Salzburg
Salzburg is the capital of the state of Salzburg in Austria and is the fourth largest city in the country. This city is the birthplace of Mozart and is famous as the location of where the movie, The Sound of Music was filmed. Salzburg covers an area of twenty five square miles and is fourteen hundred feet above sea level. The population of the city exceeds one hundred and fifty thousand people. Salzburg is located on the Salzach River, just north of the Alps. Its ‘Old Town’ or Altstadt is filled with Baroque style churches and towers. Surrounding the city are two other mountains, the Mönchsberg and Kapuzinerberg. Salzbrg lies west of Vienna, east of Munich and northwest of Ljubljana. The area where Salzburg is now located has remnants of human settlements dating all the way back to the Neolithic Age. These settlements were originated by the Celtic people. Around 15 BC, two different settlements were combined into one by the Roman Empire. The Romans named the city Juvavum and in 45 AD it became a municipum.
For many years the city was an important trade hub for the Romans, but after the collapse of the Norican frontier, the city would begin a rapid rate of deterioration. It continued this downward spiral, until the seventh century when the city was nearly in ruins. The decline of the city was quickly reversed when Saint Rubert became bishop. He choose the river for his basilica and ordained priest from the city. He would then go on to rename the city Salzburg. A name which means ‘salt castle’. It was named this because of the many barges carrying salt down the Salzach River. Salzburg’s main economy is tourism. This city is so popular with tourist, they often outnumber the residents by a ratio of two to one. And its no wonder. The city is beautiful with its magnificent Baroque buildings, hotels and restaurants. And its a city that is steeped in culture and history. In 1996, the entire city was named a World Heritage Site. A popular attraction in Salzburg is the Salzburg Cathedral.
The Salzburg Cathedral is a seventeenth century Roman Catholic cathedral built in the Baroque architectural style. This church is four hundred and sixty-six feet long and one hundred and nine feet high at the dome. Another popular attraction in the city is Hohensalzburg Castle. Hohensalzburg Castle is located on Festungsberg hill and construction began on it in the eleventh century. When it was started, the original design was just a bailey and a wooden wall. But, thanks to the Archbishops of the region the church was constantly expanded and added on to over the centuries. During 1462, Burkhard II would make expansive improvements to the castle by the addition of walls and towers. During the sixteenth century a group of townspeople tried to overthrow Prince Archbishop Cardinal Matthäus Lang by attacking Hohensalzburg Castle. The attack was quickly thwarted, however. The castle continued to be added to and gatehouses and gunpowder stores were added during the Thirty Years War.
During the nineteenth century the castle changed jobs many times and was a depot, barracks and dungeon, before being abandoned as a fortification in 1861. The twentieth century brought even more rigorous renovations and features such as a cable car were added to it. The Nonnberg Abbey is an eighth century abbey founded by Saint Rupert. During the tenth century the abbey went through a period of continuas rebuilding. This lasted until the fifteenth century when the abbey was just about completely destroyed. It was once again rebuilt and in the seventeenth century it was enlarged by the addition of three chapels. The last renovation on the abbey would take place during the nineteenth century when it was given a more Baroque flavor. One of the most important tourist attractions in the city is St.Peter Cemetery. This cemetery has a catacomb and three chapels, Gertraunderkapelle, Maximuskapelle and Margarethenkapelle.
Many famous people are buried here and they include Maria Anna von Berchtold zu Sonnenburg, Michael Haydn, Andreas Nesselthaler, Santino Solari, Wolfgang Hagenauer, Johann Lorenz Hagenauer and Richard Mayr. Other cemetaries in Salzburg include Salzburger Kommunalfriedhof, Sebastiansfriedhof, Jüdischer Friedhof Salzburg, Friedhof Maxglan, Friedhof Aigen, Friedhof Gnigl, Friedhof Leopoldskron, Friedhof Morzg, Friedhof Liefering, A prominent tourist attraction in the city is the Schloss Leopoldskron. This Rococo palace is located on the lake Leopoldskroner Weiher. This palace was commissioned in 1736 by Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg Count Leopold Anton Eleutherius von Firmian. It went through several owners until it was finally bought by Max Reinhardt in 1918. By that time it was already in a state of repair and Max Reinhardt brought in various artisans to renovate the palace to its former glory. The restoration took over twenty years to complete. Reinhardt would go on to move to the United States when World War II broke out.
The property was seized by the Nazi’s. After the war the palace was returned to the Reinhardt estate. Other attractions in the city of Salzburg include Franziskanerchurch, Mozart’s Birthplace and residence, University Church, Siegmundstor, Palace of Mirabell, Hellbrunn, Anif Castle, the Basilika Maria Plain on the Calvary Hill, Salzburger Freilichtmuseum, Schloss Klessheim Palace, the Berghof, the Salzkammergut and Getreidegasse. The city is also home to many shops, restaurants and hotels where visitors can kick back and relax. Also the surrounding mountains offers visitors the chance for day hikes or picnics and also the chance to get a panoramic view of the entire city. After a visit here it will be crystal clear why this city is so popular with tourist. One of the best times to visit the city is during the summer months of July and August. This is when the Salzburg Festival is in full swing. This festival features food, music and drama and is a good way to get a taste of the immense culture and rich history of the city of Salzburg. |
