Salzburg
is one of the best tourist spots in Europe. Wintry mountains, golden baroque
architecture, jubilant festivals, winding rivers and enigmatic charm, this
is how people define Salzburg. Crowned as the fourth largest city of
Austria, the 'old town' of Salzburg was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage
Site in 1997. Come, fall in love with the snow, the holiday music and of
course the Christmas markets of enthralling world of Salzburg. A trip to
Salzburg is loved by millions of visitors from all over the world. Salzburg
is holiday destination of Austria, equaly popular in summers as well as in
winters.Salzburg is also recognized on the world stage as the birth place of Mozart, an episode of music in Europe. Salzburg travel is the fun fiesta for wander lusters from all over the world. Not only tourists, but students are also attracted to city of Salzburg having three major universities. Salzburg is often called as “Rome of North” because of its beautifully built churches. Enthralling natural beauty of Salzburg is able to make visitors sleepless. Travelling Salzburg is an ultimate experience in itself as it is one of the baroque jewels of Austria.
Facts and Figures
| State | Salzburg |
| Location | 47°48N 13°02E |
| Area | 65.678 km² |
| Altitude | 424 m above sea level |
| Population | 150,269 ( 01.01.2007) |
| Density | 2,288 /km² |
| Area Calling Code | +43-0662 |
Salzburg hosts an array of tourist attractions. Prominent among these are as follows:
» Hohensalzburg
One of the largest castles of Europe, Hohensalzburg was built in 1077 by Archbishop Gebhard von Helffenstein. Presents an awesome view of the city as it is 400 feet over the river. Till 19th century used as barracks, storage house and cell, castle was refurbished in late 20th century. Today it is crowned as the best preserved castles in Europe and an important historical monument.
» Schloss Hellbrunn
Mechanical theater and Schloss Mirabell are worth enjoying here in pleasant afternoons. This beautiful castle with splendid gardens is located next to the Salzach river and the Mozarteum University of Music and Arts."Garden of Dwarves" and Garden of Roses are centers of attraction in the castle. Raffael Donner with marble stairs, is one of the mesmeric wedding halls in the Schloss Hellbrunn.
» Mozart-Wohnhaus (Mozart’s House)
Mozart’s fan’s can pay an adorable visit to the famous composer’s birth place and childhood house, now a famous museum. Attributed to Mozart and his family, museum conserves their memorabilia and letters. Mozart's childhood violin, his concert violin, his clavichord, the pianoforte, portraits are some worth seeing assets of the museum.
» Festival Hall
Built in 1956-1960, large festival hall is used for operas and festive concerts. With capacity to accommodate 2,177 audiences it has an excellent stage view. The Small Festival Hall has 1,324 seats and standing room for 60. It was temporarily built in 1924 and underwent numerous architectural changes - last adapted by Hans Hoffman and Erich Engels. Famous fresco painted by Anton Faistauer is the cardinal attraction of the entrance hall.
Museums and Cathedrals
» Museum of Natural History (Haus Der Natur)
Natural history collection, aquarium, reptile collection, outer-space show are the special attractions of Salzburg's famous museum. Museum has a wide range of exhibitions.
» Catherdral Museum
Baroque rooms with magnificent decor, including medieval sculptures, embellished paintings and goldsmith's art from the cathedral treasure are on display in the Cathedral museum. Precious jewel-studded monstrance and the ancient Eucharistic dove are special features of the museum. Art and Rarities Collection is one of the Museum's special display. Besides these permanent attractions the museum also has regular exhibitions to display the natural history objects like fossils, gems and carved ivory.
» Castle of Mirable and Mirabellgarte
Castle of Mirabell with its wide gardens full of flowers is a worth seeing attraction in Salzburg. Noticed for the "Garden of Dwarves" and the "Garden of Roses". Located right to the Salzach river and the Mozarteum University of Music and Art, this splendid castle with marvelous gardens was built by, an archbishop Wolf Dietrich for his courtesan. Marble Hall , inside the castle is one of the world's beautiful wedding halls. The Hall also serves as an elegant venue for conferences, awards ceremonies and exquisite concerts (Salzburg Palace Concerts).
» The St. Peter Cemetery
St Peters Abbey is one of the most charming cemeteries of the world. Completely overhauled in 17th - 18th century with an elegant embellished architecture. Church is known for its art treasures,altar paintings by Kremlin Schmidt. Church is often considered as one of Salzburg's most impressive Rococo buildings. Catacombs here are famous worldwide.
» OpeninKollegienkirche (Collegiate Church)
Great baroque architect, Fischer von Erlach, designed this largest and most beautiful church in all of Austria. Altar paintings by J.M. Rottmay, unique convex facade rising to a sweeping diadem of towers, are worth seeing here.
Shopping
While Salzburg doesn't have Vienna's wide range of merchandise, there's still plenty of shopping here. Good buys in Salzburg include souvenirs of Land Salzburg (dirndls, lederhosen, and petit point) and all types of sports gear. Getreidegasse is a main shopping thoroughfare, but you'll also find some intriguing little shops on Residenzplatz.
Most stores are open Monday through Friday from 9am to 6pm, but note that many stores, especially smaller shops, take 1- or 2-hour break for lunch. On weekends, stores are generally open only Saturday mornings.