Salzburg
+14 daytime (as predicted by German newspapers!)
On the train at 9am to take advantage of the Bayern
ticket – just 26 euros for the return trip on a clean spacious ultra-modern
train – the route hugged the gentle green foothills and showed off the
glistening snow-covered mountain tops. The serene journey deposited us,
unprepared, at the chaotic Hauptbahnof where massive construction works created
overwhelming noise and choking dust for us and the newly arrived passengers of
the Prague, Paris, Vienna and Budapest express trains.
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| The local Linie Salzburg train |
Into the historic Alstadt along the river Salzach we had
a tantalising first glimpse of the originally Roman but now mostly 18th century
skyline of churches, towers and steeples set under the imposing watch of the
Fortress Festung Hohensalzburg.
Later we would explore its massive city walls.
Later we would explore its massive city walls.
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| The Altstadt from the Salzach River |
The narrow winding streets leading to the old town felt
claustrophobic with the grand heights of the towering patrician houses lining
them and the busy roadworks taking place on them. It was clear that the break
in the weather had put the city into a fevered ‘spring clean’ and where we had expected
the gentle strains of Mozart our constant accompaniment was the grind of cement
mixers and the grating of heavy trucks’ gears.
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| Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born here in 1756 |
Expensive boutiques opened up around us and a crowd of
people vied for pavement space outside a tall yellow house – that of Mozart’s
birth in his father’s home. All along the street the red and white flags and awnings
of the souvenir shops offered Mozart chocolates, calendars, diaries, music
stands, jigsaws, tea cosies and aprons – we wondered what the eventually bankrupt
composer buried in a pauper’s grave would really make of it. A succession of dark-eyed
and weathered beggars held out paper cups and pleaded for a few small pennies
of change. Some played fiddles and the music the wild and mournful songs of east
Europe and its tragedies. It was surprising, and striking.
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| Mozart regularly performed at the Residenz Palace |
11am and the famous Salzburg glockenspiel rang out the
hours… and the hours. Of the twenty or so people and the gorgeous line up of
ponies and carts in the stately Residenz Platz only us and Von Trapp, a caped
and feather and felt-hatted old boy, seemed to pay them much attention. We
headed off to scale the route up to the walls of the 900 year-old fortress and
get a better view of the centre.
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| The famous Glockenspiel |
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| A view of the Altstadt from Festung Hohensalzburg |
Admiring the ‘onion’ domes of the city’s many churches
and the alabaster towers glowing white against the skyline of green forested
Alpine mountains we were advised by an effusive elderly Austrian gentleman to
‘go through and through the churches to the steps’. Not sure that our
translation was by any means reliable we headed down to the baroque and
beautiful St Peter’s Kirche. An alabaster columned interior was topped with
gold and bronze rococo figures and vivid ceiling frescoes from the Old Testament.
It was sumptuous and overwhelming so a quiet meander through its gated cemetery
was welcome and enjoyable. Crypts, catacombs and mausoleums dating back to the
1500’s are still kept fresh with lighted candles and flowers.
Birds sang nesting songs. The sun shone.
Birds sang nesting songs. The sun shone.
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| St Peter's Abbey was founded in 696 |
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| The Petersfriedhof or St. Peter's Cemetery |
Heading through to the courtyards of the ecclesiastical
buildings behind the Domplatz we scaled an innocuous stone staircase carved
into the wall of a restaurant. Turning the corner we found ourselves facing the
steep climb up onto the city walls and a short while later we were above the
river and the old town able to see fully the city’s splendid setting along the
river and in the lee of the mountains. Thank you old timer!
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| A splendid view from Museum der Moderne |
Wild flowers were coming out under the forest canopy and
back at street level teams of smiling gardeners were planting out spring
bedding plants and daffodils in the town’s avenues. We headed to the Mirabell Garten
and walked the stately gardens admiring the statues and gentle fountains which
queues of people waited patiently to photograph before we realised it was part
of the ‘Sound of Music tour’ and had featured in the legendary film.
We turned the corner onto a busy roundabout and
encountered Mozart’s house. Painted a warm pink with a huge granite arch
entrance it was simple and enchanting to see. We ventured into the interior
courtyard and saw the passageways to the living rooms heading off under stone
archways. It was impossible to photograph as the traffic whizzed by so we
headed on regretfully.
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| Mozartplatz and statue |
A reviving late afternoon beer beckoned in a
quintessentially art deco bar on historic Franz Joseph Strasse before we queued
for the commuter train home. A tremendous day in a mesmerising city!
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| Back on the farm in Germany after an excellent day out in Austria |
