A Visit to Salzburg, Austria, Birthplace of Mozart

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SALZBURG, AUSTRIA — Images of composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart are ubiquitous in this historic city. Mozart was born in 1756 and worked under the patronage of Prince-Archbishop Hieronymus Colloredo until he moved to Vienna at age 25. Apparently, he chafed at the restrictions placed upon him by the archbishop and either quit or was fired. Still, Salzburg proudly claims him as a hometown fellow who made good. Mozart died in Vienna 10 years later at the age of 35. Just before he died, the reportedly told his sister-in-law, “I have the taste of death on my tongue.”

We (daughter Mere, son-in-law Matt, and I) took a break at Sternbrau’s massive beer garden with more than 400 seats. It has been in business since 1542 in the city’s Aldstadt, or historic center. A life-size statue of a cow stands at its entrance. The cow’s side is painted with a view of the Hohensalzburg Fortress, which looms over Alstadt. It was initially built in 1077 and greatly expanded over time.

On the cow’s hind quarter is a portrait of Mozart. It was a mooving experience to see that. Nearby is his birthplace at No. 9 Getreidegasse, now one of the most visited museums in Austria. One can purchase Mozart chocolates, miniature busts, and other related souvenirs throughout Alstadt. One can also buy Salzburg’s tastiest Bosna in Alstadt, which usually consists of two grilled bratwurst sausages nestled in a long white bun and topped with onions, mustard, and curry powder. Matt stood in line for about 15 minutes to score one for each of us. The Balkan Grill is strictly takeout, so we wolfed down our Bosnas while standing in the narrow streets since the beer garden didn’t allow folks to bring in food.

This ranks as one of the best hot dogs (bratwurst resembles a long hot dog but is infinitely tastier) I have popped into my mouth in seven decades on this planet. The Bosna was created in 1949 in Salzburg by Zanko Todoroff, the Bulgarian-born founder of the Balkan Grill. He first called it the “Nadanizer” but that was too hard for people to understand. A signpainter coined the name Bosna by combining the Bulgarian word bosa (meaning snack) and Bosnia. While the Balkan Grill is home to the original, Bosnas are sold throughout Salzburg.

Our bellies filled with beer and bratwurst, we took an elevator to the top of the Mönchsberg, a modest mountain overlooking the western side of the Aldstadt. It is home to Salzburg’s modern art museum, but we were here for the view, seen in a couple of the accompanying photos. We drank glasses of wine while gazing upon this beautiful city before descending by foot back to Alstadt. (That’s much easier than climbing up.)

Our final stop before catching a train back to Garching, the closest train station to their home in Unterneukirchen, was at the Salzburg Cathedral, a short distance from Mozart’s birthplace. The baptismal font in which he was baptized into the Roman Catholic Church still remains. Built in the baroque style in the 17^th century and completed in 1628, the Salzburger Dom sits on the site of the original cathedral built in 774 on the remnants of a Roman town. Its interior is almost blindingly white, contrasting with the elaborate Baroque murals and frescoes scattered around its walls.

Salzburg Cathedral has no pews, a common aspect of early Baroque churches. For the first 1,500 years of the Catholic Church, one did not sit in a pew during Mass. A few benches were placed along the walls for the elderly or infirm. Standing or kneeling were considered more signs of reverence and active participation in the service than passively sitting. At some point pews were added to the Salzburg Cathedral. After the church was damaged by an aerial bomb during World War II, restoration was required, which took nearly 15 years. The pews were removed to display the cathedral’s original floor plan.

The lack of pews certainly makes an already majestic space even more grand, the patterns of its tiled floor much more visible than if it were covered with wooden benches. Mass is still held daily at Salzburg Cathedral, including High Mass at 10 a.m. Sunday that includes a choir and orchestra. I would have loved to have attended a Mass there, even though I would not have understood a word of what was said.

With a population of roughly 158,000, Salzburg is Austria’s fourth-largest city. It feels much larger than that. Its beauty and history have survived centuries of religious conflict and two world wars. Alstadt has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996.

I hope to return someday.

(There are more photos available on my Facebook page.)

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