Capuchin Monastery, Salzburg, Austria

The Kapuzinerkloster are located on a mountain facing the old town if Salzburg: the Kapuzinerberg mountain, named after the abbey. There are two scenic routes leading to it: via the Imbergstiege off Steingasse and the romantic St. Johannes Church; this little church that is often missed by visitors is on one of Salzburg′s most picturesque spots and was recorded for the first time in the early 14th century.

Prince Archbishop Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau built the Kapuziner Abbey and church to accommodate the monks of the Kapuziner order, when he called them into Salzburg in 1594. The buildings were erected on the site of the Trompeterschlössel ('trumpeter castle'). The northern wall of the Kapuziner Church is the only remain of this castle.

It was extended and decorated in Baroque style under Prince Archbishop Max Gandolf. 'Imberg' was the former name of the Kapuzinerberg.

User Reviews

Josam Waterman (2 years ago)
Great view and fairly easy to walk up there.

Anthony Kaleta (2 years ago)
Beautiful spot to view Salzburg’s old town. We counted 251 steps so be prepared for a hike - but it’s well worth the effort.

Yumi Jo (2 years ago)
It’s really hidden place where has a great view.

Eleanor Louray (3 years ago)
The Kapuzinerkloster is high atop the Kapuzinerberg, its architecture is more modest. Sitting above the City of Salzburg. You can enjoy the overwhelming views across the rooftops of Salzburg. There are a lot of stairs to climb to the top. After you make it to the top, the view will take your breath away. That's how beautiful it is. This is a place to go when you are not in a rush. There is so much to see here. Hope you will enjoy this Amazing Monastery. I know we did!

Nathaniel Meierpolys (3 years ago)
This was a nice retreat from the people and bustle of the city. If you can power through the steps, there are benches at the top that afford great views and a cool spot to relax in the shade, or keep going up the trails for a nice walk in the woods.

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Photo from Flickr, copyright Giåm

Historic Site of the week

Glimmingehus

Glimmingehus is the best preserved medieval stronghold in Scandinavia. It was built 1499-1506, during an era when Scania formed a vital part of Denmark, and contains many defensive arrangements of the era, such as parapets, false doors and dead-end corridors, 'murder-holes' for pouring boiling pitch over the attackers, moats, drawbridges and various other forms of death traps to surprise trespassers and protect the nobles against peasant uprisings. The lower part of the castle's stone walls are 2.4 meters (94 inches) thick and the upper part 1.8 meters (71 inches).

Construction was started in 1499 by the Danish knight Jens Holgersen Ulfstand and stone-cutter-mason and architect Adam van Düren, a North German master who also worked on Lund Cathedral. Construction was completed in 1506.

Ulfstand was a councillor, nobleman and admiral serving under John I of Denmark and many objects have been uncovered during archeological excavations that demonstrate the extravagant lifestyle of the knight's family at Glimmingehus up until Ulfstand's death in 1523. Some of the most expensive objects for sale in Europe during this period, such as Venetian glass, painted glass from the Rhine district and Spanish ceramics have been found here. Evidence of the family's wealth can also be seen inside the stone fortress, where everyday comforts for the knight's family included hot air channels in the walls and bench seats in the window recesses. Although considered comfortable for its period, it has also been argued that Glimmingehus was an expression of "Knighthood nostalgia" and not considered opulent or progressive enough even to the knight's contemporaries and especially not to later generations of the Scanian nobility. Glimmingehus is thought to have served as a residential castle for only a few generations before being transformed into a storage facility for grain.

An order from Charles XI to the administrators of the Swedish dominion of Scania in 1676 to demolish the castle, in order to ensure that it would not fall into the hands of the Danish king during the Scanian War, could not be executed. A first attempt, in which 20 Scanian farmers were ordered to assist, proved unsuccessful. An additional force of 130 men were sent to Glimmingehus to execute the order in a second attempt. However, before they could carry out the order, a Danish-Dutch naval division arrived in Ystad, and the Swedes had to abandon the demolition attempts. Throughout the 18th century the castle was used as deposit for agricultural produce and in 1924 it was donated to the Swedish state. Today it is administered by the Swedish National Heritage Board.

On site there is a museum, medieval kitchen, shop and restaurant and coffee house. During summer time there are several guided tours daily. In local folklore, the castle is described as haunted by multiple ghosts and the tradition of storytelling inspired by the castle is continued in the summer events at the castle called "Strange stories and terrifying tales".

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