Salzburg in Austria - a Bavarian town given away as a gift

dear friends and visitors of a travel guide written by me, maybe your (and hopely your) airport-shuttle Mietwagen Lohfink. My name is George and I like to drive around with nice people.

Because the Austrian border is not far there is a nice opportunity to make a day trip in our lovely neighbor country. Music fans like often to see the place of Mozarts birth and life, so Salzburg is a good destination to visit.

Today I propose you a wonderful travel, we can start either directly from the Munich airport „Franz Josef Strauss“ or from your hotel in Munich or around. If you have the whole day time then I go first with you to Hallstatt, that's about 20 miles in the mountains near Salzburg.

In Hallstatt there we have the first stop. This old (about 3000 years) small village has a hidden jewel you must see. Because they had (and have still yet) to less space for the grave yard, they copied a manner well known from southern countries beyond the Alps. They digged their dead relatives, 10 years later they pulled them out again, cleaned the bones, paint the heads and put all in a bone-house. So all childred and grand-children and more relatives can visit the whole family over centuries.

Through that old town we walk to a second highlight in this location, a big saltmine, an unforgettable memory for each visitor. First you have to take a „train“ (a kind of cable-car) and with that you drive to „heaven“ - look the picture.

If you're up then you will go in the saltmine deep dawn. Be careful not to lose your guide otherwise somebody will find you maybe in decades or centuries first again. I guess, you don't want make competitioner to the man-in-the-salt, a poor guy, about 500 years old, but good conserved by the salt – you'll see him there.

Now, after a short view on this marvellous area, we leave to Salzburg, 2000 years ago named „Juvarum“. This name was given by the old Romans, using that town as a district center. But then, the Bavarians came and the boys from the South escaped very quickly. I know the Bavarians from our days, oh Lord, what kind of „nice guys“ must they be in the old times? I hope, you know, I'm only kidding.

Here we are, you see, there is a big castle over the town. And every thing here was basing on salt trade in former times, so the names are coming too by that. The German word for „castle“ is „Burg“ - „salt“ is „Salz“ - so the it was the saltcastle. And the river has the name „Salzach“.
But while I'm looking for a parking space – by the way, that is a tremendous problem in Salzburg – some short word to my title line and a big view back in history:

I had said, the Bavarian were coming and the Romans escaping. In reality the Romans pull the troops slowly back in the times after Jesus because they cannot afford more the supply and the whole imperium was weak. And the Bavarian – you should know, their origin is in former Bohemia – moved in the empty and open locations. So Salzburg became a Bavarian town. Remember, we are talking about the times after Jesus was born and in these times and later the religion and their were much stronger than in our times now. Let's say, the believing was much more and expressed by donations to the church. So especially in Bavaria, the Earl Theodo was very religious. As then Bishop Rupert came – he had while living the honest title „the holy“ because he behave like a Saint, old papers told - Earl Theodo gave him Salzburg and the area around as a gift. The area is still today called „Ruperti-Winkel“ - „Winkel“ means „corner“ in English.

Hey, there is a miracle too, I found a parking space.

No, gentlemen, that's not Dirk Novitzki from the Dallas team, that's Kopernikus, an ancient scientist. Here is a good start for the walking trip through town. Playing a litte bit caveman and in a moment we reach the wonderful park of Mirabell Palace. Here some views in that location.

Palace and park are Baroque and the famous artist named „Fischer von Erlach“ had given that style. Going through the gate with view on the Salzburg castle we are on the Markartplatz, where the „Dreifaltigkeitskirche“ is also located.

Here you can visit the „Mozart-Haus“, they have guides, some movies and while you'll do that, I take a coffee outside and make some shots in that huge church.

After the Mozarthaus we go to the old part of Salzburg, there is a nice pedestrian bridge with marvellous sights.

Following the crowd we reach the so called „Getreidegasse“ - in English „corn-street“ basing on the old corn- and wheat-traders there.

Every where small shops and restaurants pulling people like magnets. How far away is Japan from Austria? Could not be far, so much Japanese visitors ! But now we will discover the old town, what is looking so small, as we used the pedestrian bridge. One good example is the „Bürgerspitalkirche“ (church for the citizens in the old town's hospital in former times). She looks so small and glewed to the mountain, but looking inside she is much bigger than looking, only a little bit dark. Left picture a view to the altar, right picture a marvellous icon.

Now in direction „Festspielhaus“, music lovers know that huge building.

What I show you here is the old „Bar for horses“. In older times the high society came with coaches to the music events and then the horses could here have „a drink“ while they're waiting for the backdrive.The italian style is a good contrast to the big old gate and tunnel at the left side, called „Neutor“, through the mountain.

Passing the university we reach a big market in front of the university church. Lots of goods, sweeties, herbs, flowers and cookies are here. I'm not allowed to taste some, my wife always says „you're strong enough“, so I take a view in the university church.

The architecture is georgious but in comparation to Bavarian Baroque churches the inside is very empty looking. Maybe the Bishops ran out of money after building this huge block. Or the females, which they had in former times, waste to much for their own beauty? The legends told, one Bishop of Salzburg had 13 females or were that children??

Yeah, the old church „bosses“ liked big houses, females, nice cloth and money !!! The salt trade brought lot of gold bags by taxes. And they were so greedy, that they even sent soldiers againts competitioners like the saltmakers in Berchtesgaden. The German Emperor Friedrich Barbarossa was in 1167 so mad about that and came with a big and good army to fight down the Bishop of Salzburg. He was very successful, caught that guy, but, what a pity, the whole town was burned down in that battle. But the citizens of Salzburg were not lazy, they started to rebuild their town and that's just this, what we have seen a part of.

Ok friends, now your driver (and walker) become tired – I'll take my horse for going home.

No, no, not with this one, those are only flying in tales or Disney movies and it is forbidden to touch Bavarian sky with other things than airplanes or gliders.

I hope, you've now the wish to see that marvellous nice old Bavarian town given away as a gift and now the entrance to our wonderful neighbourhood Austria. If yes, give me a mail or call, then we can see when to go there.

with best regards, our George

Script by J.W.Lohfink - pictures too - for any mistakes in spell or grammar I apologize as a precaution, corrections, questions or comments please mail to me.

>> German version