Tour of Salzburg, Austria

Salzburg is situated on the banks of the Salzach river, at the northern boundary of the Alps. The mountains to Salzburg's south contrast with the rolling plains to the north. The closest alpine peak, the 1972 m Untersberg, is only a few kilometers from the city center.

The Altstadt, or "old town", is dominated by its baroque towers and churches with the massive Festung Hohensalzburg Castle sitting high above.

The castle is situated in the centre of Salzburg.

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The Salzburg Museum, located in the Neue Residenz building on Mozart Square, features insights into Salzburg’s history, art and culture.

Displays cover Salzburg’s development from the Bronze Age, to a medieval town, to the baroque city which has been designated a World Heritage Site. This includes the period up until 1803, when the important principality of Salzburg was ruled by Archbishops.

The museum houses an important collection of paintings by romantic artists of the early 19th century, which chronicle the Salzburg of that time.

Mozart Square is regarded as the centre of Salzburg, a favourite meeting place.

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Residence Square, next to Mozart Square, contains the Residence Fountain, 15 meters high, the largest baroque fountain in the world. Built between 1658 and 1661, it is made of marble from Untersberg, a mountain near Salzburg.

Its water spouting horses reached world fame thanks to their appearance in the Sound of Music.

The film: "I have confidence in me" began on the Residence Square, with a very timid Maria boarding her bus for the Trapp family home. As she crossed the square, she splashed her hand through the water of the Residence fountain.

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The house in Getreidegasse 9, was the living place of the Mozarts between 1747 and 1773. This was where Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, whose name was actually quite a bit more complicated, was born January 27th 1756.

The museum in his birthplace, now hosts precious relics such as the violin that Mozart used to play when he was a child, the time of baby Mozart, his concert violin, his Clavichord, portraits, letters and other memorabilia of the Mozart family. Some famous paintings of Mozart are also on display, such as “Mozart on the piano”, an unfinished painting by his brother in law Joseph Lange.

Situated about 470 yards northwest of Mozart Square by walking. Use the Google Map then change to Walking for precise directions.

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Salzburg Cathedral is a 17th century baroque cathedral dedicated to Saint Rupert of Salzburg. It is the site of Mozart's baptism.

Wolf Dietrich hired the Italian architect Vincenzo Scamozzi to prepare a plan for a comprehensive new Baroque building.

Construction did not begin however until Wolf Dietrich's successor, Markus Sitticus von Hohenems (Archbishop from 1612-19), in 1614 laid the cornerstone of the new cathedral. The present cathedral, designed by Santino Solari, who fundamentally changed the original Scamozzi plan, was completed remarkably in less than 15 years, being finished by 1628.

Situated about 200 yards southwest of Mozart Square. Use the Google Map then change to Walking for precise directions.

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The Catacombs of Salzburg are one of the special attractions at St. Peter's Cemetery (open all year), probably of early Christian origin. St. Gertrude's Chapel and the Maximus Chapel are especially worth seeing.

St. Peter's Cemetery, with its unique backdrop, is one of the oldest and most charming cemeteries in the world. It serves as the final resting place for many notable personalities, artists, scholars and merchants such as: Santino Solari (architect and builder of Salzburg Cathedral), Nannerl Mozart (Mozart's sister), and Michael Haydn (composer).

Situated about 400 yards southwest of Mozart Square. Use the Google Map then change to Walking for precise directions.

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Mirabell Palace was constructed from about 1606 for Prince Archbishop Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau, with the original name being Altenau. Situated outside the old city walls, the palace was built to house Wolf Dietrich's great love, Salome Alt. She bore him fifteen children, of whom ten survived.

The palace was given its current name by Wolf Dietrich's successor, Markus Sittikus (1612-19). He had Altenau renamed Mirabell after the death of Wolf Dietrich, who was forced to abdicate in 1612, then held prisoner in Hohensalzburg Fortress until his death.

The palace and its gardens were drawn into the city by defences built by Prince Archbishop Paris Graf von Lodron (1619-53). He always enjoyed staying in the palace, he died there December 15th 1653.

Situated about 0.7 miles northwest of Mozart Square by walking. Use the Google Map then change to Walking for precise directions.

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Schloss Leopoldskron is a rococo palace, a national historic monument in Leopoldskron-Moos, a southern district of the city of Salzburg. It was ordered by Prince Archbishop Leopold Anton Firmian in order to accommodate his family.

In 1959, the Salzburg Global Seminar purchased the palace, and in 1973, the adjacent Meierhof, part of the original Firmian estate. Extensive renovations and restorations have allowed the palace to be used as a conference center and venue for events.

You can stroll around the area of the Leopoldskroner Weiher lake and mingle with locals walking their dogs or watching birds. Leopoldskron itself is not open to the public.

Situated about 1 mile southwest of Mozart Square. Use the Google Map then change to Walking for precise directions.

Hellbrunn Palace & Trick Fountains, this is an early Baroque villa of palatial size, near Morzg, a southern district of Salzburg. It was built in 1613-19 by Markus Sittikus von Hohenems, Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg.

The palace is a popular tourist attraction in summer with a neighboring zoo, a stone theater, and a small building known as the Monatschlossl, or the "little month-palace". There are also the Trick Fountains, be careful where you sit.

Situated about 3 miles south of Mozart Square.

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Schloss Klessheim was a small house acquired by bishop Johann Ernst Graf Thun in 1690. Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach, extended the building from 1700 onwards. Bishop Leopold Anton von Firmian, who had build Schloss Leopoldskron, comleted the work to what can be seen today.

Adolf Hitler often used Schloss Klessheim from 1938 to host guests and conferences, as it was outside the reach of allied bombers for most of the war.

On July 7th 1944, Helmuth Stieff was part of a plan to assassinate Hitler in a suicide bombing at Schloss Klessheim, but failed to trigger the bomb. Stieff was also part of another failed assassination attempt just 13 days later.

The elegant rooms of Klessheim Palace have been used by Salzburg Casino since 1993.

Situated about 4 miles northwest of Salzburg.

Hitler's "Eagle's Nest" is a special kind of adventure that departs from Salzburg to Bavaria, past the hunting castle Hellbrunn, across the Austrian-Bavarian border, along the Konigsee River Valley, through the Bavarian mountains, then arrives at the highlight of the journey. A bus and elevator takes you to the Eagle's Nest.

Hitler's "Eagle's Nest" was designed and built for Adolf Hilter's 50th Birthday by his personal secretary and Head of the Nazi Party, Chancellery Martin Bormann. The monument is called "Kehlsteinhaus" in German because of it was originally intended to be a "Teahouse" for the head of the Third Reich.

Situated about 16 miles south of Salzburg.

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Burg Hohenwerfen is a castle approximately 26 miles south of Salzburg. The castle is majestically surrounded by the mighty Tennengau and Hagen mountain ranges.

Burg Hohenwerfen was used as the castle 'Schloss Adler' in the film Where Eagles Dare and appears in the background of The Sound of Music during 'Do Re Mi'.

Can be visited. Website: www.salzburg-burgen.at.

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For more information on Salzburg, visit: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salzburg.

For more tours, half day tours & full day tours, visit: salzburgcitytours.rezgo.com/tag/Half+Day+Tours