6 Top Sights of Salzburg – the birthplace of Mozart | Austria

Salzburg is situated on both banks of the Salzach River, and is Austria’s 4th largest city. It was built on a mining town of salt, hence the name means ‘Fortress of Salt’. Salzburg is probably best known for being the birthplace of Mozart (the famous composer), and the home of the Von Trapp Family Singers, whose true story was made famous by the musical ‘The Sound of Music’. Salzburg boasts a truly magical setting, and if you have always wanted to visit a picturesque Austrian town nestled in the mountains, then you should put Salzburg on your bucket list. Here are six sights we recommend visiting while in Salzburg:

Salzburg at night, Austria by Brandon Burns

1. Hohensalzburg Castle

At over 900 years old, Hohensalzburg Castle is Europe’s largest fully-preserved castle. There is not much to report in regards to its history, as it was never attacked. In the past it has served as a refuge for the archbishops, a military barracks, and a prison. The only time opposing forces occupied it was when it was given up to Napoleon without a fight. It is well worth the visit even if just for the views, they are the best in the city. You can either walk to the top, or catch a funicular.

Photo of Hohensalzburg Castle, Salzburg, Austria by Kristopher W

2. St Peter’s Church and Cemetery

St Peter’s Church houses the oldest continuously active monastery on German/Austrian soil. It was founded in 696AD, and the building you see today was built in the 17th C. Inside the nave are Fresco’s depicting the life of St Peter. The cemetery is well known for two things. Firstly it is where the scene from the Sound of Music was set when the Von Trapp family were hiding from the Nazi’s. Also, towards the back of the cemetery there are seven black wrought iron crosses. These crosses are connected to a famous legend, claiming these graves belong to Sebastian Stumpfegger and the seven wives here murdered. There is no proof of validity to this story, but everyone loves a legend! There are also catacombs inside the cliffs open to the public.

Photo of St Peter’s Church and Cemetery, Salzburg, Austria by Michael Dawes

3. Salzburg Cathedral

Mozart was baptised here, and he was the court organist and concert master of the church for many years. The church is renowned for its 4000 pipe organ, and the acoustics of the church. The church adjoins the Kapitelplatz and Residenzplatz which are both main squares of the Salzburg.

Salzburg Cathedral, Austria by barnyz

4. Mozart’s Birthplace

This is the original house where Mozart’s family lived from 1747 to 1773. Mozart was born here on Jan 27, 1756. Today the rooms once occupied by the Mozart family and are home to a museum. The most famous exhibits include Mozart’s childhood violin, his concert violin, his clavichord, the pianoforte, and portraits of the family.

Photo of Mozart’s Birthplace, Salzburg, Austria by Matthias

5. Mirabellgarten

The Mirabellgarten is a large garden considered to be one of the most beautiful gardens in Europe. The gardens were originally constructed in 1606 by Wolf Dietrich who built them for his mistress and her 15 children. The office of the Salzburg Mayor is situated here, and it recognisable as the gardens for the setting of the song ‘Do Re Me’ in the movie the Sound of Music.

Mirabellgarten, Salzburg, Austria by TheGoodReverend

6. St Augustiner Brewery

The St Augustiner Brewery is just outside the main part of town, situated above a 17th century Abbey. The beer was originally brewed by the Augustinain Hermits who founded the Abbey, and great lengths are taken to ensure the beer is still brewed the same way it was hundreds of years ago. The beer hall inside the brewery has plenty of seating, and there are food stalls offering traditional Austrian snacks and food. In the summer months there is a great beer garden for visitors to enjoy. If you are not interested in beer, the only other drink they serve is lemonade. It is a self-serve system were you buy tokens from a cashier, then help yourself to the ceramic beer steins. Each time you hand a token in, your stein will be filled with beer, and there are cleaning stations so that you can clean your stein before your next refill. The brewery has a great mix of locals and tourists alike, and it is likely you will strike up a friendly conversation with a group of people sitting nearby.

Photo of St Augustiner Brewery and beerhall, Salzburg, Austria by Barry Adams

This guest post was written by TravAddict, an Adventure Tour website featuring cheap tours to Europe, and other parts of the world.

Tags: archbishops, birthplace of mozart, brandon burns, cemetery st, hohensalzburg, military barracks, mining town, monastery, nave, night austria, opposing forces, salzburg austria, seven wives, sound of music, sound of music salzburg, st peter, trapp family singers, von trapp family, wrought iron

Category: Cities, Cities