Silent night

The Silent Night Chapel in Oberndorf near Salzburg is simple, white and small. Despite its inconspicuousness, it is visited by thousands of visitors from all over the world every year. It was at this historic location that the song ‘Silent Night! Holy Night!’ was sung for the first time.

It was on Christmas Eve 1818 when the song ‘Silent Night! Holy Night!’ was performed for the first time in Oberndorf. At that time, nobody could have guessed that the song, penned by priest Joseph Mohr and his friend, the composer Franz Xaver Gruber, would later enchant the whole world. The place of origin, the chapel, thus became a memorial to the Christmas carol and a centre of attraction for countless people who wanted to experience the magic for themselves.

The history of the world-famous Silent Night Chapel

Originally, St Nicholas‘ Church stood on the site of today’s Silent Night Chapel. This was built in the 12th century as a boatmen’s church for the flourishing Salzach shipping industry. After repeated flooding caused damage to the church, it was decided to demolish the centuries-old parish church and build a new chapel instead. In 1937, after twelve years of construction, the Silent Night Memorial Chapel was consecrated, built on the rubble of the old St Nicholas Church. More than a hundred years after its first performance, the song ‘Silent Night! Holy Night!’ has thus found a new home in its place of origin, Oberndorf, with today’s chapel.

The Silent Night Chapel: an excursion destination during Advent

The memorial chapel and the adjacent museum attract countless visitors from all over the world every year, especially during Advent. Every year on 24 December at 17:00, a solemn memorial mass is held in the chapel, during which the Christmas carol is sung in several languages.

The two windows of the lovely chapel depict the spiritual fathers of the Christmas carol, Joseph Mohr and Franz Xaver Gruber. The altar is decorated with a wooden relief by Hermann Hutter from 1915.

Silent Night Chapel
Silent Night Square 2
5110 Oberndorf near Salzburg
Phone: +43 6272 21660
E-mail: museum@oberndorf.salzburg.at

Housed in the former vicarage, you will find numerous exhibits and interesting facts about the origins of the world-famous Christmas carol Silent Night! Holy Night! On 260 m² you will gain a wonderful insight into how the song was spread and where and when it was first performed: in 1818 in the former St Nicholas Church. An attractive museum for the whole family – with multimedia stations and karaoke. Experiment with different musical and linguistic versions of this song! An unforgettable and unique experience highlight.

Immerse yourself in the past and experience the history of this world-famous Christmas carol up close! Live and authentic – in Oberndorf – the place of origin of Silent Night! Holy Night!

Silent Night Museum Oberndorf
Silent Night Square
5110 Oberndorf near Salzburg
Phone: +43 6272 21660
E-mail: museum@oberndorf.salzburg.at

In this museum in Hallein, you can learn interesting facts about the work of Franz Xaver Gruber – the composer of the world-famous Christmas carol Silent Night! Holy Night! Stroll through the rooms of the former sacristan’s house, which Gruber lived in for 28 years, and get an authentic picture of the teacher’s life and work. Original objects can be seen here as well as drawings and watercolours by him and the guitar on which Joseph Mohr accompanied the song for the first time in 1818. Autographs of this composition and diaries can also be discovered here.

Find out all about the creation and distribution of this Christmas carol and learn interesting details about the life of the composer Franz Xaver Gruber! In his home in Hallein.

Silent Night Museum Hallein
Gruberplatz 1
5400 Hallein
Telephone: +43 6245 80783-30
E-mail: stillenachtmuseum@hallein.gv.at

Franz Xaver Gruber was a teacher, sacristan and organist in neighbouring Arnsdorf. In 1816, he also took over as organist in Oberndorf, where he met Joseph Mohr. Together they created a legend at Christmas time in 1818: The song ‘Silent Night! Holy Night!’. Joseph Mohr wrote the lyrics and Gruber composed the melody for two solo voices and choir with guitar accompaniment. The song was finally performed for the first time during the Christmas mass in St Nicholas‘ Church in Oberndorf.

Silent Night Museum Arnsdorf
Silent Night Square 1
5112 Lamprechtshausen/Arnsdorf
Telephone: +43 6274 6202
E-mail: office@stillenachtarnsdorf.at