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a feel good travel blog

10 Historical Attractions You Can’t Miss in Salzburg, Austria

1/31/2019

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This history of Salzburg is quit a tale, one that dates back to the Neolithic era around the 5thCentury BC when the Celts arrived to make this their home. Eventually the Romans conquered Salzburg, which at the time was name Juvavum and belonged to the Kingdom of Noricum. St. Rupert, the “Founder of the City,” arrived in the 8thCentury, and built the basilica naming it ‘Salzburg.’ This translates to ‘Salt Castle’ and throughout the centuries, Salzburg has kept its name. There are countless historical sites to see and visit, but be sure to experience some of the most notable landmarks and places in the city. ​
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Mozart's Birthhouse
Mozart is the beloved son of Salzburg. Located at Getreidegasse 9 is the birth home of Mozart. Born on January 27, 1756 in the "Hagenauer Haus," this is where Mozart's family lived for 26 years on the third floor. In 1773, the family moved the "Mozart Residence" in Marketplatz Square. His birth home became a museum in 1880 thanks to the International Mozarteum Foundation. The museum is open to the public showcasing original rooms, with the furnishings remaining as authentic as possible. Walking tours are also available.
 
Discover more about Mozart and his life in Salzburg on our recent blog, Exploring the Life of Mozart in Salzburg. 

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Getreidegasse + Goldgasse
Getreidegasse sits in the heart of Old Town and contains some of the oldest and original shops in Salzburg (that do not exist today).  House number 9 is Mozart’s birthplace. Many shops are higher end and / or corporate stores. 
 
Goldgasse is a small and narrow medieval lane that runs from Alter Markt Square to Residenplatz. The street features locally owned shops such as antique stores, bookshops and art galleries. Back in the day locals knew this by other names such as, Schlossergasse (locksmith lane), Milchgasse (milk lane) or Sporergasse (lane of the people who make horseback riding accessories).

Altes Rathaus – City Hall
This medieval four-story building was originally a burgher house. In 1407, the city council purchased the building to use as a court house.  The supposed “Golden Age” for the Rathaus occurred in the late Middle Ages and Reformation time period when civil-war like riots occurred known as Bauernkriege. At certain points in history, the Rathaus served as a night watch tower. Some claim the clock on the Rathaus is the oldest clockwork in Austria. 

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Hohensalzburg Castle
This medieval castle is a must-visit landmark in Salzburg. Not only are its roots ancient, but it features some of the best lookout points in the city. Archbishop Gebhard von Helfensteininitiated construction in 1077.  Structures originated during the Roman Empire, but further expansions occurred throughout the centuries under each ruler. Prince-Archbishop Leonhard von Keutschachexpanded the castle between 1495-1519. Notable points of interest include the bedchamber, the golden chamber and the Chapel of Archbishop Leonhard von Keutschach.

During World War I, the castle housed Italian prisoners of war. Today, it is a major tourist attraction and features a mountain-side view restaurant and scenic viewpoints overlooking the city.
  
Take the tram for a quick and easy way to reach the top. 

Nonnberg – Nunnery / Abbey
Founded between 713-715, this is the world’s oldest nunnery that’s existed without closures or interruptions. St. Rupert founded the nunnery, but his sister St. Erentrudis operated the facility. The nunnery is notable thanks to starring in the “Sound of Music.”  The nunnery has seen a few face lifts throughout the centuries to fire and damage, but it still contains a crypt with the tomb of St. Erentrudis.
 
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St. Peter's Church + Cemetery 
​This 7th Century Baroque church is one of the most beloved sites in Salzburg. Inside guests marvel at the striking Christian architecture. 
 
The cemetery is one of the most beautiful and oldest burial grounds in Europe. The grounds feature a beautiful array of flowers and decorative tombstones, for those who want to go out in style. Buried here are notable artists, scholars, merchants and locals such as Mozart’s sister, Nannerl. The cemetery also contains a Christian catacomb, which dates back to late antiquity. Found in the Mönchsberg, the entrance is adjacent to the Nannerl and Michael Haydn gravestones. After walking 48 steps is the 1178 “Gertrauden Chapel” and the next 36 steps is the “Maximus Chapel.” The cemetery and catacombs were the backdrop to the Sound of Music movie. 
 
Mozart and Haydn both have close ties with the church.  This is where the first performance of Mozart C Minor Mass took place on October 26, 1783. Still to this day, the performance takes place here during the Salzburg Festival. 

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Salzburg Cathedral
This early Baroque Cathedral is Salzburg’s most prized possession. A crypt is onsite that shows the remains of the two earlier churches built in 774 and later rebuilt in 1167. 
 
Like many Salzburg locals, the Cathedral is the place of worship that baptized Mozart and Joseph Mohr, the man who wrote “Silent Night.” The baptismal font located on the left upon entry is where his actual baptism took place. Located in the center of Salzburg, the church dates back to 774, and one of the oldest buildings in the city.

