St. Mark's Church

Salzburg, Austria

St. Mark's Church (Markuskirche) near the Klaus Gate at the foot of the Mönchsberg is a masterpiece of baroque architecture: the cornerstone for the Ursuline Convent church was laid in 1699. A smaller church located on the same site was destroyed by a disastrous rockfall from the Mönchsberg thirty years before. At the time of its construction, raising a building on the small strip of land between the Mönchsberg and the precipitous banks of the Salzach was a masterly performance.

Archbishop Johann Ernst von Thun called on the renowned architect, Fischer von Erlach, who was also commissioned to design other churches in Salzburg. The church was consecrated in 1705 but the construction of the convent took another two decades. It served as the seat for the Ursuline Order until 1957. Today the former St. Ursuline Church, consecrated to St. Mark the Evangelist, is known by its original name again.

Three saints adorn the church's pediment: St. Mark the Evangelist in the center with St. Augustine and St. Ursula on either side. Visitors are usually stunned by the unexpected richness of the church's interior: elaborate stucco, colorful frescoes by the Tyrolean painter, Christoph Anton Mayr, and the cupola with portrayals of St. Ursula in heaven. The saints on the façade can also be found inside the church. The altar furniture and pews are embellished with fine woodcarving.

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Details

Founded: 1699
Category: Religious sites in Austria

More Information

www.salzburg.info

Rating

4.8/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Nikolaj Koželj (18 months ago)
Gorgeus baroque church at the western entrance to the old town Salzburg, with square infront that hosts interesting modern statue. Church is a host of Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church so it has two Ukrainian flags on its facade. We have witnessed a holy mass with beautiful singing and incense burning.
I V (2 years ago)
Thank you for helping Ukrainian volunteers!
Adel Armanous (3 years ago)
St. Markus Kirche am Ursulinenplatz schöne alte Kirche Barock Architektur es echt sehr schön
marko proust (5 years ago)
beautiful church with spiritual atmosphere
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