The archbishop who gave Salzburg its baroque face. Johann Ernst von Thun (1687-1709) was the great patron behind the city's high baroque building campaign, the man who gave Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach his most important commissions.
Under Thun, Fischer von Erlach designed the Kollegienkirche (Collegiate Church), the Dreifaltigkeitskirche (Trinity Church), the Ursulinenkirche, and the Alte Universitat. Together, these buildings transformed Salzburg into one of the most magnificent baroque cities in the German-speaking world. The architectural character the city retains today is, in large part, the result of this partnership.
Thun's vision and patronage made Fischer von Erlach's career. And Fischer von Erlach's genius made Thun's Salzburg permanent.
