The bishop's residence has been located in Brixen since the sixth century. Between 960 and 990 AD, Brixen supplanted nearby Säben as the episcopal see, and has retained its status since that time.
Brixen Cathedral is the highest-ranking church in South Tyrol, and historically one of the most interesting. Today, the cathedral thus reflects almost all architectural styles from the Early Romanesque. The original Ottonian building took on a new Romanesque design in the twelfth century, gaining a three-aisled nave with crypt and three apses in addition to two front towers. There were more additions in the Gothic and Baroque periods.
The North Tower got its early Baroque style between 1610 and 1613. Large-scale modifications were made between 1745 and 1754. Theodor Benedetti’s high altar and the statues and frescoes by Paul Troger, Joseph Schöpf, Dominikus Molling and Michelangelo Unterperger originated from this period. Jacob Pirchstaller’s classical vestibule dates to 1783.
The cathedral is open daily.
References:The Clementinum is a historic complex of buildings in Prague. Until recently the complex hosted the National, University and Technical libraries, the City Library also being located nearby on Mariánské Náměstí. The Technical library and the Municipal library have moved to the Prague National Technical Library at Technická 6 since 2009. It is currently in use as the National Library of the Czech Republic.
Its history dates from the existence of a chapel dedicated to Saint Clement in the 11th century. A Dominican monastery was founded in the medieval period, which was transformed in 1556 to a Jesuit college. In 1622 the Jesuits transferred the library of Charles University to the Klementinum, and the college was merged with the University in 1654. The Jesuits remained until 1773, when the Klementinum was established as an observatory, library, and university by the Empress Maria Theresa of Austria.