Klagenfurt Cathedral, Cathedral and parish church in Klagenfurt, Austria.
Klagenfurt Cathedral is a brick-built cathedral in the center of Klagenfurt am Wörthersee, Austria, built in the Baroque style. It has a long nave, side chapels, and a decorated facade that stands out along the city's inner streets.
Klagenfurt Cathedral was begun in 1581 as a Protestant prayer house dedicated to the Holy Trinity, the largest Protestant church built in Austria. It was closed in 1600 during the Counter-Reformation and handed to the Jesuits four years later, who rededicated it to Saints Peter and Paul and ran it until their order was dissolved in 1773. Bishop Franz Xaver von Salm-Reifferscheidt raised it to cathedral of the Diocese of Gurk in 1787.
The cathedral is the center of Catholic life in Klagenfurt and draws both worshippers and visitors throughout the year. Inside, visitors can observe finely painted ceiling frescoes and stucco work that cover the nave and side altars.
The cathedral sits in the center of Klagenfurt and is easy to reach on foot from the old town. Inside, the temperature tends to stay cool throughout the year, so a light extra layer is worth bringing.
The church was built from 1581 as a Protestant prayer house and was the largest Protestant church built in Austria. Its original interior, a hall about 20 by 20 metres and 18 metres high, was covered with colourful tendril and foliage frescoes, not the plain white typical of Protestant churches.
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