james_tesol_teacher Travels while teaching English in Europe

Salzburg, at the northern edge of the Alps, is a captivating city that has so much to offer visitors. It conjures up wonderful images: Mozart, the lushness of green meadows and blue sky, the mountains off in the distance, beautiful architecture, history, Americans in love with “The Sound of Music” and the art of fine living Austrian style.

 Although the bombs of World War II destroyed much of the “new” part of the city, Salzburg’s old town missed the destruction that many major city centers throughout Europe experienced. Because of this, Salzburg is noted for being one of the best preserved Baroque cities in Europe. In addition to Baroque architecture, Salzburg is home to the largest intact medieval fortress in Europe – still very imposing perched on a hill overlooking the historic city center. The city, especially the historic city center, is compact and except for a few sites can easily be navigated on foot. The public buses are a convenient way to travel from the train station to hotels near the old town as well as to outlying sites.

 I spent a week in Salzburg during the summer which is a very busy time to visit Salzburg. According to Rick Steves, about 8 million people visit Salzburg each year, making it one of the most popular destinations in Europe. Most of those visitors arrive during the summer months. And indeed there were major crowds in the old town. Still, the bright greens of the meadows and trees along with the stunning blue sky and the foothills of the Alps made it an enchanting time to visit as well. And when I left the historic center, there were few tourists to dodge as I explored the Salzburg that is home to the locals. Taking a stroll along the scenic Salzach River (there is a pedestrian walkway on either side) was a delight as well as a convenient way to walk to other parts of the city (and the Augustine brewery for a beer and inexpensive meal). With the Salzburg card, I was able to gain admission to most of the important sites.

 Salzburg can be an expensive city. But with the Salzburg card, public transportation and supermarkets offering many items for a picnic (Billa and Spar are both located in the heavily touristed old city), it didn’t break the bank. A laundromat within a few yards of a major bus stop made it inexpensive and easy to wash my clothes before heading off to my next destination. I ate a couple of meals at the Augustinian Brewery, an inexpensive buffet style option patronized by locals that is about a 15 minute walk along the Salzach river from the old town.

 I referenced several sources before travelling to Vienna, including: Rick Steves’ Vienna-Salzburg & Tirol, Frommer’s Europe, Rough Guide’s Europe on a Budget, Lonely Planet-Europe on a Shoestring, Europe by Eurail and Let’s Go Europe (all books), as well as Rick Steves’ Europe PBS Television Show (available on DVD) and Dennis Callan on YouTube. Even though I enjoyed all of them, I found Rick Steves’ material the most informative and thorough with the bonus of offering many tips and “off the beaten path” options.  

 The information below is a summary of the sites and activities I enjoyed while I was in Salzburg. Most of the sites below are in the Old Town. Because my pictures were taken with an inexpensive Nikon camera, some of the pictures in this blog were obtained from WikiMediaCommons at www.commons.wikimedia.org; where I used their pictures, I have cited the author.

Sites in the Old Town

• Mozartplatz – Located near the Tourist Information Office along the banks of the Salzach River. A statue of Mozart adorns the square named after Salzburg’s most famous resident.

• Residentzplatz – A square surrounded by some of Salzburg’s most famous landmarks. First laid out by Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg Wolf Dietrich Raitenau in the late 16th century. This is near Mozartplatz and in the heart of the Old Town.

1. 1. Old (Alte) Residenz – Residences of royals, this building dates back to the 12^th century. Prince-Archbishop (both the top secular and religious official) Wolf Dietrich remodeled this existing medieval residence in the 16^th century; it was originally built in the 15^th century. It was later given a Baroque façade at the end of the 16^th century. Magnificent interior, although compared to the huge Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna, this royal residence is rather modest - - having only about 180 rooms.
   2. Neue (New) Residenz – Prince-Archbishop Wolf Dietrich seems to have tired of the Old Palace, so he had a new one constructed in the early 17th century. The famous glockenspiel sits atop this building, and the Salzburg Museum is housed in the building.
   3. Residenz Fountain - Largest and finest Baroque fountain this side of the Alps according to Frommers. The fountain was modeled after Bernini’s “Triton Fountain” in Rome.

