Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Salzburg & Around Highlights
Survey Salzburg's baroque cityscape from the heights of 900-year-old Fes-
tung Hohensalzburg (
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)
Go subzero in the frozen depths of Eisriesenwelt (
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) in Werfen
Tune into the life of a classical genius at Salzburg's Mozart-Wohnhaus (
Get drenched like a drunken prince-archbishop by fountains at Schloss
Hellbrunn (
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)
Do a Julie singing 'Do-Re-Mi' in the fountain-dotted gardens of Salzburg's
Schloss Mirabell (
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)
Marvel at puppetry magic at the smaller-than-life Salzburger Marion-
ettentheater (
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)
Don a boiler suit for a slippery-when-waxed ride at the Salzwelten (
Click
here
) salt mine in Hallein
Thank heaven for small breweries and brimful steins at Salzburg's
monastery-run Augustiner Bräustübl (
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)
History
Salzburg has had a tight grip on the region as far back as 15 BC, when the Roman town
Iuvavum stood on the site of the present-day city. This Roman stronghold came under
constant attack from warlike Celtic tribes and was ultimately destroyed or abandoned due
to disease.
The Frankish missionary St Rupert established the first Christian kingdom and founded
St Peter's church and monastery in 696. As centuries passed, the successive archbishops
of Salzburg gradually increased their power and eventually were given the grandiose titles
of princes of the Holy Roman Empire.
Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau, Salzburg's most influential prince-archbishop from 1587
to 1612, spearheaded the total baroque makeover of the city, commissioning many of its
most beautiful churches, palaces and gardens. He fell from power after losing a fierce dis-
pute over the salt trade with the powerful rulers of Bavaria, and died a prisoner.
