St. Sebastian’s Cemetery
Hidden in the plain sight of Salzburg’s city center is a beautifully creepy, little cemetery. The St. Sebastian’s Cemetery feels more like a macabre art gallery than a typical burial place. The square cemetery is framed by artistic portrayals of death and symbolism that reminds visitors they will too, inevitably face death. The center of this square arcade of grave markers sees a grass filled cemetery littered with tombstones and featuring a grand dome-shaped mausoleum at its center.
Points of Interest for St. Sebastian’s Cemetery
St. Sebastian’s Cemetery was built during the 1500s, though may have acted as a burial place for much longer. It is connected to the nearby St. Sebastian’s Church, which is a recognizable and important landmark within Salzburg’s Old Town.
The St. Sebastian’s Cemetery’s first interred body was actually that of the man who built it. However, this is not the most appealing of interments to visitors of the cemetery. There are several burials at the St. Sebastian’s Cemetery, which represent prominent historical figures. Amongst many of the most important families from the Salzburg area, rest some of Mozart’s own family, Theophrastus Bombastus Von Hohenheim a famous physician best known as Paracelsus and Prince-Archbishop Wolf Dietrich Von Raitenau, who is actually resting within the glorious centerpiece of the cemetery.
Though there are a number of significant burials at the St. Sebastian’s Cemetery, there are many other features that draw visitors to the resting place. One of these being the impressive gothic architecture and artwork, which adorns many of the burial spaces. All throughout the cemetery dark symbolism, such as skulls and death are featured. Some pieces of particular interest include a skull with a snake weaving through its eye hole and an emaciated, male figure holding an hourglass, said to represent death itself.
Visiting Salzburg’s Creepy St. Sebastian’s Cemetery
Visits to Salzburg’s St. Sebastian’s Cemetery offer a refuge from the small, yet bustling tourist city. The well-kept grounds are an interesting place to explore for their worthy art pieces, which include sculptures, paintings and even dioramas.
The cemetery is not overly difficult to find, entrance is free and one can easily get lost within its beauty for an afternoon. Make sure to check opening times before your visit.
If you enjoyed this article you may also be interested in learning more about Krampus, a Christmas tradition in Salzburg.
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