Orchestra Europe Trip 2022
Tuesday, March 14, 2022
Salzburg
Waking up in Salzburg was lovely. We had a delightful breakfast buffet again and then met in front of the hotel for a walking tour of Salzburg. Salzburg is a city of just over 152,000 people. It is also Mozart’s birthplace and we were able to see many place related to where he grew up, hung, and played music. Salzburg was originally known for local salt mines, though now most of them are only museums. However, they contributed to Salzburg’s important place in Austrian history. Salzburg University has 18,000 students and 1,000 of them are selected through a very competitive process, to be part of the Mozarteum, the school of music.
Mirabel Gardens
We spent some time in the Mirabel Gardens where several infamous scenes from The Sound of Music were filmed. The fountains were not yet turned on for the spring, but that didn’t stop some students from frolicking around the fountain singing “Do Re Mi” to the entertainment of everyone else.
Around the Town
After exploring the gardens, we passed by the lock bridge and crossed the river to the old side of town. The windy cobblestone streets led us past shops and churches until finally stopping the large square in front of Salzburg’s most famous cathedral. This church has been rebuilt four times due to fires and wars. However, after WWII it was left open in disrepair and they say those ten years did more damage than the war itself.
Scenes from the City
Salzburger Dom (Salzburg Cathedral)
Inside the church is the font where Mozart was baptized. There are also seven pipe organs containing over 4,000 pipes, which Mozart played himself. We explore the grounds around the church with several statues, fountains and a giant gold ball, which was described as modern art.
Hohensalzburg Fortress
Next, we rode the funicular up the side of the mountain to the Hohensalzburg Fortress at the top of the mountain. Construction on this fortress began in 1077 and it is one of the largest medieval castles in Europe. Our tour guide let us know that the fortifications have not really been repaired since the 1600’s and the invention of gun powder. However, this fortress still towers over the city and provides remarkable views of the mountains on one side and the city on the other.
Below is a view of the mountains from the fortress.
Our group looking down on the town below.
Time in Salzburg
The tour ended at Mozart’s birthplace and many people went in to explore the museum that is found there now. After the tour we had several hours of free time. This was our first large chunk of time without a scheduled event or tour and everyone took advantage by doing some shopping in the old town and having lunch. A group of us ate at the Sacher Café and tried the world famous Sacher Torte. I’m told it lived up to its reputation.