Travels Abroad: Salzburg - The hills are alive with the Sound of Music!

Shockingly enough our voyage into Salzburg Austria brought us more rain. Lucky for us, our hostel played The Sound of Music in the lobby every morning. So we waited out the storm by watching one of Salzburg’s most famous claims to fame. Most of this 1965 classic musical was filmed in and around Salzburg.

Walking through the city in the rain.

What else makes Salzburg famous? Mozart of course! Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the famous classical composer, was born in Salzburg in 1756! At this time, the city was part of the Holy Roman Empire.

Mozart's House

Why is it called Salzburg? Salzburg translates literally to Salt Castle. Celtic tribes were the first to carve salt from the surrounding mountains. During the 8th century, salt carrying barges would be taxed as they floated down the Salzach River right through Salzburg. So the wealth of the city originates from this substance, previously referred to as “White Gold,” and many of the salt mines can still be visited.

Sara and I didn’t visit the mines. But we did take a Sound of Music tour seeing all the major sights from the city and even going a few hours away to the town of Mondsee, beautifully set in the mountains.

We also walked up to Hohensalzburg Castle, meaning High Salzburg Fortress in German. Construction of the castle stated in 1077, but continued for hundreds of years as it purpose changed, until 1525. The building was first for the Archbishops, who were the political figures in this city, not royalty figures like in other European cities. Throughout history, the structure has been used a military outpost, barracks, dungeon, and prison.