On October 16th, 1944 at about 11:20am, the Salzburg Cathedral was hit by a bomb. The dome collapsed. There were no injuries in the cathedral, although during this initial attack on the city, there were at least 245 casualties. The World War had reached Salzburg at a late date but with a direct hit to the heart.

The Cathedral Museum is located in the galleries of the Salzburg Cathedral.  These wonderful rooms with their baroque décor and view of the city as well as into the cathedral are worth seeing in their own right.
The museum displays art treasures spanning 1300 years including the Cross of St. Rupert, the Sacred Dove and paintings by Paul Troger to name a few of the remarkable exhibits.  A unique exhibit is the Chamber of Art and Wonders that displays natural history artefacts and curiosities within the ambiance of the 17th century.