Old Cathedral, Linz 2.37

The Old Cathedral, also called the Church of Ignatius or the Jesuit Church is a church in Linz, Austria. It was built between 1669 and 1683 in Baroque style. From 1785 to 1909 it served as cathedral of the Diocese of Linz.HistoryThe Jesuits built the church between 1669 and 1683 following plans by Pietro Francesco Carlone. It was erected near the former Jesuits' College at the south end of the Hauptplatz. The church was originally called the Church of Ignatius (Ignatiuskirche). and was dedicated to Saint Ignatius of Loyola, who founded the Jesuit Order.The Jesuit Order was dissolved in 1773 by Pope Clement XIII. The Diocese of Linz and St. Pölten von Passau was effectively founded in 1783 by a decree of the Emperor Joseph II (1741–90) without advance approval from Rome. The emperor appointed the bishop and designated the former Jesuit church as the cathedral. The diocese was officially established by a papal certificate of 28 January 1785.The first bishop was Ernest Johann Nepomuk, Imperial Count von Herberstein, enthroned on 1 May 1785. He died on 17 March 1788. Joseph Anton Gall was bishop from 1788 to 1807. Bishop Gregorius Thomas Ziegler (1827–52) led an era during which the church was restored. In 1841 Rome confirmed the church as the cathedral of the diocese. Bishop Franz-Josef Rudigier laid the foundation stone of the New Cathedral in 1862. In 1909 the function of cathedral was transferred from the Ignatius church to the new building. The Jesuits returned in 1909. The new cathedral was consecrated on 29 April 1924.