Salzburg Cathedral is the building that set the tone for the whole city. After a fire in 1598 the prince-archbishops rebuilt it to a design by Santino Solari, and when it was consecrated in 1628 it was the first early Baroque church north of the Alps. Inside, the bronze font from 1311 is where Mozart was baptised, as was Joseph Mohr, who wrote the words of Silent Night, and the cathedral organs are ones Mozart himself played. The DomQuartier is the clever way to see it all in context: a single circuit through the Residenz, where the prince-archbishops lived and received guests, across the arches into the cathedral’s organ loft, and on through the Cathedral Museum, the Cabinet of Art and Curiosities, the Long Gallery and St Peter’s Museum. Paintings in the Residenz Gallery and the cathedral arch terrace with its view over Domplatz complete the route. This page links to the Tiqets DomQuartier entry ticket.
How to visit: the DomQuartier is open Monday and Wednesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 17:00 and is closed on Tuesdays, with last admission an hour before closing. Show your phone ticket at the DomQuartier cash desk at Residenzplatz 1. The ticket covers all the permanent exhibitions and the current special exhibition, while an audio guide can be bought on site. The circuit is wheelchair accessible, and rescheduling or cancellation is possible until the day before.
What to expect: the cathedral nave itself charges a modest preservation fee at the door, with a reduced rate for Salzburg Card holders and free entry for children. In November it is open Monday to Saturday from 9:00 to 17:00 and on Sunday afternoons, and visits pause during services and the Music at Noon concerts. The crypt holds remains of the Romanesque cathedral. A 1944 bomb destroyed the dome, which was rebuilt and reconsecrated in 1959.
Making the most of it: walk the DomQuartier first, so you see the cathedral from above in the organ loft before you stand in the nave. Time your cathedral visit for a Music at Noon concert if you can, and step out onto Domplatz, where the Jedermann play is performed each summer and the Christmas market stands in Advent.
What to expect
The experience
A self-guided route through the Residenz State Rooms, the cathedral organ loft and four museums, then the cathedral nave and crypt at ground level.
Best time
Mid-morning on any day except Tuesday, when the DomQuartier is closed.
How long
Two hours for the DomQuartier, plus half an hour in the cathedral.
Tips
Do the DomQuartier first to see the nave from the organ loft, and avoid service times for the cathedral.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Understanding the prince-archbishops, their palace and their cathedral in one connected visit.
- Families
- Older children like the Cabinet of Curiosities and the views from the arch terrace; children go free in the cathedral.
- Couples
- Pair the visit with a Music at Noon concert under the dome.
- Pair with
- Hohensalzburg Fortress, whose funicular station is a few minutes away behind Kapitelplatz.
- Time needed
- Two to three hours.
Good questions
Is Salzburg Cathedral free?+
No, the cathedral asks a modest preservation fee at the door, which funds upkeep of the building. Children go free and Salzburg Card holders pay a reduced rate.
What does the DomQuartier ticket include?+
The Residenz State Rooms and Gallery, the cathedral organ loft, the Cathedral Museum, the Cabinet of Art and Curiosities, the Long Gallery, St Peter’s Museum and the cathedral arch terrace. A guided tour and audio guide are extra.
When is the DomQuartier closed?+
It is closed on Tuesdays and otherwise open from 10:00 to 17:00. Last admission is an hour before closing.
Was Mozart baptised in Salzburg Cathedral?+
Yes, in the bronze baptismal font from 1311, which is still in the cathedral. Joseph Mohr, the lyricist of Silent Night, was baptised in the same font.
Is the DomQuartier accessible?+
Yes, the DomQuartier circuit is wheelchair accessible. The cathedral nave is at street level from Domplatz.
