, image = Alter Dom Linz (DFdB).JPG , imagesize = , imagealt = , landscape = , caption = Old Cathedral from the roof of the "Passage" shopping mall , pushpin map = Austria , relief = yes , pushpin label position = , pushpin map alt = , pushpin mapsize = , map caption = , coordinates = , osgraw = , osgridref = , location =

Linz Linz ( , ; cs, Linec) is the capital of Upper Austria and third-largest city in Austria. In the north of the country, it is on the Danube south of the Czech border. In 2018, the population was 204,846. In 2009, it was a European Capital of ...

Upper Austria Upper Austria (german: Oberösterreich ; bar, Obaöstareich) is one of the nine states or of Austria. Its capital is Linz. Upper Austria borders Germany and the Czech Republic, as well as the other Austrian states of Lower Austria, Styria, a ...

, country =

Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...

, denomination =

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...

, tradition = , membership = , website = , former name = , bull date = , consecrated date = , people = , status = , functional status = , heritage designation = , designated date = , previous cathedrals = , architect =

Pietro Francesco Carlone Pietro Francesco Carlone (Before 1607 – 1681–82), or Peter Franz Carlone, from the Leoben branch of the Carlone family, was an early Baroque architect who was best known for building abbeys. Life Carlone was born some time before 1607, from ...

, architectural type = Cathedral , style =

Baroque The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including t ...

, years built = 1669–1683 , groundbreaking = , completed date = , construction cost = , closed date = , demolished date = , capacity = , length = , length nave = , length choir = , width = , width nave = , width transepts = , height = , height nave = , height choir = , dome quantity = , dome height outer = , dome height inner = , dome dia outer = , dome dia inner = , tower height = , spire quantity = , spire height = , tower quantity = 2 , archdiocese = , metropolis = , diocese =

, diocese start = , province =

Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...

, archbishop = , bishop = , dean = , provost = , rector = Peter Gangl, SJ , canon = , precentor = , archdeacon = , chancellor = , reader = , director = , organist = , laychapter = , businessmgr = , logo = , logosize = , logolink = , logoalt = The Old Cathedral (german: Alter Dom), also called the Church of Ignatius (german: Ignatiuskirche) or the Jesuit Church (german: Jesuitenkirche) is a church in

, Austria. It was built between 1669 and 1683 in Baroque style. From 1785 to 1909 it served as cathedral of the

Diocese of Linz The Diocese of Linz ( la, Dioecesis Linciensis) is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Vienna, Austria. History Early history In the early Middle Ages the greater part of the territory of the present Diocese of Linz was subject to the bishops of ...

History

The

Jesuit , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders ...

s built the church between 1669 and 1683 following plans by

. It was erected near the former Jesuits' College at the south end of the Hauptplatz. The church was originally called the Church of Ignatius (german: Ignatiuskirche). and was dedicated to Saint

Ignatius of Loyola Ignatius of Loyola, Society of Jesus, S.J. (born Íñigo López de Oñaz y Loyola; eu, Ignazio Loiolakoa; es, Ignacio de Loyola; la, Ignatius de Loyola; – 31 July 1556), venerated as Saint Ignatius of Loyola, was a Spain, Spanish Catholic ...

, who founded the Jesuit Order. The Jesuit Order was dissolved in 1773 by

Pope Clement XIII Pope Clement XIII ( la, Clemens XIII; it, Clemente XIII; 7 March 1693 – 2 February 1769), born Carlo della Torre di Rezzonico, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 6 July 1758 to his death in February 1769. ...

. The Diocese of Linz and St. Pölten von Passau was effectively founded in 1783 by a decree of the

Emperor Joseph II Joseph II (German: Josef Benedikt Anton Michael Adam; English: ''Joseph Benedict Anthony Michael Adam''; 13 March 1741 – 20 February 1790) was Holy Roman Emperor from August 1765 and sole ruler of the Habsburg lands from November 29, 1780 un ...

(1741–90) without advance approval from Rome. The emperor appointed the bishop and designated the former Jesuit church as the cathedral. The diocese was officially established by a papal certificate of 28 January 1785. The first bishop was

Ernest Johann Nepomuk Ernest Johann Nepomuk (20 April 1731 – 17 March 1788), Imperial Count von Herberstein, was the first bishop of the diocese of Linz from 1785 to 1788. Life Ernest Johann Nepomuk was born on 20 April 1731 in Vienna, Austria. He was ordained a pri ...

, Imperial Count von Herberstein, enthroned on 1 May 1785. He died on 17 March 1788.

Joseph Anton Gall Joseph Anton Gall (1748–1807) was the bishop of Linz from 1788 to 1807. He had been of great service to the Austrian school system as cathedral scholasticus and chief supervisor of the normal schools. He was an adherent of Josephinism Jose ...

was bishop from 1788 to 1807. Bishop

Gregorius Thomas Ziegler Gregorius Thomas Ziegler, bishop of Linz (March 7, 1770 – April 15, 1852), was born at Kirchheim in Schwaben near Augsburg. He joined the Benedictines at Wiblingen Abbey in 1788 and was ordained priest on 25 May 1793. He taught in various ...

