St. Peter's Abbey and Cemetery, Salzburg (must see)

Saint Peter's Abbey (Stift Sankt Peter) is a Benedictine monastery and former cathedral. Considered one of the oldest monasteries in the German-speaking world, the abbey was founded in 696 by Saint Rupert. Despite challenges during the Nazi regime in 1938, the abbey maintained operation and remains active to this very day.

A marvelous steeple crowned with an onion dome gives an admirable facade to the Abbey Church. Since its dedication in 1147, this Romanesque church underwent multiple renovations, acquiring its Rococo style in 1782. The church houses significant graves, including that of Martin Luther's superior.

Saint Peter's Abbey is home to Austria's oldest library, comprising nearly 100,000 volumes. The Rococo-style library is particularly noted for its extensive collection of manuscripts, incunabula, and local history volumes, along with special collections of graphics and maps. It also contains a notable collection of music manuscripts from composers like Mozart and Haydn. Additionally, the abbey houses diverse collections of paintings and other artifacts, although some are not accessible to the public. Access to the library requires a special permit.

During his early years in Salzburg, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart composed the Dominikus Mass for Saint Peter's Abbot Dominikus Hagenauer, in 1769. Hagenauer wrote in his diary: "Music for the Mass composed by Wolfgang Mozart, 14 years of age, was in every one's opinion most elegant. Wolfgang Mozart played on the great organ for half an hour to the astonishment of all." The composer returned to Saint Peter's in 1783 to conduct his "Mass in C minor," which is now performed at the Salzburg Festival each summer.

The abbey complex also contains a very old (established circa 700 AD) cemetery. The oldest graves in Saint Peter's Cemetery (Petersfriedhof) date back to the late 13th century. Distinguished individuals including Mozart's sister Nannerl (an accomplished musician in her own right), Joseph Haydn's brother Michael, and sculptor Josef Thorak are buried here.

The cemetery grounds are also known for the catacombs carved into rocks, which served as early Christian assembly places and hermitages. Wonderful to visit, they are filled with early altars, faded murals, and inscriptions.

In "The Sound of Music" movie, the Von Trapp family goes into hiding from the Nazis at a local cemetery. The actual scene was filmed on a Hollywood set meticulously recreating the setting inspired by Saint Peter's cemetery.

Why You Should Visit:
Everything here is free to visit except for the catacombs which cost a modest fee.