Holy Trinity Church, Salzburg
| Holy Trinity Church | |
|---|---|
| Dreifaltigkeitskirche | |
 |
|
| Location | Dreifaltigkeitsgasse 14, Salzburg |
| Country | Austria |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Consecrated | 1699 |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach |
| Architectural type | Baroque |
| Years built | 1694–1702 |
| Completed | 1702 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Salzburg |
| Clergy | |
| Archbishop | Franz Lackner |
| Bishop(s) | Georg Eder |
The Holy Trinity Church (German: Dreifaltigkeitskirche) is a Roman Catholic church in Salzburg, Austria. It was designed by Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach.
The church is designed as a central building and was built in the years 1694–1702. Authority of the church and the seminary was the founder Prince Archbishop Johann Ernst von Thun. The contract was carried out in 1694, the consecration of the partly unfinished church took place in 1699. The church, together with the same time build St. John's Church (hospital church) the first building designed by Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach in Salzburg. He used as models various religious buildings in Rome—especially Francesco Borromini's Church Sant'Agnese in Agone in Piazza Navona. While the church is characterized by a discreet use of decorative elements, the entire structure conveys a palatial impression. In addition to Fischer von Erlach and Bernhard Michael Mandl, who created the dome murals, the following sculptors and stonemasons also contributed: Wolf Weißkirchner, Mathias Wilhelm Weißkirchner, Sebastian Stumpfegger, Andreas Götzinger, and Lorenz Dräxl.
The construction of the Holy Trinity Church did not originally take place on Hannibal Square (present-day Makart Square), but on a narrow side street between the outer mountain road (present-day Rainerstraße) and the Linzergasse. The pawnshop situated directly opposite the church was demolished in 1907, leaving the elevated church forecourt facing Dreifaltigkeitsgasse, forming the upper end of the Makart Square.
The original steeples were much lower than the present-day steeples, which were later increased for a better visibility of the church behind the pawnshop. The belfries were built in 1757, and the chief cupola towers were added after the fire of Neustadt in 1818. The overall image of the church was improved by the expanding of the towers. The church is the architectural center of a sprawling complex with the two great wings of the seminary forming a uniformly composed façade with the central church representing the powerful central drum dome of the church.
The outer church portal is supported on the parapet in front of the dome on twin columns bearing four figures, three of which symbolize the theological virtues—Faith, Hope, and Love. The fourth figure represents Divine Wisdom. All four characters have been designed by Bernhard Michael Mandl. Between the figures is the double coat of arms of the Prince Archbishop Johann Ernst von Thun, connected to the Salzburger country coat of arms.
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