Even Wisdom must occasionally concede defeat. Crafted by the Hagenauer brothers out of Untersberg marble, the Marienstatue is topped by the Virgin Mary standing on a globe. She is surrounded by 4 allegorical figures – Angel, Devil, Wisdom, and the Church.
As this tourism site and the statue’s plaque explain:
“The mystery of the Immaculate Conception was so great that it caused the angels to be delighted, human wisdom to vanish, the devil to growl in envy, and the triumphant church to rejoice.”
Jedermann Bonus: Cathedral Square is the site of the city’s annual production of Jedermann (“Everyman”) play at the Salzburg Festival. Adapted from a late 15th-century English morality piece, this famous 1911 creation is the work of the Austrian playwright Hugo von Hofmannsthal. Every year, a distinguished actress takes on the role of the Paramour, Everyman’s mistress.