Salzburg

Salzburg is the fourth-largest city in Austria. In 2020, about 156,852 people lived there. It sits on the Salzach River, near the border with Germany and at the foot of the Alps mountains.

The city has a long history. It began as a Roman settlement named Iuvavum. By the eighth century, it became important for religious leaders. The city grew wealthy from salt, trade, and gold mining. One famous landmark is Hohensalzburg Fortress. It is one of Europe’s largest medieval fortresses and was built in the eleventh century.

Salzburg is also known for its beautiful Baroque architecture. In 1996, its historic center was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city is where famous composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born. Salzburg has three universities. Today, it is a popular place for visitors, along with Vienna and Tyrol.

Etymology

The name "Salzburg" was first written down a long time ago, in the late 8th century. The word has two parts. The first part, "_Salz-", means "salt" in German. The second part, "-burg", comes from an old German word for "settlement" or "city".

History

For a chronological guide, see Timeline of Salzburg.

Antiquity

The area of Salzburg has been home to people since very old times. In ancient times, it was an important place for a group of people called the Celtic Taurisci, who lived in a kingdom named Noricum.

After the Romans came in 15 BC, they built a city here. This Roman city, called Municipium Claudium Iuvavum, became very important in the Roman province of Noricum.

Middle Ages

When a big change happened in 488 AD, some of the people who lived here stayed. In the 6th century, a new leader named Bishop Rupert helped the city grow again. He built churches and monasteries, and Salzburg became an important place for religion.

Salzburg became a very important city over time, especially because of salt mining. In 1077, a big castle called Hohensalzburg Fortress was built. The city grew and got stronger, becoming a very important place in Europe.

Under the prince-bishopric's rule

Salzburg became its own independent city in the late 1300s. It was the home of an important religious leader called the Archbishop.

When new ideas started spreading, there were some problems, and the city was taken over for a while during a big uprising. But later, the city became very rich and beautiful, especially from the 1600s to the 1700s, when many new buildings were made.

Modern era

Religious conflict

In 1731, a leader named Archbishop Count Leopold Anton von Firmian asked people to follow only one religion. Many people did not agree and had to leave Salzburg. Most of them went to live in a place called Prussia.

Illuminism

In the late 1700s, Salzburg was an important place for a group of people with special ideas. A famous musician named Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart worked here for a time, but later moved to Vienna.

Electorate of Salzburg

In 1803, a leader named Napoleon changed the rules, and Salzburg became a new kind of state.

Austrian and Bavarian rule

Salzburg changed hands a few times, being ruled by Austria and then Bavaria. But after some big meetings, it was returned to Austria in 1816.

Tourism grew in the 1800s, and a special train was built to help people visit the famous Hohensalzburg Fortress.

20th century

First Republic

After World War I, Salzburg became part of a new country called German Austria, which later became the First Austrian Republic.

Annexation by Nazi Germany

In 1938, Nazi Germany took over Austria, including Salzburg. Many people were treated badly.

World War II

During World War II, Salzburg was bombed many times, and many buildings were damaged. But many of the old buildings, especially the beautiful ones, were saved. After the war, the city became the capital of the state of Salzburg again.

Today

After World War II, Salzburg became a very important city again. In the 1960s, a famous movie was filmed there. In 2006, the city celebrated the 250th birthday of Mozart with special events. Today, Salzburg is a rich and beautiful city.

Geography

Salzburg is next to the River Salzach, close to the Alps. Mountains surround the city to the south, and softer hills are to the north. A mountain peak called Untersberg is about 16 kilometers away. The old part of the city, called Altstadt, has tall towers and big churches, like the Hohensalzburg Fortress. Two small hills, Mönchsberg and Kapuzinerberg, add green spaces to the city.

Salzburg is close to other places. It is about 150 kilometers east of Munich, 281 kilometers northwest of Ljubljana, and 300 kilometers west of Vienna. The city is about the same latitude as Seattle.

