The city of Salzburg was the epicentre of a rich ecclesiastical state in which the archbishop became an automatic prince and had secular authority over a territory extending more or less over the present-day Austrian federal state of Salzburg.
The princely archbishopric was instituted around the beginning of the 13th century, when Eberhard II created several bishoprics under his feudal authority (Chiemsee, Seckau and Lavant).
One of the most prominent Salzburg prince-archbishops was Markus Sittikus, who planned his summer residence at Hellbrunn with the cathedral architect, the master builder Santino Solari. Taking advantage of the fact that the Hellbrunner Berg provided a large flow of water, a palace was built in which the so-called "Water Games" took centre stage.
The hydraulic techniques applied to Hellbrunn's gardens include ingenious water games: from deer that spout water from their mouths, a crown that dances driven by water or, one of the best known, a stone table with water jets hidden in the seats to surprise the prince-archbishop's guests.
Within the palace walls, Hellbrunn Park is home to 60 hectares of green space, with meadows, ponds and playgrounds filled with flowers and a skyline framed by the Alpine mountains. It was originally a hunting ground of the prince-archbishop.
However, the episcopal wealth derived from the salt business (Salz in German) was not the reason for Hellbrunn's construction.
Sittikus' predecessor, Wolf Dietrich, who was also his cousin, was responsible for the construction of Schloß Altenau, another pleasure palace outside the city limits.
Wolf Dietrich built it for his mistress, Salome Alto, and her children. When Sittikus came to power, he renamed it Mirabell and decided to build another residence that would ensure the continuation of his name and power.
The dignity lasted until the beginning of the 19th century, when it was secularised and turned into a duchy under the authority of Ferdinand III of Tuscany, son of the Austrian Emperor Leopold II.
The Sound of Music tour was what many of us were most looking forward to, thus we entered the day with grand expectations. I was no exception; having watched the Sound of Music as my first live musical, and from my experience playing Rolf Gruber in a small production, I was overjoyed to be where the movie was filmed and where the real Von Trapp family lived. After breakfast in the hotel, we returned to the Mirabell Gardens. The gardens were another instance of history meeting fantasy. The gardens were of course a centerpiece of many of the scenes in the 1965 Sound of Music film, but they are also a very real piece of history dating back to the 17th century Mirabell Palace.
Mirabell Gardens [Canon AE-1, Kodak Gold 200]
This course has been a complicated blend of tourism, academics and immersion, but the moment we stepped on the tour bus, it was immediately clear that this experience would be that of the first. I quickly faced disappointment when the stops on the tour were listed out. We would be going to all the major filming locations, but the real Traunstraße 34, the house of the real Von Trapps was not to be visited. I felt that this exclusion was what made the difference between an experience meant to educate and one meant to entertain. That being said, the tour guide did share many anecdotes from the lives of the real Von Trapps, but the majority of the tour was spent watching movie scenes on the bus and photographing the film locations. The first stop was Leopoldskron Palace where the water scenes were filmed. It was a very scenic location with a lake clear as glass and a stunning rococo mansion, but we learned that the building never appears in the film; the shots towards the water were filmed there, but any shots facing the building were filmed at a different palace, our next “stop.”
Leopoldskron Palace [Canon AE-1, Kodak Gold 200]
While the actual Von Trapp mansion was not on the tour, we drove past Frohnburg Castle, the set for the mansion in the film. Today the property houses the Mozarteum Art University and thus is not open to the public. We had to be content with a slowed drive past to get photographs at a distance. It was a bit disappointing to be unable to see the house up close, it was reassuring to know that it was at least being put to educational use.
Frohnburg Castle [Canon AE-1, Kodak Gold 200]
We headed to a third palace, Hellbrunn, which does not itself appear in the film, but houses the iconic gazebo used in “Sixteen Going on Seventeen.” This was the location I was most looking forward to and I was very excited to relive my role of Rolf at the film location.
The Gazebo [Canon AE-1, Kodak Gold 200]
On the way to the town of Mondsee, we stopped by the scenic lakeside district and took in the breathtaking view. While it only appears in the film for a brief aerial shot, the lakeside villages are an iconic part of Vienna’s beauty and rich with history dating back to prehistoric settlements.
