WELCOME TO SALZBURG
From Munich, we came to Salzburg, which is most known for the Von Trapp family and Mozart, but should also be known for its magnificent scenery and friendly vibe. On the afternoon we arrived, it was sunny and warm. We took advantage of the great weather by exploring Salzburg using a self-guided audio tour. We visited several places in town:
In Domplatz square, the massive Salzburg Cathedral is the focal point. It has been rebuilt and restored three times, from the damage caused by fires and bombing during WWII. This platz also has a statue of Mary, strategically placed in front of the cathedral. If you squat down low to look at it from just the right angle, it appears as two angels on the Cathedral’s facade are crowning Mary. I have never seen such a thing in the world, have you?!
Residentzplatz is another large plaza in Salzburg. This plaza was featured a lot during the filming of The Sound of Music, most notably when Maria sings “I Have Confidence.” She splashes the water in the fountain, located in the center of the Residenzplatz.
FUN FACT #1: In reality, Julie Andrews is a very petite person, so she had to stand on boxes to be able to reach the fountain and they raised the water level a lot.
FUN FACT #2: In the background of the scene, the real Maria Von Trapp is walking by, holding the hands of her daughter and granddaughter!
In another scene filmed here, the Nazis march through the plaza. For this scene, they closed off the entire square to everybody. The Salzburg government didn’t want anybody seeing them filming this scene with soldiers and Nazi flags.
Mozart was born in Salzburg and spent 25 years of his life here. His birth place and residential house were later turned into museums for the public to enjoy. There are many statues situated around the city and there is even a plaza (Mozartplatz) named after him with yet another statue!
Mirabell Garden and Palace was built by prince-archbishop Wolf Dietrich in 1606 for his love, Sophie. It is a huge complex in the city center with tree vine-covered archways, pegasus fountains, and elaborate flower gardens. Many scenes in The Sound of Music were filmed here.
The Von Trapp family hid from the Nazis in St. Peter’s Monastery and Cemetery, which served as inspiration for the movie set. I have to say, it was a beautiful cemetery! It was very quiet and peaceful, with flowers blooming at the gravestones and trees everywhere. It was very colorful and bright.
One interesting attraction in Salzburg is a water wheel! It is still operating today, bringing water from the Alps to the city, even powering a wheat grinder for a super old and still functioning bakery!
The last thing we did that afternoon was take a funicular up to the Hohensalzburg Fortress. This fortress was built in the year 1077 to intimidate enemies, and thankfully, not used very often as Austria was not attacked until WWII. We went to a spot where we got a beautiful panoramic view of the Austrian Alps. The snow capped mountains looked beautiful against the Austrian countryside. Then we saw the sunset, which was truly spectacular. The colors cast a lovely glow against Salzburg.
Our whole family enjoyed Salzburg a lot. This small city was full of rich culture, friendly people, and amazing natural beauty. I would love to come back one day!