Kapitelplatz (Chapter Square), Salzburg

Kapitelplatz (Chapter Square), Salzburg

Chapter Square (Kapitelplatz), in the heart of Salzburg’s Old Town, is a spacious, diamond-shaped square surrounded by historical buildings. Bordering it on the north side is the Salzburg Cathedral. The Cathedral Provost's Office and the Archbishop's Palace are on the east side, while to its west are the novice's wing of Saint Peter's Monastery and the Cathedral Chapter's mills. The religious sites around the square serve as reminders of the powerful archdiocese that once ruled the city.

The square and the adjacent Chapter Lane (Kapitelgasse) are named after the Salzburg cathedral chapter, a set of canons that regulated worship services at the cathedral and in the city of Salzburg.

The Waldstein Canon House at Number 2, first mentioned in 1547, has served various purposes through the centuries, from housing the cathedral chapter's administration to serving as military and tax offices. It is now used by the Archdiocese of Salzburg. Nearby, the Number 4 Chapter House was rebuilt in its present form after a catastrophic fire in 1598. Today, this building houses the University of Salzburg’s rectorate and administrative offices.

The Salm-Firmian Canonical House at Numbers 5-7, initially designed as a hospital and later transformed into canon housing, is now a part of the university, hosting law libraries. Also noteworthy is the Cathedral Deanery at Number 6.

Significant too is the Cardinal Schwarzenberg House, which has transitioned from a granary to a "storehouse of knowledge," presently housing the cathedral archive and music rooms.

Aside from the beautiful view of High Salzburg Fortress (perfect for taking pictures), three things stand out on the square itself. These include the giant chessboard that often draws a crowd; the playful modern sculpture of the 'emotionless man' on the golden ball (called 'Sphaera') installed in 2007; and a spectacular Neptune's Fountain, built in 1732 on the site of one of the old horse ponds. Forming part of the so-called Chapter Flood (Kapitelschwemme) ensemble, the fountain shows the God of the Sea holding a trident and crown while being mounted on a seahorse spurting water. It looks a bit like a mini-version of the Fontana di Trevi in Rome, which is probably why many tourists throw coins into the shallow well.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Salzburg. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: 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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Kapitelplatz (Chapter Square) on Map

Sight Name: Kapitelplatz (Chapter Square)
Sight Location: Salzburg, Austria (See walking tours in Salzburg)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Salzburg, Austria

Create Your Own Walk in Salzburg

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.
Historical Religious Buildings Walking Tour

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
Salzburg Introduction Walking Tour

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
Old Town Gift Shops

Old Town Gift Shops

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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
Mozart Walking Tour

Mozart Walking Tour

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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
Sound of Music Tour

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