• Salzburg Cathedral – This magnificent Baroque church was built in the 17th century as a Catholic church at the request of Prince-Archbishop Wolf Dietrich. Although much of Europe was embroiled in the war between the Catholics and the Protestants (the “30 Years War”), Salzburg stayed out of the War; perhaps Salzburg was testifying to the belief that it is better to be enjoying peaceful prosperity. I attended the wonderful “musical mass” at 10:00 on Sunday.
• St Peter’s Church or Abbey – Reputed to be one of the oldest monasteries in this area of Europe, it dates back to the 12^th century. Mozart was said to have premiered his Great Mass in C Minor in this church. His sister’s tomb is in the church. It has a Romanesque exterior with a Rococo interior.
• St. Peter’s Cemetery – Adjacent to the Church, this is a lovely, peaceful spot with beautiful mini-gardens surrounding the gravesites. 
• Salzburg Fortress (Hohensalzburg Fortress or Festung) – This imposing fortress sits high up on a hill overlooking the old town. It is one of the largest fortresses in Europe (and I believe it is the largest intact fortress in Europe). Its history dates back to the 11th century. There is a funicular that will effortlessly take you to the top for stunning views of Salzburg and the surrounding area. I chose to walk up the long steep hill. Since the town was supposed to gather here in the event of a siege, there are many buildings within the complex. In fact, Prince-Archbishop Wolf Dietrich spent his last days in the prison here after resigning his post.
• Alm River Canal Exhibit and Waterwheel – The water system, dating back to the 12^th century is described in this interesting exhibit. The river was divided into five smaller streams for use by businesses, government and citizens. The exhibit is near St. Peter’s Church at the base of the funicular.
• Getreidegasse Street (Grain Lane) – This is one of Salzburg’s busiest streets, and one of its loveliest. Shopping here can be very expensive, so just enjoying the surroundings may be the best activity. Before the majority of Salzburg’s citizens could read, shop keepers had metal signs displaying the goods sold inside the store. These signs are still used today. Mozart was born on this street at #9.
• Mozart’s birthplace (Mozart Gerburtshaus) – Mozart was born here at 9 Getreidegasse (Grain Lane) on the third floor in 1756. It contains artifacts related to his life including a violin and clavichord. The house was built in the 12th. It is quite crowded but a thrill to have been in the house that Mozart spent his childhood until 1773.
• Siemens Opera Concert on the Square – Hundreds of people enjoy a concert on the giant screen and excellent sound system on each summer evening. Local eateries set up tents and tables to serve food and drinks to the hungry patrons. Although not as grand as the Concerts at City Hall in Vienna, I enjoyed the opera and conversation with an Austrian family visiting Salzburg from Vienna.
• Mönchsberg Mountain and Walk – This small (1700 foot) mountain offers panoramic views of Salzburg. I began my walk at the entrance to the walkway near the Augustinian Brewery. The path ends near the Fortress (or you can begin at the foot of the fortress and end up by the Augustinian Brewery). Even though there was a slight drizzle on the day of my walk, it was very enjoyable and the views from the path were spectacular. There are many historical structures (and a few houses), as well as the Museum of Modern Art on the mountain. Allowing for stops along the way, the walk took me about 45 minutes.
• Nonnberg Church and Abbey (Stiftskirche Nonnberg)  - This may look familiar to those who have watched “The Sound of Music” as the place where the children look for Maria through the gate after she returns to the abbey. More importantly, this is reputed to be the oldest continuously operating convent in the German speaking world dating back to the 8^th century (the current building dates back to the late 15^th century). Just below the abbey is a small park with a couple of benches that provide an excellent spot for enjoying a picnic lunch and listening to the birds under the shade of trees.

Mirabell Gardens and Palace – The palace and gardens, located outside the “old town”, were built in the early 17^th century at the request of Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg Wolf Dietrich Raitenau as a home for his mistress. The gardens are spectacular, and there are many interesting sculptures, including a pair of frequently photographed unicorns. The Pegasus statue is the setting for one of the scenes in “The Sound of Music”. Currently, the palace houses many city government offices.

Mozart’s Residence (Mozart Wohnhaus) – This is the home that Mozart lived in with his family after leaving his “birth house” until he moved to Vienna. The home is located across the Salzach River in the “New Town”. As it was much larger than his birth house, it allowed the family (especially Wolfgang and his sister Nannerl) to entertain distinguished guests. A lot of time on the audio guide and space in the museum is devoted to how much we do not know about Mozart’s actual appearance as demonstrated by the many portraits. Still, it is worthwhile to have stepped foot into one of the houses where Mozart lived.

Hellbrunn Palace and Gardens (Schloss Hellbrunn) and Gardens – I thought this to be one of the loveliest places in Salzburg. The gardens are lush, colorful, large and full of tourists and locals enjoying the peaceful sights and sounds of nature. Built in the early 17^th century, the magnificent palace was designed as an escape for the prince-archbishop during summer days (at night, he would return to the city center). I guess royalty and church leaders lived pretty well in Salzburg. The “trick fountains” were fun to watch (and feel), but the highlight for me was the beautiful grounds and Baroque garden. The gazebo on the grounds is where Liesl sang “16 going on 17” in The Sound of Music. I took bus #25 from the city to arrive here (it stops right around the corner from the entrance). You can also walk from the Old Town; I believe it will take 30 – 45 minutes.

Augustinian Brewery and Beer Garden (Augustiner Bräustuberl) – I went here for meals and a beer a couple of evenings. The food and beer is cheap and tasty. It can be very crowded during the summer, as it was on one evening when I was here. You can choose your food from the many food venders who have market-like booths. I ate outside under the trees, but you can also eat in one of the 2 large dining halls inside. It is about a 15 minute walk from Mozartplatz in the Old Town; look for the Augustinian Church along the river, climb the stairs from the street, take a quick right at the top of the stairs, and the entrance is on your left.

Salzach River – The River divides the city in two, with the Old Town on the south and the New Town on the north.  There is a pedestrian walkway on both sides of the river. I walked along the river on several occasions, both to enjoy the scenery and to get to destinations around the river. There are beautiful views of the city from either side.

Untersberg Mountain – The best views of Salzburg and the surrounding countryside can be yours from the 5,000 foot Untersburg Mountain, located on the outskirts of Salzburg. I took the cable car up to the summit, but there are hiking trails if you have time. As you travel up the mountain by cable car, don’t think about the enormous span of 1 mile between the station and the first tower, nor the 900 foot drop to the ground at one point. Public transportation will take you to the mountain (bus #25, the same one that took me to Hellbrunn Palace). 

Sound of Music Tour –I purchased the Sound of Music tour from “Bob’s Tour”. This was a great way to see sites scattered around Salzburg. The tour guide (Rosemary) was excellent, providing historical commentary, stopping at many interesting sites that were in the film, and providing us the opportunity to see the spectacular country-side on a beautiful late summer day.

Salzburg was a delight to visit in late summer. A feast for the senses, it was vibrant with the sounds of music, aromas of the various food stalls, and beauty of the architecture, meadows and the surrounding mountains and hills. Salzburg’s Old Town is one of the best preserved city centers north of the Alps. The crowds in the old town can be a bit challenging, but away from the old town there are many delights that can be enjoyed without worrying about the crush of tourists. The banks of the Salzach River are great for a stroll, and provide a quick orientation to your location.