Café Tomaselli
This is Austria’s oldest coffee house. Founded in 1700, this place is also popular because Mozart frequently visited the café. According to Tomaselli.it, “The French-born Johann Fontaine obtained trade law approval to sell chocolate, tea and coffee on the 31stof march in 1700. After Fontaine's death, the café with the vaulted ceiling changed hands several times. In 1753, Anton Staiger took over the establishment. After eleven years, in 1764, he succeeded in purchasing the prestigious building on today's Alter Markt, which Carl Tomaselli later bought in 1852.”

Cemetery of St. Sebastian + St. Sebastian Church
The cemetary of St. Sebastian displays remarkable tombstones of merchants and notable locals. Some of Mozart’s family members are buried here including Mozart’s father, Leopold, Wolfgang’s wife, Constanze, as well as her second husband, Georg Nikolaus.
 

Let's Connect!
​What's your favorite historical spot in Salzburg?
 

This Lemon Tree article is now featured on GPSmyCity.  To download this article for offline reading or travel directions to the attractions highlighted in this article, go to 10 Historical Attractions You Can’t Miss in Salzburg.
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Exploring the Life of Mozart in Salzburg, Austria

1/24/2019

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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is one of the world's most prolific musicians and composers. Birthed in the beautiful Baroque city of Salzburg, one cannot visit Salzburg without feeling or experiencing the importance of Mozart in this city. A true son of Salzburg, discover the most significant landmarks of, or dedicated to, Mozart. 
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Mozart's Birthhouse
Located at Getreidegasse 9 is the birth home of Mozart. Born on January 27, 1756 in the "Hagenauer Haus," this is where Mozart's family lived for 26 years on the third floor. In 1773, the family moved the "Mozart Residence" in Marketplatz Square. His birth home became a museum in 1880 thanks to the International Mozarteum Foundation. The museum is open to the public showcasing original rooms, with the furnishings remaining as authentic as possible. Walking tours are also available.

Be to also explore the Mozart Apartment Museum, which is where the Mozart family moved to when Wolfgang was a teenager. Here visitors see four original and historic keyboards, letters and a family portrait painted after Mozart's mother passed. 

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Mozartplatz + Mozart Monument
Mozartplatz Square is in the heart of historic Salzburg. The house number eight in the square is where Mozart's wife, Constanze Mozart-Nissen, once lived. Today, one notices the plaque on the facade reminding us of her birthplace. 

The focal point of the square is the bronze Mozart Monument, which was unveiled September 5, 1842.  Johann B. Stiglmayer created the statue and Bavaria's King Ludwig I, an admirer of Mozart, donated a marble plinth, which now resides in the Salzburg Museum. 
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"Neither a lofty degree of intelligence nor imagination nor both together go to the making of genius. Love, love, love, that is the soul of genius."
​-Mozart

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Enjoying Mozartkugeln + Mozart Torte
Mozartkugel is a small confectionary treat that is pistachio marzipan and nougat covered in dark chocolate. In 1890 a local Salzburg confectioner Paul Fürst created this treat and named it after Mozart. Discover the original tastes and flavors at 
Konditorei Fürst located at Brodgasse 13. 

Many cafes and shops throughout Salzburg sell Mozartkugeln and slices of Mozart cake. I recommend Cafe Glockenspiel or Cafe Tomaselli (Alter. Markt 9), a cafe that dates back to Mozart's time. Mozart was a frequent guest and there he drank almond milk. He noted about his cafe visitations in many of his letters. Today the Tomaselli family still operates the 150 year old cafe. 
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St. Peter's Church
​This 7th Century Baroque church is one of the most beloved sites in Salzburg. This is where the first performance of Mozart C Minor Mass took place on October 26, 1783. Still to this day, the performance takes place here during the Salzburg Festival. 
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Salzburg Cathedral
Like many Salzburg locals, the Cathedral is the place of worship that baptized Mozart. The baptismal font located on the left upon entry is where his actual baptism took place. Located in the center of Salzburg, the church dates back to 774, and one of the oldest buildings in the city.  

Little Magic Flute House
This small wooden summer house is where Mozart composed portions of "Magic Flute" K 620. Supposedly he procrastinated on finishing "Magic Flute" and 
impresario Emanuel Schikaneder took him here to finish the opera. In 1873, the former owner, Prince Starhemberg, donated the home to the Mozarteum Foundation. 

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Bibliotheca Mozartiana
Located at Schwarzstrasse 26, this extensive Mozart library contains more than 35,000 books about Mozart. Established in 1841, the library contains a broad selection of European culture and music titles. The online Mozart Bibliography contains writings from all over the world about Mozart, his life and his family. 

Let's Connect! 

