Salzburg
Salzburg's historic town center, which covers an area of half a kilometer, is of unparalleled architectural splendor. Undoubtedly, the best way to explore the Old Town (Altstadt) is on foot; nearly the whole of the Old Town is a pedestrian zone, so it is actually hard to do it any other way. The area is bordered by the Salzach River, the Mönchsberg, and the Festungsberg with the Festung Hohensalzburg (Hohensalzburg Fortress) on top of it. If you visit the rooftop of Cafe Stein on the opposite side of the River Salzach, you can get a near-perfect view of the historic center of town. In 1997, Salzburg was nominated as a world cultural heritage site by UNESCO. If you look around, you will notice that the silhouette of the Old Town is dominated by the Salzburg Fortress, which is also the town's main landmark.A Walk Through the Old Town
You start your walk at the Rathausplatz near the Staatsbrücke. From there, you pass the Altes Rathaus to reach Salzburg's most famous lane, the Getreidegasse. In summer, it is full of tourists, especially in front of Mozarts Geburtshaus. Sometimes, there are so many people here that it's hard to walk past! It's Salzburg's most popular sight besides the Festung Hohensalzburg. At the western end of the Getreidegasse, you reach the Bürgerspital, where you find the city's Toy Museum. Turn right into Gstättengasse, an old alley that leads along the foot of the Mönchsberg. Follow it for about 50 meters until you get to Anton-Neumayr-Platz. This is where you'll find the entrance to the Mönchsbergaufzug. The lift will take you right to the top of the Mönchsberg in less than a minute.
After gazing over the Old Town, you can walk back to the Old Town along the staircase behind the Festival Halls. This is where St. Peter's Monastery is, and the first passage you see will take you to the Michael-Haydn-Memorial. The next courtyard you see is home to a statue of St. Rupert, the patron saint of Salzburg. Every year, a local festival called the Ruperti-Kirtag takes place here. You are now in the largest courtyard of St. Peter's monastery, and you would be well advised to visit the Stiftskeller St. Peter, which claims to be Central Europe's oldest restaurant, dating back to the year 803. Leaving the monastery, you will find yourself next to the Franziskanerkirche. Turn right to the square in front of the Cathedral. This is where the Jedermann play is staged every summer. The cathedral itself is said to be one of the most beautiful of its kind north of the Alps. The Residenzplatz, the square in front of the cathedral, is also bordered by the Residenz, which is where the archbishops once lived. Another square, the Mozartplatz, is located at the eastern end of the Residenzplatz. Its centerpiece is a statue of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Now you have two options: the first is to walk to Kaigasse, where you get to the Nonnbergstiege. These stairs lead up to the Nonnberg convent and the Festung Hohensalzburg. Alternatively, you can go back to where you started your tour by crossing Waagplatz to the west of Mozartplatz and then move along Judengasse and Getreidegasse.
Another Side to the Old Town
You can also explore another part of the Old Town, which covers attractions such as Linzergasse, where you can find the St. Sebastian Cemetery. This is where Archbishop Wolf Dietrich is buried, as well as Mozart's father and his wife, Constanze. You can also find some cozy cafes and restaurants directly on Linzergasse. From here, you can continue your walk in the direction of Kapuzinerberg, a hill covered by a park-like forest.
Hellbrunn Palace and its Surroundings
If you visit Salzburg, you should put aside at least half a day in your schedule to visit the Hellbrunn Palace, located on the southern outskirts of the city. The castle, which was built by Archbishop Markus Sittikus, holds among its main attractions a beautiful park and interesting gargoyles and trick fountains. Very little has changed here since its beginnings, so a walk through the grounds can really conjure up images of past times. There is also a zoo, the Tiergarten Hellbrunn. The nearby hunting lodge, Monatsschlößchen, today houses a folklore museum.
Copyright © 1999-2008 wcities.com all right reserved
