasius church is the venue for lunch concerts of music written by Mozart and a buffet lunch is served for visitors.

The Collegiate Church was built as the place of worship for the adjacent Benedictine University. It is the finest example of Baroque architecture in Salzburg and became the model for other churches in Austria and Southern Germany.
Prince Archbishop Paris Londron established the Benedictine University in 1623 and made plans to build a church for the university. Renowned architect, Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach was commissioned to design the building and the result was one of his finest works. The church was constructed between 1694 and 1707. It was used as a hay store when Napoleon’s army invaded Salzburg and was disbanded in 1810 when the city came under Bavarian rule. During the Austro Hungarian rule, it was a secondary school and military church. It was the venue of the Great World Theater in 1922 and in 1964 it regained its original purpose after the University of Salzburg was reestablished.
The interior has a modified Greek cross plan with a convex façade. In 1740 a high altar created by Alton Pfaffinger was added with classical columns representing the seven pillars of wisdom. The altar paintings were by celebrated religious artist, Johann Michael Rottmayr. The chapels inside are dedicated to the patron saints of the four university disciplines, St. Thomas Aquinas of theology, St. Ivo of jurisprudence, St. Luke of medicine and St. Catherine of philosophy.

The Franciscan church is one of the oldest churches in Salzburg and served as a parish church as early as 774. It remains the most popular place of worship for the people of Salzburg till today.
The Franciscan Church was first established as a small church dedicated to the Virgin Mary. It was renovated by Bishop Virgil and in 1139 it became the main Parish Church of Salzburg. In 1167, the original building was burned along with five others in the city and only the nave survived. It was rebuilt in the 13th century and taken over by the Franciscan order.
The main gate was built in 1700 and has a carved hand in the position of taking an oath. The interiors have a gothic style with a main altar designed by architect, Fischer von Erbach in 1700. The choirs have many side chapels with distinct gothic styles. The paintings by artist Johann Michael Rottmayer depict the life of St. Francis and the statues of the angels are by sculptor, Ottavio Mosto. The church is connected to the Franciscan Abbey by an arched bridge over the road. The Romanesque side gate depicts Christ between St. Peter and St. Rupert. Visitors flock to listen to the sound of the church bells including the Marien bell that tolls at 3 pm, the time of the death of Christ and the Armeseelen bell.

The St. Peter Church forms part of the oldest functioning monastery in Austria It also houses the oldest library and the oldest restaurant in the country. The cemetery has the last remains of several well known citizens and a maze of catacombs built into a rock face.
The St. Peter Church was founded in 700 AD by the Franconian monk, St. Rupert and has continually functioned as the place of worship of a monastery since it was established. The monks were expelled during the second World War but returned after the end of the war. The present church was built between 1125 and 1143 and has undergone several additions and restorations since. The main organ dates back to 1444 and there is an ornate gothic cross ribbed vault in the atrium. The onion domed tower was built in 1756 and the interior of the church has several magnificent rococo altars.
The St. Peters Cemetery is the last resting place of well known citizens of Salzburg including the architect Santino Solari who designed the cathedral, Mozart’s sister Nannerl, an accomplished musician in her own right and Joseph Haydn’s brother Michael. The cemetery is surrounded by wrought iron fences and there are early Christian catacombs built into the surrounding rock face. A steep stone stairway leads to the catacombs. They are filled with early altars, faded murals and inscriptions.

The Salzburg Cathedral is the most significant church in Salzburg. It is a magnificent baroque structure built in the 17th century.
The site of the Salzburg cathedral once had a Celtic settlement and a portion of the ruins of the Roman City of Juvavum. The first cathedral was built by St. Virgil and improvements were made by St. Rupert between 767 and 774. It served as a place of worship for over 60 years before it was burned in a lighting storm in 842. Archbishop Wolf Dietrich von Raitenhau decided to build a new cathedral in 1612 but the project was delayed by the conflicts with Bavaria. His successor, Prince- Archbishop Markus Sittikus commissioned the architect, Santino Solari to design and build the present baroque church in 1614. The cathedral was consecrated in 1628. In 1944, a World War II bomb damaged the building and it was restored to its former glory in 1959.
Excavations under the present cathedral have unearthed mosaics and artifacts from the Roman city of Juvavum. Notable features in the present structure are a 14th century gothic baptismal font from the earlier cathedral where Mozart was baptized, a majestic main organ with sculptures of angels playing instruments and statues of St. Rupert and St. Virgil. The cathedral also has magnificent portals created by the sculptors, Schneider-Manzel, Matare and Manzu.

The St. Michael’s Church is a small pink church located between Residenzplatz and Waggplatz in Salzburg. It is the oldest parish church of the city.
Records show that the St. Michaels Church existed back in the year 800. At the time, it was the principal place of worship for all sections of society. The St. Peters monastery maintained the church and it suffered damage and was rebuilt after the fires that ravaged the city in 823 and 1167. It remained the main parish church and palace chapel until 1223 when it was replaced by the Franciscan Church. Although it lost its position as parish church and its former significance, St. Michaels church remains a functioning house of worship till today.
The St. Michael’s Church has a rococo architectural design. It has two floors. The upper floor was reserved for the emperor and other high officials with easy access from the palace while the lower floor was accessible from the market square for the lower classes. The structure was remodeled between 1767 and 1776 with the addition of a baroque onion dome and an ornamental screen by Philpp Hinterseer. The main altar has a beautiful painting of St. Michael killing Lucifer and the side altars have paintings of the two archangels, Gabriel and Raphael.

The Stift Nonnberg Nunnery is the oldest functioning convent in the world. The church of the convent, the Maria Himmelfahrt is the second oldest church dedicated to the Virgin Mary in Salzburg.
The Stifit Nonnberg Nunnery was established between 713 and 715 by St. Rupert. He placed it under the control of his sister St. Erentrudis who became the first Abbess. The complex that makes up the Stift Nonnberg Nunnery includes the Maria Himmelfahrt church, the cloisters, a hall with pillars, the convent, the kitchen court, the dining hall, the St. John’s Chapel, the Pieta Chapel and other small buildings.
The Maria Himmelfahrt church was built in 1463. It is a simple gothic structure with a baroque principal altar and side altars dating back to 1515. The principal altar depicts the Virgin Mary between St. Rupert and St. Virgil. At the back of the church are Roman frescoes painted around 1140. The Romanesque West Tower was constructed in the 12th century and was remodeled in baroque style during the 19th century. It contains a crypt containing the tomb of the first abbess St. Erentrudis. The St. John’s Chapel has a magnificent winged gothic altar donated by the Prince Archbishop Wolf Dietrich. The convent also houses a museum that is open occasionally to scholars and researchers. Maria von Trapp, the author of the book, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers that later became the well known Hollywood movie, The Sound of Music was a novice at the nunnery.