Salzburg Austria offers one of the most beautiful Baroque old towns in the world, surrounded by majestic Alps…and the place is also well-known as a major congress destination.
Salzburg is, in fact, the fourth biggest city in Austria, located by the Salzach river, which divides the city in two parts.
The city is surrounded by Austrian alps, of which the closest major peak is the 1,972 m (6,469 ft) tall Untersberg mountain (which you can visit using the Untersberg cable car lifts (www.untersberg.net/tourism_e.htm)
During the ancient Roman times, the city was known as Juvavum (which translates as “Seat of the Heavenly God“), and today, it lives up to its historical name, as it is considered one of the most beautiful cities in the world.
Salzburg Austria is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country, and the place fills with tourists especially during the famous festival months every year.
Max Reinhardt portrayed Salzburg, which has given the world such people as Georg Traklin and Stefan Zweig, with the words: “the entire city is a stage“. His words were a reference to how the city is, at the same time, a center for…
- arts and intellectualism,
- Baroque and cafe culture, as well as
- Mozart and powerful Archbishops.
Salzburg Austria is also a giant among the world’s congress cities, offering, in addition to a modern conference center (www.salzburgcongress.at), also several conference hotels, such as:
- Josef Brunauer (www.josef-brunauer.at), and
- Renaissance Salzburg (www.renaissancesalzburg.com).
Romantic Salzburg old town is located at a very compact area, between Mönchsberg and Festungsberg hills, offering a wonderful cavalcade of…
- church towers,
- fortress walls,
- narrow streets,
- Baroque courtyards,
- green mountainsides, and (on a clear weather),
- a wonderful backdrop provided by the Austrian alps.
The city’s newer side, where the Salzburg main train station is located, is located on the eastern banks of Salzach river.
Highlights on the newer side include Mirabell palace (and its gardens) and Linzergasse, a popular shopping street that resembles more of the old town in terms of architecture.
Over the years, Salzburg has developed a very good industry serving the tourists that come here.
For example, you can participate in guided walking tours (www.salzburg-guide.at) to the city’s attractions. These tours depart daily from Mozartplatz, from the Salzburg Information Center.
You can also arrange tours to the neighboring areas, such as the Eagle’s Nest, using, for example, Panorama Tours (www.panoramatours.com), a local travel agency.
PHOTO: Salzburg old town, as seen from Hohensalzburg fortress.
PHOTO: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg, and he lived here from 1756-1781, before moving to Vienna. The city has remembered the master composer in several ways…as you can find in Salzburg, for example, (pictured) Mozart monument, W.A. Mozart airport, Mozarteum Art University, and stores selling famous Mozartkugel chocolates, which were developed here in 1890 (and which you can still purchase, made with the original recipe, from Fürst chocolate shop, at Brodgasse 13).
PHOTO: Salzburg was historically ruled by the regions Prince-Archbishops, from whose reign still remain most of the major tourist attractions, such as the pictured Alte Residenz administrative palace.
PHOTO: Salzburg is full of magnificent churches, including Franziskanerkirche and Dreifaltigheitskirche, but the most famous and most impressive of the churches is the babtism church of Mozart, Cathedral of Salzburg, pictured.
PHOTO: One of the major tourist attractions in Salzburg is the towering Medieval fortress above the city, Festung Hohensalzburg, located on top of Festungsberg.
PHOTO: Salzburg offers a wide variety of opportunities for shopping, ranging from modern Europark shopping center (www.europark.at) to the traditional shopping streets within the old town, including the pictured Getreidegasse.
Salzburg Austria
Table of Contents
Salzburg attractions include Festung Hohensalzburg, Cathedral of Salzburg, Getreidegasse shopping street, Mirabell and Hellbrunn palaces, and Eagle’s Nest.
Salzburg fortress (Festung Hohensalzburg) is a Medieval and Baroque style fortress, one of the best preserved of its kind in Europe, in fact, and the most famous symbol of the city.
Salzburg Altstadt (old town) is located on the left bank of Salzach river, between Mönchsberg and Festungsberg, and contains most of the top tourist attractions in the city, all within a compact area.
Hellbrunn palace in Salzburg, from 1619, is best known for its gardens and the palace fountains.
Salzburg cathedral is a Baroque style Roman Catholic church, and it also known for being Mozart’s place of baptism.
Salzburg Modern Art Museum is located at a wonderful place on top of Mönchsberg, and provides a cavalcade of post-WWII modern and contemporary art.
Neue residenz is an administrative palace of Salzburg’s historical Archbishop rulers, a “Palazzo Nuovo”, opposite Alte Residenz.
Alte Residenz in Salzburg is a historical residential palace of the Salzburg archbishops, located within the city’s old town.
Roman Catholic Franziskanerkirche in Salzburg is one of the city’s oldest churches, with one of the interesting things about the church being that it contains highlights in many architecture styles.
A look into the best Salzburg shopping places in the old town and shopping centers around the city.
Tourist attractions for Mozart in Salzburg include the composer’s birthplace, Mozart’s residence, Mozart memorial, as well as the “Mozartkugeln” chocolate shop, using the original recipe from 1890.
Stiftskirche St Peter in Salzburg is a church originally established by Saint Rupert, and it is best known for its richly decorated interiors.
The Baroque Mirabell palace and its gardens in Salzburg, are the most popular tourist attraction within the new town side of the city.
Dreifaltigkeitskirche in Salzburg (Holy Trinity Church) was the first church designed by Baroque architect J. B. Fischer von Erlach within Salzburg.
Pferdeschwemme Salzburg is a historical court horses’ watering and washing place, a design by the Baroque master, Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach.