Dom zu Klagenfurt

Also known as Klagenfurter Dom

The Dom zu Klagenfurt was built by Protestants in 1578 and was Catholic almost immediately afterward, which helps explain why the interior is so elaborately Baroque (a style defined by gold, white stucco plasterwork, ceiling paintings, and theatrical spatial drama) while the exterior remains relatively understated.

The Dom zu Klagenfurt was built as a Protestant church in 1578 and handed to the Jesuits during the Habsburg Counter-Reformation in the early 17th century. The current Baroque interior, with elaborate white stucco, ceiling frescoes by Josef Ferdinand Fromiller covering the entire nave, and gold-accented decoration, dates from the 1660s-1720s remodeling. Baroque here means gold, painted ceilings, and theatrical scale. The exterior is modest by comparison; the contrast is the main discovery. Free entry; generally open daily. Located at Domplatz 1 in Klagenfurt old town, 5 minutes from Alter Platz. Combine with the Landhaus, built during the same Protestant period that the cathedral’s conversion erased.