Salzburg Cathedral

Of its numerous churches, the cathedral is Salzburg's most important sacred building. With its mighty dome and two towers, it leaves its own distinctive, and absolutely impressive stamp on the city skyline. A closer look at the cathedral reveals many surprising and exciting details.

Experience the Cathedral

The Cathedral is the heart of Salzburg. There is much to discover here: the baptismal font, the crypt, the art installation "Vanitas" or the reliquary shrine containing the bones of Saints Rupert and Virgil. Many stories also lie behind the seven bells and the three entrance doors. And those who look closely will see 370-year-old scribbles in the marble at the entrance.

Experience the Cathedral. And preserve it.

There is a preservation fee of € 5.00 per person for visiting the Salzburg Cathedral (children and youth up to 18 years free). This contribution ensures the maintenance and care of the magnificent building, which can be experienced in many ways through the wide offerings: audio guides and daily cathedral tours open up new perspectives, and at "Music at Noon", the world-famous organs, on which Mozart also played, resonate.

The opulent Cathedral architecture

The Salzburg Cathedral is an impressive monumental building of early Baroque style. Visitors are welcomed by the magnificent main facade made of Untersberg marble. Four monumental statues gaze down from it: the apostles Peter and Paul with keys and sword, as well as the two patron saints Rupert and Virgil with a barrel of salt and a model of the church. The two coat of arms on the gable refer to the two builders of the cathedral, Markus Sittikus and Paris Lodron. The Cathedral Square with the Marian column forms the atrium – and every year serves as the backdrop for the Jedermann of the Salzburg Festival and the popular Christmas market.

The treasures of the Salzburg Cathedral

Among the treasures of the Cathedral is the bronze baptismal font (1311) with the lions (1200), in which Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Joseph Mohr, the lyricist of the song "Silent Night, Holy Night", were baptized. The magnificent main organ, the cathedral doors by Schneider-Manzell, Mataré and Manzú, as well as seven bells are also part of the installation. The three doors represent faith, love, and hope, with the middle door of love being slightly larger. The seven bells also have names, from Salvator the largest to Barbara, the smallest. In the Cathedral Museum, you can view more art treasures from 1300 years of church history.

The Salzburg Cathedral and its rulers

The history of the Salzburg Cathedral is closely intertwined with that of the Salzburg rulers and the ecclesiastical principality. The Cathedral was destroyed and rebuilt several times due to fire. The three consecrations of the Cathedral – 774, 1628, and 1959 – are commemorated by the years on the gate grills.

The medieval predecessors

The first cathedral building was erected in 767 under Bishop Virgil and was consecrated in 774 to Saints Peter and Rupert. After a fire in 1167, Archbishop Konrad III rebuilt the Cathedral even more magnificently ten years later: as the most powerful Romanesque minster north of the Alps. Remnants of these two predecessors can still be seen today in the crypt.

The early Baroque new construction

A subsequent fire destroyed large parts of the Cathedral in 1598. Archbishop Wolf Dietrich proceeded rather ruthlessly during the reconstruction. Only after his capture and death could his successor Markus Sittikus complete the project. He commissioned the master builder Santino Solari to erect the first early Baroque church building north of the Alps. The new Cathedral was consecrated in 1628 by Archbishop Paris Lodron. In 1944, an air raid bomb damaged the dome and parts of the altar area. In 1959, the Salzburg Cathedral was finally consecrated in its former glory and now offers space for about 900 people.

Opening times

Cathedral:
January, February: Monday-Saturday 8 AM - 5 PM, Sundays and holidays 1 PM - 5 PM
March-July: Monday-Saturday 8 AM - 6 PM, Sundays and holidays 1 PM - 6 PM
August: Monday-Saturday 8 AM - 7 PM, Sundays and holidays 1 PM - 7 PM
Festival season: altered opening hours on days of the "Jedermann" rehearsal/performance in dry weather!
September-October: Monday-Saturday 8 AM - 6 PM, Sundays and holidays 1 PM - 6 PM
November: Monday-Saturday 8 AM - 5 PM, Sundays and holidays 1 PM - 5 PM
December: Monday-Saturday 8 AM - 6 PM, Sundays and holidays 1 PM - 6 PM

During services and midday music, there are no visiting opportunities.
Due to the rehearsals and performances of “Jedermann” in the Cathedral Square, there may be altered closing times on certain days in July and August.

Special opening hours

December 8, 2025: open 1 PM - 6 PM, with maintenance contribution, no midday music, 2 PM Cathedral tour
December 24, 2025: open 8 AM - 4 PM, all day no maintenance contribution, no midday music, no Cathedral tour
December 25, 2025: open 1 PM - 6 PM, no maintenance contribution, no midday music, no Cathedral tour
December 26, 2025: open 1 PM - 6 PM, with maintenance contribution, no midday music, no Cathedral tour
December 31, 2025: open 9 AM - 5 PM , with maintenance contribution, no midday music, 2 PM Cathedral tour
January 1, 2026: open 1 PM - 6 PM, with maintenance contribution, no midday music, 2 PM Cathedral tour
January 6, 2026: open 1 PM - 5 PM, maintenance contribution from 1 PM, no midday music, 2 PM Cathedral tour

Cathedral Crypt:
Monday-Saturday 10 AM - 5 PM, Sundays and church holidays 1 PM - 5 PM

Cathedral Tour:
“The Salzburg Cathedral - Daily Tour”
Daily at 2 PM, in German
Meeting point: Cathedral vestibule
Duration: approx. 40 minutes, max. 25 people

Thematic Tours:
Year-round: by arrangement at andrea.feuerstein@eds.at

Midday Music:
“Extraordinary sound experience on the unique organ landscape of the Salzburg Cathedral”
Daily, except Sundays and holidays
Duration: approx. 30 minutes (12-12:30 PM)

(Status: 11/2025)

Prices

Preservation fee adults € 5.00
Children and youths up to 18 years free
Audio guide (also for children) € 3.00 (plus preservation fee)
SalzburgCard: reduced preservation fee € 3.50

Cathedral Tours:
Adults € 9.00
Children and youths up to 18 years free

Cathedral tour by individual arrangement:
Cost per tour (45 minutes) min. € 100.00 (1-8 participants) or € 12.00 per person (from 9 participants)
by individual arrangement at andrea.feuerstein@eds.at

Tickets available at the cash desks in the cathedral forecourt and through the webshop

Music at noon:
Adults € 9.00
Children and youths up to 18 years free
Tickets available at the cash desks in the cathedral forecourt or through the webshop

(Status: 11/2025)

Accessibility

Salzburg Cathedral provides barrier-free access, with the exception of the Cathedral Crypt. An induction loop is available for visitors with hearing impairments.