Uploaded December 2024 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
One of the season's most-loved carols, "Silent Night," was first performed on Christmas Eve in 1818, in the village church of Salzburg, Austria.
According to legend, Joseph Mohr, a priest, went out one Christmas night to bless a newborn baby. As he walked home, he was so moved by the stillness of the starlit, holy night that he wrote a poem about it. He later gave the poem to Franz Gruber, his church organist, who quickly composed a tune.
The popularity of their song could almost be termed miraculous. After all, a modest curate wrote the words and a musician hardly known outside his own province composed the music. However, from a small Austrian village, the powerful message of heavenly peace has crossed all borders and language barriers, conquering the hearts of Christmas-celebrating people everywhere.
Visit ricksteves.com for more information about this destination and other destinations in Europe.
*Check out more Rick Steves’ Europe travel resources:*
• “Rick Steves’ Europe” public television series: ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/video/tv-show
• “Travel with Rick Steves” public radio program: ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/audio/radio
• European tours: ricksteves.com/tours
• Guidebooks: store.ricksteves.com/shop/guidebooks
• Travel gear: store.ricksteves.com/shop
• Travel classes: ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/video/travel-talks
• Rick Steves Audio Europe app: ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/audio/audio-europe
Rick Steves, America's most respected authority on European travel, writes European travel guidebooks, and hosts travel shows on public television and public radio.
One of the season's most-loved carols, "Silent Night," was first performed on Christmas Eve in 1818, in the village church of Salzburg, Austria.
According to legend, Joseph Mohr, a priest, went out one Christmas night to bless a newborn baby. As he walked home, he was so moved by the stillness of the starlit, holy night that he wrote a poem about it. He later gave the poem to Franz Gruber, his church organist, who quickly composed a tune.
The popularity of their song could almost be termed miraculous. After all, a modest curate wrote the words and a musician hardly known outside his own province composed the music. However, from a small Austrian village, the powerful message of heavenly peace has crossed all borders and language barriers, conquering the hearts of Christmas-celebrating people everywhere.
Visit ricksteves.com for more information about this destination and other destinations in Europe.
*Check out more Rick Steves’ Europe travel resources:*
• “Rick Steves’ Europe” public television series: ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/video/tv-show
• “Travel with Rick Steves” public radio program: ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/audio/radio
• European tours: ricksteves.com/tours
• Guidebooks: store.ricksteves.com/shop/guidebooks
• Travel gear: store.ricksteves.com/shop
• Travel classes: ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/video/travel-talks
• Rick Steves Audio Europe app: ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/audio/audio-europe
Rick Steves, America's most respected authority on European travel, writes European travel guidebooks, and hosts travel shows on public television and public radio.
