Day 44 – Festung Hohensalzburg (Sunday 26th May 2024)

With a bit of a sleep-in under our belts we walked back to the bus-stop and rode the No. 28 back into the Altstadt. At a mobile van in the University Square we grabbed a bite to eat for breakfast and then continued on towards the funicular which would take us up to the Hohensalzburg Fortress which, like the Ljubljana Castle, sits high above the old town.

 

The Altstadt is a maze of streets and lanes, interconnecting passageways and squares that are wedged in between the base of the escarpment and the banks of he Salzach River. Crammed into this tiny area is an amazing arrays of churches big and small, public buildings like the Rathaus (Town Hall), statues and fountains all surrounded by the homes of formerly prominent people of Salzburg. It's quiet easy to get one’s self lost in this place. Across the river is more of the old town which wraps itself around the base of a high, wooded hill as prominent in the street-scape as the rock where the Hohensalzburg Fortress is. Further out on both sides of the river is the “new” Salzburg. While rambling around the lanes we found a small cemetery in the grounds of St. Peter’s Church at the base of the escarpment upon which the fortress sits that served as the model for the set built for the “Sound of Music” cemetery scene where the family hid while making their escape.

 

Immediately adjacent to St. Peter’s is the “easy-to-miss” entrance to the funicular that climbs the rock wall to the bass of the fortress. The funicular was first opened in the late 19^th century - 1892, if I recall. The most recent incarnation of it is just a few years old. At the top we stepped out into a broad, long stone terrace which has a commanding view if Salzburg below. There was none of your razzle-dazzle with modern concrete, steel and glass structures here like at Ljubljana. Just rock and stone and gravel under foot. This isn’t a performing arts venue, it’s as close to the real deal as you’re gonna get within the constraints of preservation and guest safety.

The ticket we opted for was the Basic Ticket which allowed us into three of the four “attractions” – the panoramic walk around the fortress walls with a climb up the tower, the State rooms and the Armoury. Also included is a return ride on the funicular. Each of the tours featured large, easy to read and very informative descriptions of the room and what it was used for back in the day. Each room was also a museum of sorts displaying and describing artefacts from across the ages that were relevant to life in the fortress or the lives of it’s various inhabitants. The Panorama tour and the State rooms tour were “one-way” tours – one you started there way no turning back. Halfway along the Panorama Tour route was the climb up the narrow stairs to the top of the tower. Kerry’s not a big fan of tower climbs but given no alternative tackled the climb and made to the view at the top – a rare event worthy of a photograph, for sure. The rest of that tour proceeded along a narrow fully enclosed route along the top of the fortress walls with the occasional window to peep through to look out over the landscape or peer over the internal courtyard. At the end we popped out next to St. George’s chapel.

Across the dusty inner courtyard we walked to the Armoury which is an interactive exhibition that discussed the evolution of weapons of war over the centuries. There is also an interesting display of the armour used by foot soldiers and knights. A fun activity allowed one’s face to appears in the helmet of a knight dressed in full armour. See the photo attached for one dill who did it. Last was a visit to the State Rooms. This is where the Prince-Archbishops lived. A multi-level building in the corner fortress comprised of more than a large room dozen rooms, including a large hall used to entertain important guests, a music room, a place to feast and many, many others. Those Prince-Archbishops who ruled over Salzburg and other far-flung parts of their “empire” were something else, let me tell you! I think all of the core teachings of JC had been thrown right out the window when they realised just how rich and powerful they could become, and did become. I intend to learn a lot more about these “devout and holy” men of the Church who cared for their flock with an iron fist.

 

On display on a number of the State Rooms was a look back at more recent times namely the events and the weapons of WWI. It was interesting to see that cataclysmic event from the view point of the guys on the other side of the wire. It should be no surprise to you that it was as bad for them as it was for our boys. As well as being an alliance partner with Germany on the Western Front and fighting the Russians on the northern front they also had to fight in the Alps to keep the Italians at bay, which was the main thrust of the display.

We both thoroughly enjoyed our two hours or so at the Salzburg Fortress.

When we came back down to terra firma we wandered around the old city for another hour or so, picked up something simple for dinner and then headed home early as we had some housekeeping items that needed some attention.