St. Pölten Cathedral

Historic center with Roman roots. Just a few steps away from Wiener Straße, a quiet place full of history opens up behind house no. 31: Domplatz. As early as Roman times, this area was part of the settlement of Aelium Cetium, as excavations have shown. From the 9th century onwards, there was a church here that was built on the walls of a Roman bath - the first consecration is documented for the year 1133.

The cathedral square served as the town's main cemetery until 1779. The so-called St. Andrew's Chapel, first mentioned in 1179, also stood here - with an ossuary in the basement and chancel on the upper floor. After the cemetery was closed, the chapel was demolished in 1786.

Parts of the square were used as a marketplace in the Middle Ages. Since 1876, the weekly market has been held here on Thursdays and Saturdays - and still is today.

On the west side of the square is the former savings bank building erected by Eugen Sehnal in 1884. The gable shows the figure of Abundantia, a symbol of prosperity associated with the young Gustav Klimt.

St. Pölten Cathedral - Romanesque roots, Baroque splendor

On the north and east side of the cathedral square is the imposing St. Pölten Cathedral, once the church of the Augustinian canons' monastery and now the episcopal church of the diocese of St. Pölten. The monastery was originally founded around 791 as the Hippolyt Monastery and is the oldest monastery in Lower Austria. Since a reform in 1090, it has been run by Augustinian canons.

Today's church is an architectural mosaic from several eras:

• Romanesque: Parts of the collegiate church consecrated around 1065 have been preserved, including the westwork (1150) and elements of the north façade.
• Gothic: In 1228, a major reconstruction took place, which created the main apse and other parts of the current structure.
• Baroque: From 1722, under Jakob Prandtauer and later Joseph Munggenast, a comprehensive baroque renovation was carried out.

Inside, the cathedral presents itself as a harmonious Baroque sacred space with barrel vaults, giant pilasters and magnificent furnishings:

• Frescoes and paintings: the wall and ceiling paintings are mainly by Thomas Friedrich Gedon and Daniel Gran, some were later replaced by works by Bartolomeo Altomonte.
• Altars: The side altars bear paintings by Gran, while altarpieces such as the Hippolytus and Augustine altars are by Franz Munggenast.
• Sculptures: Masterpieces by the Baroque sculptor Jakob Christoph Schletterer, including reliefs and crucifix altar figures, characterize the interior.
• Organ, pulpit and stalls: Elaborately carved and gilded, based on designs by Mathias Steinl, executed by artists such as Peter Widerin, Joseph Pabel and Hippolyt Nallenburg.

A special gem is the late Romanesque Rosary Chapel, accessible through a door in the choir stalls. Here you will find preserved building elements from the reconstruction of 1228, baroque wall paintings and a depiction of the Volto Santo by Wilhelm Frass (1958).

Today: spiritual center of the diocese

Since 1785, the former collegiate seat has been the center of the newly founded diocese of St. Pölten, which includes western Lower Austria. Today, the cathedral serves as the main church of the diocese and is the venue for large church services and cultural events.