Salzburg, the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, is dominated by churches, castles and palaces. The picturesque old town is a UNESCO world heritage sight. Salzburg is dubbed the ’Rome of the North’ because of its many churches. It is a compact town easy to get around on foot.
Festung Hohensalzburg, the landmark of Salzburg, is Central Europe’s largest intact fortress and offers fantastic views of the city. Visit the Princely Residence, a magnificent early baroque edifice with splendid halls and a gallery featuring European paintings dating between the 16th and 19th century. The nearby vast Salzburg Dom is without doubt the main attraction of the old town. Inside there is the Romanesque font where Mozart was baptized.
Take time out to visit Mozarts Geburtshaus, the place where the genial composer was born on January 27, 1756. The house is located in Getreidegasse, Salzburg’s most attractive and most visited shopping street with its high and narrow houses and romantic courtyards. Another highlight is Schloss Mirabell with its splendid gardens built by the baroque master builder Lukas von Hildebrandt.
At the foot of Mönchsberg you will find the so-called Festival District with the two famous festival halls (architect: Clemens Holzmeister; 1956-1960) and the Felsenreitschule, a baroque masterpiece designed by Fischer von Erlach in 1693. South of the center of Salzburg’s old town is the popular Schloss Hellbrunn with the world-famous Wasserspiele section containing many ingenious trick fountains and water-powered figures. Some 4000 cultural events combine to make Salzburg one of the most important cultural metropolises. The acclaimed Salzburger Festspiele, founded in 1920, is the high point in Salzburg’s culture calendar and includes concerts, opera and theater performances.
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