Altstadt Salzburg (Old Town)

From Universitätsplatz, a number of wonderful passages known as Durchhäuser weave northward to Getreidegasse, a busy pedestrian area lined with old merchant homes dating from the 15th to 18th centuries. Highlights of a walking tour of this Old Town area are its many wrought-iron shop and inn signs, its beautiful old courtyards, as well as numerous galleries, boutiques, workshops, and cafés. At the eastern end of Getreidegasse lies the Kranzlmarkt with the old Town Hall (Rathaus) surrounded by more old medieval houses, some as high as five stories. In the Old Market (Alter Markt) stands the 13th-century Court Pharmacy (Hofapotheke), while in the middle of the square is the 17th-century St. Florian’s Fountain with its octagonal basin and an even older spiral grille from 1583. Other Old Town sights are Judengasse with its narrow, twisting lanes, and the Chiemseehof, built in 1305 and the residence of the Prince Bishops of Chiemsee until 1806; its arcaded courtyard is decorated with coats of arms.

Hohensalzburg Castle

Salzburg is dominated by the picturesque fortress of Hohensalzburg, on the southeastern summit of the Mönchsberg. The original castle was built in 1077, and much of what’s seen today dates from the early 1500s. You can reach the castle by a pleasant 20-minute walk from the Old Town center or via a funicular railway from Festungsgasse. The approach to the fortress passes through a number of impressive arched defensive gateways under the 17th-century Fire Bastion to the Reisszug, a unique hoist dating from 1504 once used to haul supplies. It continues through the Horse Gate into the Haupthof (outer ward) with its ancient lime tree and a cistern from 1539. Other highlights include the courtyard, with its tiny Church of St. George (Georgskirche) from 1502, and the famous Salzburg Bull (Salzburger Stier), an organ from 1502 that still plays daily and seems to echo the carillon in the Neugebäude.

St. Peter’s Abbey

On the western side of Salzburg’s Kapitelplatz, the Benedictine Abbey of St. Peter (Erzabtei St. Peter) was founded by St. Rupert in AD 690 and served as the residence of the Archbishops until 1110. While the present buildings date mainly from the 17th and 18th centuries, they remain an impressive testament to the order’s architectural skills, as can be seen in the building’s tall onion-shaped tower, one of the first of its kind in Europe. Highlights include St. Peter’s Churchyard (Friedhof St. Peter), an impressive burial ground surrounded on three sides by arcades and family tombs from the 17th century.

Salzburg Cathedral

A prominent building thanks to its twin 79-meter towers, Salzburg Cathedral (Salzburger Dom) was completed in 1657 and is famous for its Italian style and its role as the location of Mozart’s baptism. The building’s west front, facing the Domplatz, has four colossal marble statues, the outer ones representing St. Rupert and Virgil, patron saints of the province, while the inner ones depict Peter and Paul. Notable features include its three massive bronze doors with their symbols of Faith, Love, and Hope; the high altar with its Resurrection painted in 1628; and the superb frescoes in the vaulting.

St. Peter’s Church

One of Salzburg’s oldest and most attractive churches, St. Peter’s Church (Stiftskirche St. Peter) was completed in 1143, altered in 1625, and decorated in Rococo style between 1757 and 1783 when its distinctive helm tower was added. Inside the porch under the tower is the Romanesque west doorway dating from 1240, while in the interior, the plan of the Romanesque basilica can still be detected, along with monuments including the rock-hewn tomb of St. Rupert with an epitaph from 1444. Other notable monuments are those dedicated to Mozart’s sister Marianne (Nannerl), who died in 1829, and to JM Haydn, brother of Joseph.

The Residenzplatz

At the very heart of Salzburg’s Old Town (Altstadt) on the left bank of the Salzach is the Residenzplatz, one of the city’s largest squares and the best place from which to begin exploring the many tourist attractions this beautiful city has to offer. The focal point of the Residenzplatz is the stunning Residenzbrunnen, a masterpiece of marble made by an Italian sculptor in 1661 and the largest and finest Baroque fountain this side of the Alps. Standing 15 meters high with splendid figures of bold horses, along with the god Atlas bearing dishes, it also impresses with its dolphins and, crowning the whole display, a Triton with a conch shell. From here, it’s easy to spend time relaxing in the terraced cafés and boutique shops lining the adjoining streets, or to jump right in and visit key attractions such as Salzburg Cathedral and the Residenz, the former palace of the city’s Prince Bishops.

