The Old Cathedral (), also called the Church of Ignatius () or the Jesuit Church (), is a church in
Linz
Linz (Pronunciation: , ; ) is the capital of Upper Austria and List of cities and towns in Austria, third-largest city in Austria. Located on the river Danube, the city is in the far north of Austria, south of the border with the Czech Repub ...
, Austria. It was built between 1669 and 1683 in Baroque style. From 1785 to 1909 it served as cathedral of the
Diocese of Linz.
History
The
Jesuit
The Society of Jesus (; abbreviation: S.J. or SJ), also known as the Jesuit Order or the Jesuits ( ; ), is a religious order (Catholic), religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rom ...
s built the church between 1669 and 1683 following plans by
Pietro Francesco Carlone. It was erected near the former Jesuits' College at the south end of the Hauptplatz.
The church was originally called the Church of Ignatius (). and was dedicated to Saint
Ignatius of Loyola
Ignatius of Loyola ( ; ; ; ; born Íñigo López de Oñaz y Loyola; – 31 July 1556), venerated as Saint Ignatius of Loyola, was a Basque Spaniard Catholic priest and theologian, who, with six companions, founded the religious order of the S ...
, who founded the Jesuit Order.
The Jesuit Order was dissolved in 1773 by
Pope Clement XIII
Pope Clement 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. He was installed on 16 July 1758.
...
.
The Diocese of Linz and St. Pölten von Passau was effectively founded in 1783 by a decree of the
Emperor Joseph II
Joseph II (13 March 1741 – 20 February 1790) was Holy Roman Emperor from 18 August 1765 and sole ruler of the Habsburg monarchy from 29 November 1780 until his death. He was the eldest son of Empress Maria Theresa and her husband, Emperor F ...
(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, Imperial Count von Herberstein, enthroned on 1 May 1785. He died on 17 March 1788.
Joseph Anton Gall was bishop from 1788 to 1807. Bishop
Gregorius Thomas Ziegler (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. He is one of the most revered figures in the history of Western music; his works rank among the most performed of the classical music repertoire ...
wrote the three ''
Equali'' for four trombones ("''Drei Equales''",
WoO 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 Christians on 2 November. In Western Christianity, including Roman Catholicism and certain p ...
).
Anton Bruckner
Joseph Anton Bruckner (; ; 4 September 182411 October 1896) was an Austrian composer and organist best known for his Symphonies by Anton Bruckner, symphonies and sacred music, which includes List of masses by Anton Bruckner, Masses, Te Deum (Br ...
(1824 - 1896) was organist from 1856 to 1868.
During Bruckner's tenure as organist he studied under the contrapuntalist
Simon Sechter, 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 or Ave Maria (from its first words in Latin), also known as the Angelic or Angelical Salutation, is a traditional Catholic prayer addressing Mary, mother of Jesus, Mary, the mother of Jesus. The prayer is based on two biblical pa ...
'' (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
Baroque
The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...
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 (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
See also
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List of Jesuit sites
This list includes past and present buildings, facilities and institutions associated with the Society of Jesus. In each country, sites are listed in chronological order of start of Jesuit association.
Nearly all these sites have be ...
References
Notes
Citations
Sources
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{{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 the Habsburg monarchy
17th-century establishments in Austria