Salzburg
The area of the city has been inhabited continuously since the Neolithic Age until the present. In 15 BC, Roman forces invaded and established a settlement on the hills that would become Salzburg. The Romans created Municipium Claudium Iuvavum as an administrative center for the Kingdom of Noricum. This new town replaced scattered settlements on the surrounding hills. Archaeological evidence shows the site was once home to Celtic Alums tribes before the Roman arrival. The province of Noricum collapsed in 488 during the migration period. Part of the Romano-Celtic population remained in the country after the collapse. They came under the rule of the Baiuvarii in the 6th century.
Bishop Rupert of Salzburg received the remains of the Roman town from Duke Theodo II of Bavaria around 700 AD. He also received a castrum superius on the Nonnberg Terrace as a gift. Rupert built a church at St Peter on the site of today's cathedral. He probably founded the associated monastery and the Benedictine nunnery on Nonnberg for his relative Erentrude. Salzburg became the seat of a diocesan bishop since 798 and an archbishopric since 996. Archbishop Gebhard built the first part of Hohensalzburg Fortress in 1077. The fortress dates from the 11th century and is one of the largest medieval fortresses in Europe. Prince-Archbishop Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau began transforming the medieval town into Baroque architectural ideals in the late Renaissance. Italian architects rebuilt the city center along with many palaces during the 17th century.
On the 31st of October 1731, Archbishop Count Leopold Anton von Firmian signed the Edict of Expulsion. This document directed all Protestant citizens to recant their non-Catholic beliefs. Twenty-one thousand four hundred seventy-five citizens refused to recant their beliefs and were expelled from Salzburg. Most accepted an offer by King Friedrich Wilhelm I of Prussia. They traveled the length and breadth of Germany to new homes in East Prussia. The rest settled in other Protestant states in Europe and the British colonies in America. In 1772, 1803, under archbishop Hieronymus Graf von Colloredo, Salzburg became a center of late Illuminism. Colloredo often had arguments with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. He dismissed Mozart by saying he should go because he did not need him. Mozart left Salzburg for Vienna in 1781 with his family.
The Anschluss took place on the 12th of March 1938 when German troops moved into the city. Political opponents, Jewish citizens and other minorities were subsequently arrested and deported to concentration camps. A Romani camp was built in Salzburg-Maxglan during the Nazi occupation. It operated as an Arbeitserziehungslager providing slave labor to local industry. Five subcamps of the Dachau concentration camp existed in Salzburg. Allied bombing destroyed 7,600 houses and killed 550 inhabitants. Fifteen air strikes destroyed 46 percent of the city's buildings. American troops entered the city on the 5th of May 1945. Several displaced persons camps were established including Riedenburg, Camp Herzl, Camp Mülln, Bet Bialik, Bet Trumpeldor, and New Palestine.
Austria signed a treaty re-establishing the country as democratic and independent in 1955. The Americans left the area once this treaty was signed. In the 1960s, the city became the shooting location for The Sound of Music film. On the 27th of January 2006, all 35 churches of Salzburg rang their bells after 8:00 p.m. to celebrate the 250th anniversary of Mozart's birth. Major celebrations took place throughout that year. The historic center was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. The Großes Festspielhaus opened in 1960 and serves as an opera house and concert hall for the annual Salzburg Festival. Three universities now operate within the city limits.
As of 2017, Salzburg had a GDP per capita of €46,100. This figure exceeded the average for Austria and most European countries. Red Bull Hangar-7 stands at Salzburg Airport with a collection of historical aeroplanes and Formula One racing cars. Dietrich Mateschitz owns the Flying Bulls operation housed there. The city has about the same latitude as Seattle but sits on the banks of the River Salzach. Untersberg mountain lies less than five kilometers from the city center. Public transport lines stretch across the border into Germany including Freilassing. The city acts as a hub for southbound trains through the Alps into Italy. FC Red Bull Salzburg plays in the Austrian Bundesliga since 2005 when Red Bull bought the club.
Up Next
Continue Browsing
Common questions
When was Salzburg founded by Roman forces?
Roman forces invaded and established a settlement on the hills that would become Salzburg in 15 BC. The Romans created Municipium Claudium Iuvavum as an administrative center for the Kingdom of Noricum.
Who became the first bishop of Salzburg around 700 AD?
Bishop Rupert of Salzburg received the remains of the Roman town from Duke Theodo II of Bavaria around 700 AD. He built a church at St Peter and probably founded the associated monastery and the Benedictine nunnery on Nonnberg.
What happened to Protestant citizens in Salzburg on the 31st of October 1731?
Archbishop Count Leopold Anton von Firmian signed the Edict of Expulsion on the 31st of October 1731 which directed all Protestant citizens to recant their non-Catholic beliefs. Twenty-one thousand four hundred seventy-five citizens refused to recant their beliefs and were expelled from Salzburg.
When did American troops enter the city of Salzburg during World War II?
American troops entered the city of Salzburg on the 5th of May 1945 after Allied bombing destroyed 7,600 houses and killed 550 inhabitants. Several displaced persons camps were established including Riedenburg, Camp Herzl, and Camp Mülln following this entry.
Why is Salzburg famous for The Sound of Music film?
The city became the shooting location for The Sound of Music film in the 1960s. This production contributed significantly to the city's global recognition as a tourist destination.