One Of The Oldest Bakeries In The World Is Still Making Treats Over 700 Years After Its Founding

If you jumped on the sourdough craze recently, you may have been lucky enough to get a starter with some history, but no one can say that they've been baking sourdough longer than the Stiftsbäckerei St. Peter. The bakery located in Salzburg, Austria has been baking loaves of sourdough for over 700 years. 

The first written records of the bakery date back to 1160. Though the monks at St. Peter's Abbey likely already made bread, the construction of a waterway in the 12th century made it possible to power a water wheel used to fuel its grain mill. From the beginning the bread was baked in a wood-fired oven, and not much has changed much at Salzburg's oldest bakery over the years.

Today, the bakery is operated by master miller and baker, Franz Grabmer, who comes from a long line of millers. The grain is sourced from an organic farmer in the Waldviertel region and milled using their hydro-electric powered mill that's still operated using water from the Alm canal. They collect wood for their traditional oven from the forest surrounding the monastery. All this work is for good reason — their fresh-baked sourdough bread is renowned worldwide.

The historic bakery offers Vintschgerl (a rustic sourdough flatbread), spice rolls, brioche, and plaited yeast buns. The bakery opens nearly every day at 7:00 a.m. and always draws a crowd — but waiting in line is part of the experience.

While many tourists seek out Salzburg's signature dessert, foodie visitors to the city won't want to miss a stop at Stiftsbäckerei St. Peter. Located near the Kapitelplatz and next door to St. Peter's Cemetery, it's in the heart of Salzburg's most walkable historic district. It's likely you'll smell baking bread wafting through the air before you get to the bakery itself.

The bakery has hundreds of rave reviews from visitors who are wowed after having the chance to see the traditional bread making process first hand. People love that they can get up close and personal with the bakery, exploring the building's historic vaults and touring where each step takes place. One reviewer on Google said "Hands down the most memorable bread I had in Salzburg. Stiftsbäckerei St. Peter uses a traditional wood-fired oven, and you can really taste the difference — crispy crust, soft inside, and full of flavor. Yes, there's usually a line, but it's absolutely worth the wait. You can truly taste the history and craftsmanship. Highly recommended!"

If you're traveling to Salzburg, be sure to put the Stiftsbäckerei St. Peter on your itinerary. If you don't have plans to go to the Alps anytime soon, don't despair — there are plenty of historic bakeries in the United States to visit.