The Salzburg Residenz and the Residenzgalerie

Dominating the western side of Salzburg’s Residenzplatz is the Residenz, the former palace of the city’s once powerful Prince Bishops. Built between 1596 and 1619, this huge palace is laid out around three courtyards, with a large marble gateway added in 1710. Spectacular State Apartments are lavishly decorated in Late Baroque and Early Neoclassical style and with exquisite wall and ceiling paintings, rich stucco ornaments, and handsome fireplaces. Of particular note are the Knights’ Hall (Rittersaal), the Conference Hall (Konferenzsaal), and the splendid Audience Hall (Audienzsaal) containing Flemish tapestries from the 1600s and fine Parisian furniture.

Schloss Hellbrunn (Hellbrunn Palace) and Fountains

Markus Sittikus, Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg, commissioned this pleasure palace in 1613 as a place to relax and entertain. Never intended as a residence, the palace is nonetheless quite grand, and a tour gives you an inside look into the world of these immensely wealthy and powerful rulers of both church and state. Markus Sittikus conceived of unusual entertainments for his guests: a garden of trick water features and fountains, where an innocent looking statue of pavement may suddenly turn into a shower, or what appear to be benches around a table suddenly begin to spout water all over guests.

The Franciscan Church

To the north of St. Peter’s Church stands the Franciscan Church (Franziskanerkirche), the town’s parish church until 1635. Notable features of the exterior are the high roof of the choir and the tower on the south side from 1498, while inside, the dark 13th-century Romanesque nave contrasts with the high, bright 15th-century Gothic choir. In front of a ring of Baroque chapels dating from 1606 stands the high altar, added in 1709 and notable for its late 15th-century carved Madonna. In the central chapel behind the altar is a winged marble altar from 1561 from the old cathedral. Opposite the church is the still-operating Franciscan Friary.

Salzburg Marionette Theater

Salzburg has long been famous for its music festivals, as shown by the city’s many historic theaters and concert halls. Collectively known as the Festival Theaters (Festspielhäuser), these buildings consist of the large Festspielhaus and the smaller Haus für Mozart, between which is a foyer with fine frescoes, and the Karl-Böhm Hall, used for exhibitions and receptions. It’s in this building, decorated by superb 17th-century frescoes, that the famous Salzburg Festival has been held since 1925, a five-week-long summer event showcasing the best of European music and drama.

Neugebäude

Opposite the Salzburg Residenz is the New Building (Neugebäude), erected in 1602 as the Archbishop’s guesthouse and enlarged in 1670. Now home to provincial government offices and the Salzburg Museum, the building is famous for its carillon (Glockenspiel). Built in 1702, it contains 35 bells that play tunes from Mozart’s vast repertoire three times per day (7am, 11am, and 6pm, guided tours available). A highlight of the experience is hearing the famous Salzburg Bull, the organ in neighboring Hohensalzburg palace, respond to the carillon with a chorale. Also, be sure to visit the lovely 18th-century St. Michael’s Church (Michaelskirche) on the north side of the Residenzplatz at the corner of Mozartplatz with its Mozart Monument from 1842.

St. Sebastian’s Church and Cemetery

A highlight of Salzburg’s more modern district on the right bank of the Salzach is St. Sebastian’s Church (Sebastianskirche). Built in 1512 and completely remodeled in Rococo style in 1753, the church features a flight of steps leading to St. Sebastian Cemetery (Friedhof), established in 1595. In the middle of the cemetery stands St. Gabriel’s Chapel (Gabrielskapelle), with its ornate ceramic decoration, completed in 1603 as a mausoleum for Archbishop Wolf Dietrich. On the path to the chapel lie the graves of Mozart’s father, Leopold, and his widow, Konstanze, while, to the west of the church is a passage leading to the Loreto Convent (Loretokloster) and Paris-Lodron-Strasse.