This Lemon Tree article is now featured on GPSmyCity.  To download this article for offline reading or travel directions to the attractions highlighted in this article, go to Exploring the Life of Mozart in Salzburg, Austria.
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12 Detailed Pictures that Shows Austria's Classy Side

2/17/2016

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I walked through Salzburg noticing the fine details and class that this German-speaking culture exudes. From "five-star" graveyards to brezels delicately twisted by bakers to hand painted egg ornaments, Salzburg is as fine and beautiful up close as it is a far. Whether you want to experience medieval tombstones or modern-day coo-coo clocks, you'll find everything here with a touch of class hinted by detailed perfection. 
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The Salzburg Weinnachts Museum: Keeping Christmas (and Krampus) Alive since the 1800s

11/29/2015

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​Do you live, breathe and dream of Christmas? Do you dream of one day meeting Krampus? If so, when in Salzburg, visit the cute and quaint Weinnachts museum. Located in Mozartplatz, the museum features artifacts and handicrafts from the 1840-1940 era.
 
The exhibit features 11 themes that separate Christmas during the War years and self-contained areas to learn about the popular and devil-looking character, Krampus. What makes the museum special is that Ursa Kloiber collected the artifacts during a 40-year period.
 
You’ll discover everything from handwritten notes to Santa to 1800-style ornaments. Everything you see in modern day décor originated from historic treasures including cards, ornaments, mangers, cookware, games and more. I found it interesting how each era influenced the beauty and charm of Christmas decorations. I have to admit, I miss those authentic handmade gifts. Oh if we can only turn back time, right?
 
The most exciting aspect of the museum is Krampus. I’ve known about Krampus for a while, but Americans may not have heard about Krampus until an interview with Christoph Waltz on the Jimmy Fallon show.
 
Waltz mentioned that Krampus keeps the children in check and that Christmas also praises wisdom. And to that, I say “Willkommen Krampus” to teach modern day children about detaching from materialism. Krampus, the half goat half devil man, would take naughty children, place them in a bag and beat them around Christmas time. In the museum, you’ll see plenty of paintings and statues that show the best of this devil’s looks.
 
The museum also has a gift shop that sells Christmas items year round. If you are old-fashioned, I recommend buying the postcards that illustrate Christmas cards from 1890-1950. For Austria, the gift shop offers affordable and traditional German/Austrian artifacts including coned-incense Santa smokers to authentic Austrian Christmas cookbooks.
 
Attached to the museum is the Weinachts café that offers plenty of delicious cakes, coffees and teas. Compared to Germany, the café is more expensive. Two coffees cost approximately nine Euros.
 
For Christmas lovers and enthusiasts, the Salzburg Christmas museum displays the essence and class of Austrian culture and its history. It’s the perfect place to visit year round and to think, “let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.”
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Salzburg, Austria: A Place Where Class, Elegance and the Sound of Music Collide

11/11/2015

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Germany opened my eyes to many things. Austria opened my mind to classy things. As an American living in Germany, I exposed myself to the rooted culture of European living. I saw how Germans  nicely hand paint dish-ware and create to the most beautiful cakes.  After spending a couple days in Salzburg, Austria, they certainly exceed the chicness of any Germany speaking culture.    
 
Upon entering the Old Town corridors, I fell in love with the cuteness of the streets, shops and cafes. Situated alongside a cliff wall, visitors see a different type of European city. Meandering the streets, my eyes noticed how precise their artwork is. Every cuckoo clock was etched with care and every hand painted egg contained unanimous patterns that exuded the energy and time spent to creating something beautiful. 
 
Walking past certain venues, I knew at one time or another aristocrats schmoozed here once before. Salzburg, the birthplace of Mozart, has no shortage of memorials signifying the brilliance of this 1700s musician. From squares to museums, the beloved artist’s energy is still alive. For those who want to experience the Sound of Music can book the “hop on and hop off” bus to see the most significant sites used during the film. 
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My visit occurred during Oktoberfest season where locals dressed in their authentic lederhosen and dirndls to frolic the streets with their horse named Fritz. Smelling the lebkuchen and snacking on giant brezels, Salzburg keeps getting better. 

The intensity of their elegance ignited upon entering the St. Peter’s Cemetary and Catacombs. Never in my life did I see such a beautiful cemetery that triggered my photogenic eye. Bountiful amounts of flowers rested atop of gold-etched crosses and tombstones while gazing at the beautiful Cliffside surrounding. 
 
And the views kept getting prettier, atop of the Hohensalzburg castle that dominates the hill towering above Old Town. How beautiful. How serene. How Austrian. It was almost surreal that a place this nice still exists in the world. During the warmer months, get a bite to eat or drink at the panoramic view café. 
 
I recommend visiting the castle near sunset to end the day on a perfect high note – along with some Mozart kugeln.
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    Author

    Elizabeth Rae Kovar is a Fitness Trainer, Author of Finding Om, Presenter, Yogi, Vegan & lover of the World. View her portfolio at www.elizabethkovar.comor health-based blog at mindbodysoul-food.com

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