Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
You may see lots of conservative Muslim families vacationing in Salzburg. While there
are plenty of Muslims in Austria, most of the conservatively dressed women you'll see here
are generally from the United Arab Emirates. Lots of wealthy families from the Middle East
come here in the summer to escape the heat back home, to enjoy a break from their very
controlled societies, or for medical treatment. Nearby Munich is a popular destination for
hospital visits, and the entire family usually joins in for sightseeing and shopping.
• Walk toward the cathedral and into the big square with the huge fountain.
Residenzplatz
Important buildings have long ringed this square. Salzburg's energetic Prince Archbishop
Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau (who ruled 1587-1612) was raised in Rome, was a cousin of
the influential Florentine Medici family, and had grandiose Italian ambitions for Salzburg.
After a convenient fire destroyed the town's cathedral, Wolf Dietrich set about building the
“Rome of the North.” This square, with his new cathedral and palace, was the centerpiece
of his Baroque dream city. A series of interconnecting squares—like you'll see nowhere
else—make a grand processional way, leading from here through the old town. As we stroll
through this heart and soul of historic Salzburg, notice how easily we slip from noisy com-
mercial streets to peaceful, reflective courtyards. Also notice the two dominant kinds of
stone around town: a creamy red marble and a chunky conglomerate (see the cathedral's ex-
terior wall). The conglomerate was cheap—actually cut right out of the town's little moun-
tain. As you wander, enjoy the pedestrian-friendly peace and quiet. After 11:00 each morn-
ing, barrier stumps go up around the perimeter of the old town, keeping traffic out.
For centuries, Salzburg's leaders were both important church officials
and
princes of
the Holy Roman Empire, hence the title “prince archbishop”—mixing sacred and secular
authority. But Wolf Dietrich misplayed his hand, losing power and spending his last five
years imprisoned in the Hohensalzburg Fortress. (It's a complicated story—basically, the
pope counted on Salzburg to hold the line against the Protestants for several generations
following the Reformation. Wolf Dietrich was a good Catholic, as were most Salzburgers.
But the town's important businessmen and the region's salt miners were Protestant, and for
Salzburg'sfinancialgood,WolfDietrichdealtwiththeminatolerantandpragmaticway.So
the pope—who allowed zero tolerance for Protestants in those heady Counter-Reformation
days—had Wolf Dietrich locked up and replaced.)
Thefountain(completedin1661)isasItalianascanbe,withaTritonmatchingBernini's
famous Triton Fountain in Rome. During the Baroque era, skilled Italian artists and archi-
tects were in high demand in central European cities such as Salzburg and Prague. Local
artists even Italianized their names in order to raise their rates.
• Along the left side of Residenzplatz (as you face the cathedral) is the...
