Oberndorf near Salzburg
Enjoy an excursion to Oberndorf
The legendary story about the origin of the world’s most famous Christmas song starts right here at the Silent Night Chapel, the “Stille Nacht Kapelle” in Oberndorf near Salzburg.
It was the 24th December in 1818 when the former assistant preacher Joseph Mohr handed out a poem to the teacher and organist Franz Xaver Gruber and asked him to find a nice melody to go with it. Joseph Mohr had probably already written the text in 1816 in Mariapfarr, Lungau. The premiere of “Silent night, holy night” was held without much ado in the Silent Night Chapel in Oberndorf and the song was not very popular during the lifetimes of Gruber and Mohr.
From Salzburg on to the whole world
The song “Silent night, holy night” was originally spread to Joseph Mohr and Franz Xaver Gruber’s different places of work. As an assistant preacher Joseph Mohr had been to several places in Salzburgerland. It wasn’t until 1866 that the Christmas song was registered in a hymnbook.
The interactive Silent Night Chapel
To take a virtual tour around the picturesque Silent Night Chapel you don’t have to go to Oberndorf. Since 2002 a live webcam has broadcast pictures from within the chapel on a twenty-four-seven basis. An excursion to the Silent Night Chapel is still worth the visit though.
An arrival map as well as useful tips for the excursion to Oberndorf is available at the reception at the Gmachl Hotel. You can easily get to Oberndorf by train. Take a look at our package deal and spend your holiday at the Gmachl Hotel near Salzburg and Oberndorf. Just send us your no-obligation holiday enquiry.
