Salzburg is often called the “Rome of the North” because of its Italianate architecture. The Cathedral and its Residenzplatz form Salzburg’s “Vatican.” For more than 1,000 years, the city maintained its status as an independent state within the Holy Roman Empire under the command of a Prince-Archbishop, who held both political and religious power. This Baroque cathedral (1628) replaced an older Medieval structure and was built in just 14 short years. (The fountain in front holds a statue of Mary, under wraps for the winter.)