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One of the oldest churches of Salzburg |
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"Franziskanerkirche" in Salzburg is special in the history of European architecture.
It is one of the oldest churches of Salzburg.
In the year 774 this church was first mentioned. At that time it was a baptistery and used to be part of St. Peter Monastery.
It was dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
In the year 1139 it became a parish church, but this church was one out of six churches (including the famous Salzburg Cathedral) which burnt down in the year 1167.
The church was originally rebuilt in 1123 but only part of this is now still remaining.
In the year 1408 it was rebuilt yet again.
The choir in its present form (except, of course, for the decorative additions made in the baroque period) acts as a centralizing space which unites and harmonizes with the late Romanesque nave.
It is known that the choir was still under construction in 1422 and in 1429.
Documentation of the dedications of the altars (e.g. the choir altar in 1460) in the mid-15th century indicate that the choir was completed around that time.
An epitaph in St. Martin's church in Landshut (Germany) definitively shows that Master Hans of Burghausen was the master builder. (An earlier identification as Hans Stethaimer has been disproved.)
After Hans of Burghausen's death in 1432, Stefan Krumenhauser is said to have supervised the construction.
The tower was built according to a Nuremberg design between 1486 and 1498. I
n 1484 the city turned to Rueland Frueauf the Elder for a new high altar.
However, Michael Pacher of Bruneck, South Tyrol finally received the contract and completed it for the handsome sum of 3300 Gulden.
By building the choir of the parish church and by embellishing it with the works of master artisans, the citizens and guilds of Salzburg had created a fitting monument for a city striving for status as a free city of the empire.
2006 is "Year of Mozart" - it is the 250th anniversary of Mozart's birth.
The church is holding many concerts in honour of Wolfgang Amadeus.
The current one - "Festival Organ Art" is still ongoing until 18th of November.
Selection from the standing repertoire of the choir:
(to name but a few)
Ludwig van Beethoven, Anton Bruckner, Mozart,
Joseph Haydn, Franz Schubert, Giacomo Puccini, etc
It is possible to join St. Francis Church's club - "Verein der Freunde der Kirchenmusik an der Franziskanerkirche Salzburg".
The annual fee is €20.
If you would like to join or sponsor this club you should contact:
Elvira Weinzettl
Postfach 92
5010 Salzburg
e-mail: weinzettl@gmx.net
St. Francis Church is situated right in the hear of the City of Salzburg, on the corner of "Siegmund-Haffner-Gasse" and "Franziskanergasse".
Upon your visit - as when visiting any church - be sure to be dressed approprietely.
There is no entrence fee, however a donation is appreciated.
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St. Francis Church Salzburg |
