DOM QUARTIER – SALZBURG
Palace and Cathedral Jewel of the Baroque City
I recently had the privilege of being one of the first international journalists to visit the newly opened Dom Quartier in Salzburg (opened May 17, 2014). Some of the sights here had been open for visitors previously, but the whole circuit of the joined palace and cathedral of the former powerful prince-archbishops of Salzburg are now joined into one connected tour, making it possible to roam from section to section of the halls and cathedral spaces once only the province of ecclesiastical royalty. The doors and hallways between the individual Baroque buildings have been opened for the first time in more than 200 years, allowing for a full circle fascinating visit with a single ticket entrance.
The Prince-Archbishop Residence
The Cathedral of St Peter and the Prince-Archbishops Residence Palace are the historic heart of Salzburg, once the center of wealth and power in this city state of central Austria. The height of that power and architecture design came together under the Prince Archbishop Guidobald Graf von Thun, who only held the ruling office for 14 years from 1654 to 1668, but was responsible for the construction of the Residence, the Cathedral Square and Cathedral Arches and what has come to be called the Long Gallery in high Italian influenced Baroque style, forming the collection of buildings as they now stand, with 134 doors opening through almost 2,000 exhibits covering 1,300 years of cultural history and religious art.
After the dissolving of the Prince-Archbishops’ rule of Salzburg in forming of a modern Austria in 1803, the connecting units of the Cathedral and the Palace were closed and lost to time, until now. With the re-opening, this exceptional architectural ensemble magnificently represents the joining of secular and ecclesiastical power of the prince archbishops, who ruled since the Middle Ages as princes over political matters, and archbishops over the Church, and for over 400 years shaped the city, making Salzburg the UNESCO World Heritage site of today.
The Dom Quartier Tour
The Dom Quartier Tour passes through the State Rooms of the Residenz with opulent interiors of elaborate stucco sculpted decoration and magnificent ceiling art. The Salzburg Residence from a slightly older period owes its appearance to the predecessor Prince Archbishop Wolf Dietrich zu Raitenau, whose long rule from 1559 to 1617 gave him ample time to shape his glittering living quarters. The Residence Gallery is lined with paintings of European masters from the 16th to 19th Century on loan from the Salzburg state art collection featuring the grand masters like Rembrandt, Peter Paul Rubens, Salomon Ruysdael, but with an emphasis on the Baroque period with Italian, French and Austria Baroque painters like Luca Giordano and François Boucher.
The Residence Terrace connects the two structures with an outdoor walkway offering previously unavailable views of the Residence Square with the Residence Fountain and the Baroque façades of the city. Entering the Cathedral Museum, located in the upper galleries of the Salzburg Cathedral presents a collection of wonderful rooms with Baroque décor and views of both the city and into the cathedral from a vantage above the floor, sometimes filled with organ music during recital rehearsals. The "Long Corridor" served as a painting gallery for the archbishops’ personal collection, now displaying large format religious paintings from the collection in the 70 meter long hallway to the Cathedral Museum. The Dom Museum displays the ecclesiastical art treasures of thirteen centuries. Among the most important works are the Cross of St. Rupert, the Eucharistic Dove and paintings by Austrian Paul Troger. The Chamber of Art and Wonders offers curious artifacts of the 17th Century. In addition to the permanent exhibit, the museum offers changing special exhibits.
Visiting the Dom Quartier of Salzburg
The Dom Quartier is located in the center of the old city, below the castle. The exhibits are open daily Wednesday to Monday (closed Tuesdays) from 10 am to 5 pm. Open every day in summer months July and August. Admission prices including an audio guide are €12 for adults, €5 for Children, with a Family Ticket for €27. Prices are reduced slightly when some area of the tour are closed. The Dom Quartier is included with free entrance with a Salzburg Card. © Bargain Travel Europe
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Dom Quartier
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