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Salzburg

Salzburg
The Historic Centre of the City of Salzburg with its world famous baroque architecture is one of the best-preserved examples of an European ecclesiastical city-state. Its monuments date from the Middle Ages to the 20th century.

Notable monuments are:
- Burgher houses
- Cathedral of St. Rupert and St. Virgil
- Benedictine Abbey of St. Peter
- Nonnberg Benedictine Nunnery
- Hohensalzburg Fortress
- Archbishop’s Residence

Furthermore, Salzburg is historically associated with music and festivals. Its most famous son was the composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

Year Decision Comments
1996 Inscribed Reasons for inscription



Visit December 2012

Despite the tourists (and there are lots of them, from every corner of the world), Salzburg is quite a cosy city. The historical center is small and has retained its original medieval layout with narrow roads. These streets are littered with more or less historical shops and many many churches. Every morning at 7 a.m. their bells all ring at the same time, you’ll need no alarm clock here. Like Graz that I visited earlier this trip the city is no match for Vienna however in regard to its monuments.

I walked around Salzburg during an afternoon and one morning. First I ended up at St. Peter’s Abbey, a lucky first choice as it possibly is the most atmospheric place in the city center. Across the square lies the Salzburg Cathedral: a large and Italianesque construction. The Salzburg Museum was my last stop for that day: I enjoyed an exhibition about Ars Sacra (medieval art) and early paintings of Salzburg.

Before I made my way back home via rail to Münich and then flying back to the Netherlands, I went up to Hohensalzburg fortress. Entrance (including funicular both ways) now costs 11 EUR. Which is quite a lot for an enormous but otherwise not that interesting fortification. I wasn’t feeling well that day, so I just slowly looked around for awhile. And finally decided to walk back down to enjoy the view over Salzburg’s church towers once more.

More photos can be found in the Picture Gallery

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Reviews

Laura Barber (USA):
Salzburg was a lovely and very touristy city! I think we encountered more crowds here than anywhere else in Austria! Perhaps the sense of crowds was greater due to how the town is set up. The Hohensalzburg fortress sits above everything and offers terrific views. The town itself felt rather quaint and the Mirabellegartens were lovely. Music is everywhere and there was a very special mood in the air here. A lovely place to spend some time!
Date posted: November 2011
john booth (New Zealand):
Although very touristy I enjoyed my visit to Salzburg. The highlight was the Hohensalzburg fortress from where the views were stunning. It was in my opinion overpriced: E7.40 to walk up or E10 to ride the funicular.
Also interesting was St Peter's monastery and the Nonnburg monastery.
Trolleybuses 3, 5 or 6 from the station to the Rathaus saved a long tedious walk.
Date posted: September 2011
Marty Howes (USA):
Visited Salzburg over Christmas weekend of 2008. We were looking for a place with a good holiday feel to it. Salzburg delivered. A culinary must while there- white hot chocolate. Visit the Festung and walk along the hilltop for some great views of the surrounding area.
Place to stay- Ramada. Sounds bad but it is fairly new and very trendy. Much nicer than the ones you might know in the USA.
Date posted: August 2010
Ron Anderson (Canada):
We went to Salzburg in 2005 for 5 days. It is very beautiful. We stayed across from Mirabel Gardens which is wonderful to walk through. The museum of Mozart (not his birth house) was informative. Definitely worth going to the Sacher Hotel for some desserts. If you want something a bit different, you can go to the Red Bull Hangar 7. Formula 1 cars and aircraft on display and a super-cool bar above the futuristic glass hangars.
Date posted: September 2008
Kerri (USA):
Salzburg was an interesting European town. We enjoyed a free music concert at Mirabellgarten. Mozart's Geburtshaus was okay; you would probably really like it if you were really into Mozart. The trick fountains at Hellbrunn palace were fun, and the view from Hohensalzburg Fortress was probably our favorite part of trip to Salzburg.
Date posted: November 2005
Ben Pastore (USA):
Not bad for a salt mining town. I thought it struck a fine balance of modern convenience and Old World charm. Europe as it should be.
Date posted: June 2005
Klaus Freisinger (Austria):
Although often obscured from view by its proverbial drizzle, the old city and especially the fortress of Salzburg are a great sight. The latter is a castle as it should be, and the town itself is charming and well-preserved, even though it is often crowded with tourists and all the Mozart stuff can get on your nerves after a while. Still, it is one of Europe´s great townscapes.
 
Graeme Ramshaw ():
Synonymous for me with Mozart and music (the summer festival is a real treat), I was pleasantly surprised to find how beautiful the city of Salzburg is as well. The wrought iron shop signs, winding streets, and imposing castle on the hill typify the quaint Austrian town. Interestingly enough, my visit to Salzburg coincided with the filming of a Bollywood film in the Mozartplatz; a touch of India in Austria!
 
():
Salzburg is my favorite touristy city. It does get a bit cutesy and Disneyesque, but I still love it.
 
samnuan (thailand):
Salzburg is truly beautiful especially when you see it from mirabell garden, the old city is nice and easy to walk around it's very touristy, everyone come to see mozart birthplace and The Sound of Music location film. but if you don't care about music and film salzburg is just a normal europe town.
 


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