Page 570 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Europe

568  GERM AN Y , A USTRIA , AND SWITZERLAND

7 Salzburg
* 150,000. k 3 km (2 miles) W.
£ @ n Mozartplatz 5 (0662-8898
7330). _ Salzburger Festspiele (late
Jul–Aug). ∑ salzburg.info
Salzburg rose to prominence
in about AD 700, when a
church and a monastery were
established here. Until 1816,
when it became part of the
Habsburg empire, Salzburg
was an independent city-state
ruled by a succession of prince-
archbishops. Best known as the
birthplace of Wolfgang
Amadeus Mozart, today the city
has a thriving musical tradition.
Each summer, large numbers of
tourists arrive for the Salzburger
Hallstatt, an attractive lakeside village in the Salzkammergut Festspiele, a festival of opera,
classical music, and theater.
6 Hallstatt Environs Salzburg’s medieval fortress,
* 1,000. £ @ 4 n Seestrasse The mountains and the crystal the Festung Hohensalzburg,
99 (06134-8208). clear waters of the Hallstätter looms over the city from its
See offer many opportunities for hilltop position. The castle dates
This pretty village on the bank swimming, water sports, scuba from the 11th century, but the
of the Hallstätter See lies in the diving, hiking, and cycling. There state apartments are an early
Salzkammergut, a stunning are also boat trips on the lake. 16th-century addition.
region of lakes and mountains. At the southern end of the The Residenz, where
The area takes its name from the Hallstätter See, about 2 km Salzburg’s prince-archbishops
rich deposits of salt (salz) that (1 mile) from Hallstatt, are the lived and held court, owes its
have been mined here since Dachstein limestone caves, early Baroque appearance to
the 1st millennium BC. From open daily from May to mid- Archbishop Wolf Dietrich von
Hallstatt, it is possible to visit a October. A cable car from south Raiteneau, who resided here
working mine, the Salzbergwerk, of Obertraun climbs to the from 1587. The palace contains
by taking the cable car from entrance of the caves, giving the Residenzgalerie, a collection
the southern end of the village superb views of the lake and of European art of the 16th to
up to the mine entrance on surrounding mountains. 19th centuries. Among the city’s
the Salzberg mountain. The
Rudolfsturm, the tower that
stands close to the station at Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
the top, was completed in 1284 Salzburg’s most famous son, Wolfgang
to defend the mine workings. Amadeus Mozart, was born in 1756,
The Museum Hallstatt the son of Leopold, a member of
contains Celtic Iron Age artifacts the Prince-Archbishop’s chamber
discovered near the mines. orchestra. He learnt to play the
Today, the name Hallstatt is harpsichord at the age of 3, and
used to refer to the Celtic by the age of 5 had already
culture that flourished from the written his first compositions.
9th to the 5th centuries BC. From 1763, Mozart traveled widely,
Behind the Pfarrkirche, the performing for the aristocracy
town’s late-Gothic parish across Europe. His mastery of all
the musical genres of the day swiftly
church, the Beinhaus (Charnel earned him renown at home and
House) has been used to store abroad. During his short life, his
human remains since 1600. prodigious output included 56 symphonies,
Wolfgang Amadeus over 20 concertos, and 15 operas, among
E Salzbergwerk Hallstatt Mozart (1756–91) them The Marriage of Figaro and Don
Tel 06132-200 2400. Open Feb–Dec: Giovanni. Mozart’s aspirations to lead the
daily. & ∑ salzwelten.at kind of lifestyle enjoyed by his patrons, however, led him into
E Museum Hallstatt financial difficulties. In his final years, the musician was continually
Tel 06134-828 015. Open Apr–Oct: debt-ridden and prone to depression. He died in 1791 and was
daily; Nov–Mar: Wed–Sun. & buried in a common grave.
∑ museum-hallstatt.at
For hotels and restaurants see p574 and p575

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