Climate

Salzburg has four seasons, with cold winters and warm summers. January is the coldest month, and July is the warmest. Rain falls during the year, often more in summer. Because it is near the Alps, Salzburg gets a lot of rain, especially in summer. Snow is common in winter, but warm winds can melt it fast. The climate is changing, and heavy snow happens less often.

Demography

History

Salzburg grew bigger in 1935 when it included nearby areas called municipalities. After World War II, many people who had to leave their homes, called refugees, moved to Salzburg. The city also built new homes for American soldiers, which could later be used for refugees. By around 1950, Salzburg had more than 100,000 people. In 2016, the city's population reached 150,000 people.

Migrant communities

Salzburg has many people from Germany, Bosnia, Serbia, and Romania living there.

Architecture

Salzburg has many beautiful old buildings from different times. During the medieval time, many churches, monasteries, and houses were built. Important buildings from this time include the Cathedral of Archbishop Conrad of Wittelsbach and the choir of the Franciscan Church.

Later, during the Renaissance and Baroque periods, leaders like Prince-Archbishop Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau changed the city. They built new churches and palaces, like Hellbrunn Palace and the university buildings. Famous architects helped design these new structures.

In more recent times, modern buildings have been added to Salzburg. Examples include the Großes Festspielhaus theater, the Mozarteum music school, and the modern Congress House. These new buildings try to fit with Salzburg’s old style while adding something new.

Districts

Salzburg can be divided into twenty-four urban districts and three landscape zones.

Urban districts:

• Aigen
• Altstadt
• Elisabeth-Vorstadt
• Gneis
• Gneis-Süd
• Gnigl
• Itzling
• Itzling-Nord
• Kasern
• Langwied
• Lehen
• Leopoldskron-Moos
• Liefering
• Maxglan
• Maxglan-West
• Morzg
• Mülln
• Neustadt
• Nonntal
• Parsch
• Riedenburg
• Salzburg-Süd
• Taxham
• Schallmoos

Landscape zones:

• Gaisberg
• Hellbrunn
• Heuberg

Main sights

Salzburg is a very popular place for visitors, especially during busy times.

Old Town

• Historic centre of the city of Salzburg, a World Heritage Site
• Beautiful old buildings, including many churches
• Felsenreitschule, an open-air theatre
• Franziskanerkirche, one of Salzburg's oldest buildings
• Getreidegasse, a busy shopping street
• Großes Festspielhaus, a big concert hall
• Haus für Mozart, a concert hall
• Hohensalzburg Fortress, a huge castle
• Holy Trinity Church
• Hotel Goldener Hirsch, a fancy hotel
• Kollegienkirche, a beautiful old church
• Mirabell Palace, a palace with lovely gardens
• Museum der Moderne Salzburg, a modern art museum
• Mozartplatz, a square with a statue of Mozart
• Mozart's birthplace, now a museum about Mozart
• Nonnberg Abbey, an old monastery
• Residenz, the old home of important leaders
• Residenzgalerie, an art museum
• Residenzplatz, a big square
• Salzburg Cathedral
• Salzburger Landestheater, a theatre
• Salzburger Marionettentheater, a puppet theatre
• Salzburg Museum, showing the city's history
• Sigmundstor, a tunnel
• Sphaera, a sculpture from 2007
• St Peter's Abbey, an old monastery
• St Sebastian's Church

Outside the Old Town

• Schloss Leopoldskron, a beautiful old palace
• Hellbrunn with its parks and castles
• Tours of places used in the film The Sound of Music
• Hangar-7, a building with old airplanes and racing cars owned by Red Bull
• Haslachmühle, an old mill

Greater Salzburg area

• Anif Castle, south of the city in Anif
• Shrine of Our Lady of Maria Plain, a church near the city
• An open-air museum with old houses
• Schloss Klessheim, a palace
• Beautiful lakes in the Salzkammergut area
• Untersberg mountain, offering great views
• Skiing is popular in winter. The city is close to areas where people can ski.
• Salzburg Zoo, located in Anif

Education

Salzburg is an important place for learning. It has three universities and many professional colleges and high schools.

