SALZBURG

Salzburg, My Hometown

Linke Altstadt mit Festung und Untersberg - Old Town, left side with Festung (castle) and Untersberg (in the back, right) - La Città vecchia, con la Fortezza a sinistra in alto e, a destra sullo sfondo, l'Untersberg

The poem below inscribed on a plaque on the wall of Schloss Mirabell gardens are a few lines from a poem by local littérateur Georg Trakl which sing of fountains, blue skies and quiet, reflective walks through ancient gardens on a pleasant evening.

EIN BRUNNEN SINGT.
DIE WOLKEN STEHN
IN HEITREM BLAU,
DIE WEISSEN ZARTEN,
BEDAECHTIG STILLE MENSCHEN GEHN
AM ABEND DURCH DEN ALTEN GARTEN.

Linke Altstadt mit Festungsberg - Old Town, left side with Festungsberg (castle hill) - Città Vecchia, lato sinistro con Festungsberg (colle del castello)

Linke Altstadt mit Mönchsberg (Museum der Moderne) - Old Town, left side with Mönchsberg (museum of modern art) - Città Vecchia, lato sinistro con Mönchsberg (museo di arte moderna)

Rechte Altstadt mit Kapuzinerberg- und Kloster - (durch Bäume verdeckt) - Old Town, right side with Kapuzinerberg and monastery (hidden behind trees) - Città Vecchia, lato destro con Kapuzinerberg ed il monastero (nascosto dietro gli alberi)

Salzburg - Hellbrunn

Manieristic early-baroque amusement castle (also called a 'Villa Surburbana'), built by Santino Solari (1612-1615) under the reign of Archbishop Markus Sittikus von Hohenems, in following the Villa Pratolino - today Villa Demidoff - which Francesco 1st intended for the fairy-tale residence of his beloved Bianca Cappello and which he decorated with ingenious fountains. Or in following the Villa d'Este in Tivoli near Rome, or even the Villa Pratolino Lante near Bagnaia (70 km to Rome).
See the castles festival hall with paintings by Arsenio Mascagnis,
baroque ornamental gardens with world famous water games and the mechanical theatre (1750) and mysterious impressive grottoes for which the Greek mythology was an example.
Belonging also to the large grounds - with a direct view towards the castle Goldenstein - are several carp ponds sourrounded by skulptures and roman statues, the 'Monatsschlössl', which was supposed to be built in one month, it's a folklore museum today,
the 'Stone Theatre' (1617 first opera performance in German speaking area with 'Orfeo'),
and a Zoo which also is worth seeing.

Stone Theatre

"L'Orfeo" von Claudio Monteverdi - first opera performed on German speaking soil - la prima opera ad essere rappresentata su terra di lingua tedesca

PERSONAL NOTE:

I grew up only a few steps away from the former entrance of castle Hellbrunn, and even though I was brought up carefully, I always found my way out secretly, running across the street to spend many hours in this lovely romantic grounds or in the mysterious stone theatre. This place then was far not as crowed from tourists as it is today, so then completely lost in the sight of its stone statues or grottos shrouded in mystery and sourrounded by water, I started daydreaming and made-up my own romantic stories. I'm sure that's where my liking for poetry and the tendency for daydreaming now and then was born. Later on when this place was the home of my grandmother, and when coming for a visit enjoying listening to her practicing the piano being a concert pianist (while I was not very ladylike lounging about under the piano), I always was overcome by wistful memories.
This happens even today each time when passing by this place ... but this is a different story !

Historical picture - Liz und ehemaliger Eingang zu den Wasserspielen Hellbrunn - Former Hellbrunn Entrance - Fotografia storica: l'ingresso di un tempo di Hellbrunn

Salzburg - Anif

Wasserschloß in Anif bei Salzburg

SALZBURG-SOURROUNDINGS:

It will take you only 10-20 minutes by car, bus, or arranged sightseeing trip to see more beautiful and interesting places. Some of those destinations are shown in the photo gallery below, otherwise easy to find tourist-information-offices will be of some help.

Salzkammergut - It starts only a half hour drive away from the city - è distante soltanto mezz'ora di auto dalla città… It starts only a half hour drive away from the city - è distante soltanto mezz'ora di auto dalla città…