Description of the attraction
The Imbergkirche Church is located on the right bank of the Salzach River and is part of the Old Town of Salzburg. It is located at the foot of Mount Kapuzinerberg, on which the famous Capuchin monastery rises.
The temple was consecrated in honor of two popular Catholic saints at once - John the Baptist and John the Evangelist. It was previously known as the "Church of St. John on the mountain." This is a rather small structure, distinguished only by its bell tower, topped with a graceful onion-shaped dome.
The first mention of this church dates back to 1319, but its construction was completed even earlier, since individual elements of the structure, including the foundation, date back to the Romanesque era. Interestingly, at the end of the 16th century, the Imbergkirche church served for some time as the main temple of the Capuchin monastery, located a little higher on the mountain.
It is curious that the original main entrance to the church has not survived - it was walled up and painted over with paint, but some of its details can be seen on the facade of the fourth house on Linzergasse Street. As for the internal structure of the temple, it is distinguished by flat ceilings and choirs located on a certain elevation.
In 1681, the church was greatly rebuilt in the Baroque style, and also increased in size - several side chapels were completed. At the same time, the bell tower was crowned with an onion dome that has survived to this day.
At about the same time - at the end of the 17th century - work began on the main altar of the temple, depicting the Baptism of the Lord, God the Father and John the Baptist himself. In the first half of the 18th century, side sculptures also appeared in the altar, symbolizing Anthony of Padua, John of Nepomuk and many other saints. And by 1775, the marble altar was completely finished and complemented by a luxuriously decorated tabernacle. A little earlier, in 1772, the walls and ceiling were finished. The murals are dedicated to the patron saint of the church - St. John the Baptist.
It is also worth noting the side altars, skillfully decorated at the end of the 18th century and dedicated to various saints - Joseph the carpenter, Francis of Assisi and others. And one of these altars houses an exact copy of the famous Catholic shrine - the Virgin Mary of the Snow, the original of which is kept in the Roman Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore.