The universities include the University of Salzburg, Paracelsus Medical University, and Mozarteum University Salzburg. There are also other schools such as Fachhochschule Salzburg, Alma Mater Europaea, and SEAD Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance.

Notable citizens

Salzburg has been home to many famous people throughout history.

Some well-known figures include Saint Liutberga, an important nun from the 9th century, and Paracelsus, a Swiss doctor and scientist from the 1500s. The famous composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg and spent part of his childhood there. Another famous name is Joseph Mohr, who wrote the words to the Christmas carol “Silent Night”.

Other notable citizens include Theodor Herzl, a key figure in the history of Israel, and Herbert von Karajan, a world-famous orchestra conductor. Today, Salzburg continues to attract artists, musicians, and athletes from around the world.

Events

Salzburg has many fun festivals each year. The Salzburg Festival is a big music and theatre event in July and August. There are also smaller festivals like the Salzburg Easter Festival and the Salzburg Whitsun Festival. Other events in Salzburg include the Europrix multimedia award and the Electric Love Festival.

Transport

Salzburg Hauptbahnhof has many train connections. You can ride to cities like Vienna, Munich, Innsbruck, and Zürich on fast ICE trains every day. You can also travel to places such as Venice and Prague. The city is a center for trains going through the Alps to Italy.

Salzburg Airport offers flights to many European cities including Frankfurt, Vienna, London, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Brussels, Düsseldorf, and Zürich. There are also flights to Naples, Hamburg, Edinburgh, and Dublin, plus many special trips for holidays.

In the city, you can use the Salzburg trolleybus system and buses. There are more than 20 bus lines, and a bus comes by every 10 minutes. Salzburg has an S-Bahn system with four lines (S1, S2, S3, S11). Trains leave the main station every 30 minutes and are part of the ÖBB network. The S1 line can take you to the famous Silent Night chapel in Oberndorf in about 25 minutes.

Popular culture

In the 1960s, the famous movie The Sound of Music used Salzburg as a filming location. The story was based on a real family who lived there.

Salzburg also appeared in other films and TV shows, such as Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Knight & Day, and the crime series Stockinger and Der Pass. In 2025, it was one of the mystery destinations on the NBC show Destination X.

Language

People in Salzburg mainly speak Austrian German. This is a little different from the German spoken in Germany. It has some unique words and grammar rules. Salzburg is also part of a region where people speak a special dialect called Central Bavarian. Both young and old people used to speak this dialect a lot, but fewer people use it now. Experts think this is because of TV and the internet.

Sports

Football

A football club from Salzburg almost won a big competition in 1994. In 2005, a company bought the club and moved it to a new stadium. Some fans started their own team with the old name and colors. This team is now back in the second division.

Ice hockey

A local ice hockey team is supported by the same company. They play in a league with teams from several countries.

Other sports

Salzburg tried to host the Winter Olympics in 2010 and 2014 but was not chosen.

International relations

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Austria

Twin towns—sister cities

Salzburg has many friends in other countries. It is twinned with:

• Reims, Marne, Grand Est, France, since 1964
• Verona, Veneto, Italy, since 1973
• León, Nicaragua, since 1984
• Singida, Tanzania, since 1984
• Busseto, Parma, Emilia-Romagna, Italy, since 1988
• Vilnius, Lithuania, since 1989
• Dresden, Saxony, Germany, since 1991
• Supovsky, Russia, since 2016
• Kawasaki, Japan, since 1992
• Meran, South Tyrol, Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, Italy, since 2000
• Shanghai, China, since 2004
• Jahrom, Iran, since 2019
• Leeds, England, since 2022