The Old Cathedral — or Alter Dom, also known as the Church of Ignatius — is a Baroque Jesuit church that served as the cathedral of the Diocese of Linz until the New Cathedral was completed in the early twentieth century. It is a smaller and more intimate space than its successor, with a Baroque interior of considerable refinement: stucco ceilings, a pair of side chapels, and a fine organ in the west gallery.
The church's chief historical claim is as the workplace of Anton Bruckner, Austria's great symphonic composer, who served as court organist here for twelve years. A plaque marks his connection. The organ is still regularly used for concerts and services. The exterior of the church, on a narrow street in the Old Town quarter, gives nothing away — the Baroque facade is relatively restrained. Inside, the proportions are elegant and the light is good.