Where in the World is Sharon Daugherty2: Salzburg, Day two after the tour

After our tour in the afternoon, we decided to go to the fortress and walked across the river into old town. We had to go through the Dom Quartier and so decided to stop in and see the Cathedral inside.

Details about the cathedral were in a previous blog, so won't repeat them

To me the ceilings were the most spectacular in the

nave and the dome

The main altar was probably built by Santio Solari in 1628. The painting depicts the resurrection of Christ and was made by Donato Mascagni. Above the painting you see statues of St. Rupert and St. Virgil as well as allegories of Religio and Caritas. Between the figures an inscriptions reads: "Notas mihi fecisi vias vitae" (you showed me the way of life).

The organ that is in use for services today was built in 1988, but the old organ of the Salzburger Dom is still essentially the same as the one built by the famous organ builder Josef Christoph Egedacher in 1703.

The highlight of the cathedral is with no doubt its dome, which is 71 metres high. Look for the two rows of eight frescos each, displaying scenes from the Old Testament. They were painted by the same artists as the ones that decorated the main nave, Donato Mascagni and Ignazio Solari. The paintings relate to the life and passion scenes from the nave.

On top of these paintings you can see the images of the four evangelists and beyond that the coats of arms of Prince Archbishop Paris Lodron and Archbishop Andreas Roracher - the Bishops who opened the cathedral or re-opened it after World War II respectively.

and the side chapel ceilings

Baptismal Font where Mozart was baptised

and many other lesser beings I am sure.

Onward to the Hohensalzburg Fortress, built in 1077 by Archbishop Gebhard, considerably enlarged by Archbishop Leonhard von Keutschach (1495-1519), largest, fully-preserved fortress in central Europe.

The more than 900-year-old citadel dates back to the investiture controversy between emperor and pope over the right to appoint the bishop. As a faithful servant of the pope, Archbishop Gebhart von Salzburg had the strongholds of Hohensalzburg, Hohenwerfen and Friesach built on his sovereign territory in 1077. Expansion of Gebhart's fortifications were temporarily completed under Konrad I (1160 - 1147).
During the 15th and 16th centuries, during the turmoil of the so-called Hungarian War and the Peasants' War in which the province of Salzburg was involved, the archbishops took refuge behind the battlements of the fortress. It was during this period that the main building was enlarged and the arsenal and the granary erected. Archbishop Leonhard von Keutschach (1495 - 1519) enlarged the fortress and its exterior has remained substantially unaltered since then. The fortress' interior was richly decorated: intricate Gothic wood-carvings and ornamental paintings decorate the Golden Hall and the Golden Chamber. 58 insignia and coats of arms with the beetroot are commemorative of Leonhard von Keutschach. The fortress' symbol, the lion, holds the beetroot in its paws. One of the last extensive modifications was the addition of the great Kuenberg bastion.

During its long history the Hohensalzburg Fortress has always remained unconquered by enemy troops.

Having served as a fortification and temporary residence of the prince archbishops for many years, the fortress also served as military barracks and a prison. Prince Archbishop Wolf Dietrich was held captive in the fortress for five years by his nephew and successor, Markus Sittikus, up to his death in 1617.

It was late in the day, so we did not have time to go inside. Our main purpose in taking the funicular up here was to capture the views. Oh my Gosh

The Bavarian Alps are gorgeous

we posed

we took pictures overlooking the old town

in the courtyards

and back to the alps

we found the cafe, and being Gru-vee's now, had our favorite Gruner Veltliner

the placemats show various locations on the mountains,

such as Hitler's Eagles Nest and Berchtesgaden, and the names of the mountains

We sat here for a long time just enjoying the beauty

Eventually we came down looking for dinner and passed by St Peters Church

Petersfriedhof or St Peters Cemetery, the oldest cemetery in Salzburg dating back to 1627.

Sheltered by the Mönchsberg and enclosed by elegant wrought-iron fences, the cemetery consists primarily of Baroque porticoes housing chapels of Salzburg's old wealthy families. Many of the aristocratic families of Salzburg lie buried here, along with many other notable figures.

The graves are lovingly tended by Salzburg families, decorated with candles, fir branches, and flowers. Pansies are the most popular flower, because their name means "thoughts."

Incidentally, while reading about the cemetery, I found yet another film sight for the "Sound of Music" This is where the von Trapp family hid out from the German's on the night of their escape.

St Peters Church - The present-day Romanesque building at the northern foot of the Mönchsberg was dedicated in 1147. One of the organs had been built on the rood screen in 1444 by Heinrich Traxdorf of Mainz. While the steeple received its onion dome in 1756, the interior, already re-modelled several times, was refurbished in the Rococo style between 1760 and 1782 under Abbot Beda Seeauer by Franz Xaver König, Lorenz Härmbler, Johann Högler, Benedikt Zöpf and others.

Mozart's Great Mass in C minor was premiered in the church, probably on 26 October 1783, with his wife Constanze singing first soprano.

Next to the altar where St. Rupert is entombed lies the tombs of Mozart's sister Maria Anna Mozart (Nannerl), and Johann Michael Haydn. Also entombed at St. Peter's Abbey is St. Vitalis.