St. Peter's Church

The Church of St. Peter is the dominant architectural complex of the Salzburg Abbey of St. Peter. It is the most lush and luxurious cult building in the city and one of the oldest buildings. During its long history, the church was repeatedly rebuilt, and only the first floor has survived to our days in its original form.

Initially, the Church of St. Peter resembled a basilica and was built in the Romanesque style. The construction of the front portal of the church dates back to 1245. Above the main porch stands a picturesque arch, built in the XII century. Part of the interior was painted in the Rococo style, and in the 70s of the XVIII century, the interior decoration was made in the spirit of late Baroque widespread in those years. Near the entrance there are nurseries, decorated with scenes on biblical subjects - the Beating of Infants and the Flight to Egypt.

In addition to its architectural value, the Church of St. Peter is famous for the fact that in 1783 it was here that the B Minor Mass, written by the great Mozart, was first performed and received worldwide fame. Later, quite often in this temple, the genius himself played the organ or conducted an orchestra and a choir. B Minor Mass is traditionally performed annually within the walls of the church during a music festival.