SALZBURG
Birthplace of Mozart
Nestled in the northern range of the Alps on the banks of the Salzach River, Salzburg is one of the most well preserved cities in Europe. And with less than 150,000 inhabitants, it is a mini metropolis with a gigantic reputation. Salzburg is the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the setting for the Sound of Music and home to some of the finest baroque architecture found anywhere. The landscape of the city is dominated by the Fortress Hohensalzburg with the Gardens of Mirabell Palace and the Salzburg Cathedral carved out on either side of the river. Stroll down the historic Getreidegasse with the sounds of live classical music soothing you as you wind your way in and out of the old town boutiques. Sip your coffee at Café Tomaselli, the oldest coffeehouse in Austria. Or dine in one of Salzburg's many gourmet eateries. No matter how you spend your day, Salzburg rewards every visitor with easy charm and grace.
Did you know... ?- Salzburg is a culture vulture's dream with more than 4,000 cultural events and festivals each year
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg in 1756
- Condé Nast Traveler readers ranked Salzburg as the 5th most popular European city
- Founded in 1492, the Stiegl Brewery is Austria's largest private brewery
- The Historic Centre of the City of Salzburg has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997
- Salzburg is home to the world famous Red Bull
- Josef Mohr was born in Salzburg. Together with Franz Gruber, he composed and wrote the text for "Silent Night". As a priest in neighboring Oberndorf he performed the song for the first time in 1818
- Herbert von Karajan was a notable musician and conductor. He was born in Salzburg and died in 1989 in neighboring Anif
- In the 1960s, the movie The Sound of Music was filmed in Salzburg and the state of Salzburg. The movie was based on the true story of Maria von Trapp, a Salzburg-based nun who took up with an aristocratic family and fled the German Anschluss
- The Mozartkugel (Mozart ball), originally known as the "Mozartbonbon", was created by the Salzburg confectioner, Paul Fürst, in 1890 and named after Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart