I had such a wonderful time in Italy.  Now it was time to explore a new country.  I took the train from Verona, Italy to Salzburg, Austria.  From the Salzburg train station, I took a taxi to my hotel.  The taxi driver was young and spoke perfect English.  He asked if I would be doing a Sound of Music tour.  I told him that I would be exploring the city on my own but was interested in seeing some of the places where the movie was filmed.  Little did I know – one of those places was the hotel I chose!

Here are some more beautiful pictures of the hotel grounds!

The Schloss Leopoldskron is a historical monument and a hotel business owned by a non-profit organization known as the Salzburg Global Seminar.  The building was commissioned in 1736 by the Archbishop of Salzburg.  However, a Scottish Benedictine monk is regarded as its master builder.  Of course, this estate, like so many others, had its period of decline and disrepair.  In 1918, the palace was sold to Max Reinhardt, one of Europe’s famous theatre directors.  He renovated the palace and established the Salzburg Festival on the premises in 1920.

In 1938, the palace was seized by the Germans and returned to Reinhardt’s widow after World War II in 1945.  Mrs. Reinhardt loaned the palace to the founders of the Salzburg Global Seminar in 1947 and shortly after, one of the scenes from the Sound of Music was filmed at this location.  It was exciting to learn the history of this beautiful place.

Normally, when I visit new places, I like to stay within the downtown historical area.  This hotel was approximately a 25-minute walk to the historic district of Salzburg.  I didn’t mind the walk, even in the rain.  It was beautiful and peaceful. 

Despite the gates, I was able to get good pictures of the altar and the woodwork on either side of the church. 

Another interesting find at the fortress was the remains of the Romanesque Fortress Chapel discovered by archeologists in 1994.

Here are more beautiful views from the top of the fortress!

As I traveled back down on the funicular, I noticed an old church cemetery.  The path toward the cemetery led to Saint Peter’s Abbey – another site on my list!

Outside this church, I also noticed rooms built into the rock.  Saint Peter’s Abbey is the oldest monastery in Austria founded in 696 by Saint Rupert.

While descending on the funicular, I also noticed a large gold ball and a massive chessboard.  After leaving Saint Peter’s Abbey, I walked toward the large gold ball structure.  This area is known as Kapitelplatz and the sculpture is the Sphaera created by a German sculptor in 2007.

The artwork on the ceilings was stunning and very clear as if they were just painted.  Each painting told a story of the lives of Jesus, Mary, and the saints.

There were so many places to see the beauty and talent dedicated to God.

This cathedral also had a crypt with a small chapel. 

The history of this cathedral is very interesting.  The Salzburg Cathedral was dedicated to Saint Rupert and Saint Virgil.  The original cathedral on this site was consecrated in 774.  After being destroyed by fire, the cathedral was rebuilt and consecrated in 1628.  In 1944, an aerial bomb destroyed the cathedral dome which was rebuilt after World War II and reopened to the public in 1959.

As I looked at the pictures displayed in the cathedral of the destruction from World War II, I thought of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France.  I was devastated when the news broadcasted footage of the fires that destroyed several sections of the Cathedral of Notre Dame in 2019.  The Cathedral of Notre Dame is on my bucket list.  I have postponed my trip to Paris until this cathedral is open to the public. 

Looking down at the display of photos showcased in the Salzburg Cathedral that showed the destruction from World War II and then raising my eyes to the present beauty of the cathedral gave me hope that the Cathedral of Notre Dame will be restored to its original beauty.  My only hope is that it will be complete within the next few years!  Stay tuned!

My next stop was the Nonnberg Benedictine Convent which is the oldest convent in the German speaking world. 

Near the convent, I found the church dedicated to Saint Maximilan.  This church was consecrated in 1700.  Once again, there were gates preventing me from walking to the altar.  However, I was still able to snap some great photos.

The weather was on and off rain for the first three days I spent in Salzburg.  On one of these on and off rainy days, I saw a sign for Saint Michael’s Church.  I entered just in time to avoid the rain and attended the noon Mass.  It was my first Mass in German!

The most unusual church I found in Salzburg was the Kollegienkirche (Collegiate Church).  This church had very tall ceilings with very white interior!  Above the main altar was a display of angels on stucco clouds surrounding the Blessed Mother. The side altars and organs were simply stunning.

The next day, before the rain started, I decided to go to another Sound of Music filming site – the Mirabell Palace and Gardens.  On my way, I found Holy Trinity Church built in the late 1600s.

The rain held out as I made my way to Mirabell Gardens.  As I walked through the archway leading to the garden, I immediately saw a familiar site from the Sound of Music movie. 

I also learned something new about these gardens.  The Mirabell Palace was built in 1606 by Archbishop Wolf Dietrich who wanted a residence outside the city walls for his mistress and their ten children.  The original name of the palace and gardens was Altenau named after the mistress.  However, when the archbishop’s nephew inherited the estate, he changed the name to Mirabell to conceal the palace’s original purpose.

As I continued my walk around the beautiful city of Salzburg, I found another gold plaque on the sidewalk in memory of those who were taken and murdered. 

The next church on my list was Saint Sebastian Catholic Church. 

This church was built between 1505 and 1512 and was destroyed by fire and rebuilt in the early 19th century.  As I entered the beautiful church, I noticed that the gates were open.  There were several people in the church when I noticed that the Blessed Sacrament was on the altar.  This was a time for Adoration and I was happy to spend time with Our Lord in this beautiful place.

My last stop in Salzburg was a visit to the Capuchin Monastery known as Kapuzinerkirche. 

The church was another beautiful, gated structure.

I did some research and found that these plaques are called Stolpersteine in German.  The English translation is Stumbling Stones.  These stones were planted throughout Europe on city streets and sidewalks to eternalize the lives lost in the Holocaust. 

So much history, so much grief, so much pain – I pray that we never forget.

I truly enjoyed my two and a half days in Salzburg.  I saw so many beautiful things.  Everyone was so kind.  Even in the rain, Salzburg did not disappoint.  This was my first time in Austria. 

Next stop – VIENNA!

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