Salzburg, Austria, is a beautiful city located near the German border. This city is full of a rich history that goes back to 696. With terrific food, amazing landscapes, and preserved buildings, a trip to Salzburg is not to be missed. But, there’s a lot about this little city you may not know about. So, here are ten fun facts about Salzburg that you might enjoy before planning your trip to “The Stage of the World.”
1: The Salt City
The word “salz” means salt, and the word “burg” means castle. This comes from how Salzburg made its money from the surrounding salt mines and the barges carrying salt on the River Salzach. Also, if you ever visit Salzburg, there is a fortress that resembles a castle overlooking the city. So, hence the name Salzburg.
2: It’s So Green Because It’s So Wet
Salzburg is known for its fantastic greenery. But this is because Salzburg has about 140 days of rainfall a year and about 53 snow days during the winter. This provides the plants with enough water to make for a beautiful green surrounding of the city.
3: Most People That Live In Salzburg Haven’t Seen The Sound Of Music
Here’s a fun fact from the Sound of Music Tour, I learned that most people that lived in the city where the movie was shot haven’t even seen it. Apparently, when The Sound of Music came out, there had already been two other films about the von Trapp family. And the second one wasn’t that great. So people in Austria had no desire to watch it. Even the friend I made while visiting admitted he’s never seen it and has no desire to.
4: The Von Trapps Didn’t Climb A Moutain
You can’t talk about fun facts about Salzburg and not mention that the movie we all love around Christmas time lied to us. The von Trapp family did not climb over a mountain to escape the Nazis. In fact, they took a train to Italy. If they had actually climbed over the alps, they would have been in Nazi territory, as Austria shares a border with Germany. The Nazis did close the borders the day after they left, so they did get lucky in that sense.
5: Home Of Red Bull
I bet you didn’t know that energy drink that gives you your afternoon burst of energy was created in Salzburg. That’s right. The energy drink Reb Bull was created in Salzburg. The Red Bull headquarters is about 20 minutes outside of Salzburg. While it is only offices in the headquarters, so no tasting tours, you can ride past it on the Panorama Sound of Music Tour.
6: Mozart Was Born Here
I’m sure many classical music enthusiasts already know this, but one of the fun facts about Salzburg I didn’t realize was this is the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. You can even take a tour of his home while you are there if you wish. You will also find multiple statues around the city that honor this classical composer.
7: Salzburg Wasn’t Always Part Of Austria
Salzburg used to be an independent state for some time. Spanning from the 14th century until 1803. This means that Mozart isn’t ACTUALLY Austrian, but he was born a citizen of Salzburg. So he’s a Salzburgian? Salzburg didn’t become part of Austria until 1816.
8: The Oldest Restaraunt In Europe
St. Peter Stiftskulinarioum is the oldest restaurant in Europe, dating back to 803 AD. And it’s still open to this day, serving authentic Austrian food. But this restaurant isn’t for one on a budget. A four-course meal is set at around 85 euros. If you’re a foodie, this is a small price to pay for a piece of restaurant history.
9: They Have An OLD Brewery
They may have the oldest restaurant, but Salzburg also has a brewery dating back to 1475 that still runs to this day. Hofbrau Kaltenhausen offers tours and beer tastings if you are a lover of in-house brews.
10: Salzburg Is A World Heritage Center
The historic center of Salzburg, Austria, is a verified UNESCO world heritage site. This means that they have kept the city center so well preserved as far as buildings and streets, that not much has changed to this fantastic little city. And they continue to maintain this beautiful city to this day.
Do You Have Any Fun Facts About Salzburg I May Have Missed
Chime in on the comments and let me know. I am always interested in fun little tidbits about the cities I visit.
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