(1827–52) led an era during which the church was restored. In 1841 Rome confirmed the church as the cathedral of the diocese. Bishop Franz-Josef Rudigier laid the foundation stone of the New Cathedral in 1862. In 1909 the function of cathedral was transferred from the Ignatius church to the new building. The Jesuits returned in 1909. The new cathedral was consecrated on 29 April 1924.

Music

Ludwig van Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. Beethoven remains one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music; his works rank amongst the most performed of the classical ...

wrote the three '' Equali'' for four trombones ("''Drei Equales''",

WoO Woo, WoO, WOO, W.O.O. and variants may refer to: People Woo or Wu, romanization of several East Asian names: * Hu (surname): 胡, 瓠, 護, 戶, 扈, 虎, 呼, 忽, 斛 * Wu (surname): 吳, 伍, 武, 仵, 烏, 鄔, 巫 * Ng (name): 吳, 伍 * ...

30) for performance in the cathedral on 2 November 1812 (

All Souls' Day All Souls' Day, also called ''The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed'', is a day of prayer and remembrance for the faithful departed, observed by certain Christian denominations on 2 November. Through prayer, intercessions, alms and ...

Anton Bruckner Josef Anton Bruckner (; 4 September 182411 October 1896) was an Austrian composer, organist, and music theorist best known for his symphonies, masses, Te Deum and motets. The first are considered emblematic of the final stage of Austro-Germ ...

(1824 - 1896) was organist from 1856 to 1868. During Bruckner's tenure as organist he studied under the contrapuntalist

Simon Sechter Simon Sechter (11 October 1788 – 10 September 1867) was an Austrian music theorist, teacher, organist, conductor and composer. He was one of the most prolific composers who ever lived, although his music is largely forgotten and he is now mainl ...

, and in 1860 became the conductor of the ''Frohsinn'' choral society. It was in this period that he flowered into a major composer. On 12 May 1861 the ''Frohsinn'' performed Bruckner's seven-part ''

Ave Maria The Hail Mary ( la, Ave Maria) is a traditional Christian prayer addressing Mary, the mother of Jesus. The prayer is based on two biblical passages featured in the Gospel of Luke: the Angel Gabriel's visit to Mary (the Annunciation) and Mary's s ...

'' (WAB 6) in the cathedral, a breakthrough composition that became a favorite of the composer. Bruckner's '' Mass No. 1'' was first performed in the old Linz Cathedral on 21 November 1864. Apart from a small solo in the Credo, the original score for the mass did not include the organ. This has been called his first composition as a fully mature composer. The Bruckner Festival is held annually in the church in honor of the composer.

Structure

The exterior of the church is relatively plain, with two towers on either side of the main door, topped with onion domes. The interior is decorated in lavish

style, with pink marble columns. There are three side chapels on either side of a wide main nave. The church has an elaborately detailed wooden pulpit, and a high altar made by Giovanni Battista Barbarino and Giovanni Battista Colombo that incorporates many statues in marble.

Antonio Bellucci Antonio Bellucci (19 February 1654 – 29 August 1726) was an Italian soldier who became a painter of the Rococo period and was best known for his work in England, Germany, and Austria. He was one of the many Venetian-trained artists of his time ...

(1654–1726) made the painting of Saint Aloysius that is located above the altar. The stalls in the presbytery were carved by local artists, and are decorated with the faces of monsters and dwarfs. The carved choir stalls from the 17th century were transferred from Garsten Abbey. The Baroque organ was built by Franz Xaver Krismann, with alterations requested by Bruckner. The organ has not been modified.

Gallery

File:Hauptplatz in the rain HPIM6557 C.jpg, Hauptplatz in the rain - Cathedral to the left File:Alter Dom Außen II.jpg, Cathedral towers File:Linz 2011 11.jpg, Organ loft File:Alter Dom Linz benches H6791 Interior C.jpg, Choir stalls by Michael Obermüller (1633), transferred from Garsten Abbey in 1856 File:Alter Dom Benches OH6788 Interior C.jpg, Benches for common people File:Alter Dom - Innenraum08.jpg, Altar File:Trinity column & cathedral in Linz.jpg, Trinity Column with the west front of the old cathedral behind File:Alter Dom Entrance H6785 C.jpg, Entrance File:Alter Dom - Hochaltar08.jpg, High altar by Giovanni Battista Barbarino and Giovanni Battista Colombo File:Linz 2011 8.jpg, Pulpit File:Linz Alter Dom Innen Kanzel 1.JPG, Pulpit File:Linz Alter Dom Innen Decke 1.JPG, Ceiling

References

Notes Citations Sources * * (subscription needed) * * * * * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Old Cathedral, Linz Roman Catholic cathedrals in Austria Tourist attractions in Linz Baroque church buildings in Austria Roman Catholic churches completed in 1683 Roman Catholic churches in Linz 17th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Austria 1683 establishments in Austria

History

Music

Structure

Gallery

See also

References