In tandem with Nonnberg Abbey, St. Peter’s Cemetery is the oldest Christian burial site in Salzburg (~ A.D. 700). You’ll find it at the bottom of the Festung, next to St. Peter’s Church. It’s still in use, so don’t be surprised to see Salzburg residents bringing along their grandchildren to light a red candle or weed the grave’s garden.
If you look closely at the top right of this photo, you’ll notice something carved into the cliff. More akin to caves, these early Christian catacombs have a mysterious past. The one pictured is the Maximushöhle, but there are larger and more elaborate ones nearby. You can take a tour to explore some of them.
Gluten-Free Bonus: As you enter through the iron gate of St. Peter’s Church, take a look to your right. There’s a round stone that looks a lot like a bread loaf hanging from the wall. Legend has it a medieval farmer’s wife had the effrontery to bake bread on Sundays. As punishment, the lord smote all the loaves during a thunderstorm and turned them to stone. Don’t mess with wheat on the Sabbath Day.
Sound of Music Bonus: Although the set designers may have used Petersfriedhof as inspiration for the thrilling game of hide and seek in the cemetery at the end of the movie, the entire scene was shot on a Hollywood lot.