Paraglider on the Lake [Canon AE-1, Kodak Gold 200]
The town of Mondsee was the last and largest stop on the tour. The primary attraction of the town is the Basilica St. Michael. With both Gothic and baroque elements, it was perfect for the set of the wedding of Maria and the Captain. Besides being a stunning architectural sight and a major filming location in the Sound of Music, it continues to be used to this day for weddings. . . and funerals. As we approached the Basilica, I made note of a hearse draped in flowers parked outside. I realized what was taking place as I watched a stream of tourists rushing to see the altar that Maria was married at–in a functional film–only to find a very real funeral taking place. I was appalled. Here was another example of the past, the present, and a fictional narrative of the city finding themselves in conflict. A historic abbey dating back to the medieval period being used for a very real funeral in the present has become a tourist attraction because of the fictional reality presented by a film. It was an experience that put much of the nature of this course into perspective. While we were there primarily to experience the history of the city, we were also absorbing the culture of Vienna in the present and learning how it is shaped by the past. At the same time, we are also reconciling ourselves with these fictional depictions of Austria ranging from films to musicians in anachronistic outfits and wigs. Despite this initial setback, the town was lovely. We explored the streets for a while, stopping into souvenir shops or grabbing a quick bite to eat. Shortly before our departure, we were startled by the ringing of the church bells followed by the sounding of the town’s air raid siren which led to a great deal of confusion until we remembered the funeral that was still ongoing; perhaps a fitting retribution for the earlier disruption.
The Basilica St. Michael [Canon AE-1, Kodak Gold 200]
On the bus ride back, we were entertained by a plethora of movie clips, sing-alongs and behind the scenes interviews from the Sound of Music. Upon our arrival in Salzburg, I was eager to visit the actual Von Trapp mansion. While the others found lunch, I walked out to the far southeast side of the city and began to search for the address I knew so well. After just under an hour of walking, I finally found the Traunstraße and followed it to house 34. The building was gated in and only a small portion of the upper story was visible through the foliage, but I was overjoyed. I felt that I had found more meaning in this real piece of the Von Trapp story.
Traunstraße 34 [Canon AE-1, Kodak Gold 200]
I did not linger long as the house is within a residential neibourhood, but I felt that it was worth the long walk. When we reconviened in the city center, we did not linger long in the city as we had to make the train back to Vienna. Salzburg was such a lovley city with incredible scenery, but we were all very happy to be returning to the city we knew so well. We arrived shortly before 21:00 and were just in time to catch the Eurovision final at the hotel!! The final went very late and the results were rather dissapointing (Sweden? Really?!?), but it was a simple and enjoyable way to conclude our adventures in Salzburg.
Chris and I spent a magical holiday in Austria for a family friends destination wedding. From airbnb to the Schloss Leopoldskron and all the beautiful walkable places in between the quaint beautiful city of Salzburg.
The Christmas markets were incredible, they also featured the Krampus tradition, a folkloric beast-like creature. We laughed and explored, we visited the Mirabell Palace and Gardens, and a group of us booked a private 4 hour Sound of Music tour. We explored the Nonnberg Abbey, went to Scholosspark Hellbrunn, saw the famous gazebo where the “I am 16 going on 17″ song was performed, we visited the church where Maria and Captain von Trapp married, this was located in Mondsee. The view was unreal as we drove through the mountains. We also hiked up the steepest of hills to tour through the Fortress Hohensalzburg. A group of us saw an outstanding lifelike marionette performance of The Nutcracker at the world’s oldest marionette theatre.
A visit to Salzburg wouldn’t be complete without visiting Mozart’s Birthplace, where I learned all about his life, his relationship with his family, walked around the very room he was born in, and read the letters he wrote to his sister, one of which included his daily routine.
Among all the delicious traditional Austrian foods we enjoyed we also went out for a date-night at a delicious Syrian restaurant called 11:11 Make a Wish. The hospitality there was fantastic, and the art was very cool, we later found out that the artist was a friend of the owners.
Our friends were married at a Catholic church at Pfarre Mulln with Father Franz, who was the sweetest and funniest Father & Monk! He greeted folks from all over the world in various languages (English, Spanish, German, Romanian). The reception took place in the Great Hall at Schloss Leopoldskron where a beautiful string quartet played, and where the most gorgeous library was located.
I never would have imagined visiting Austria in the dead of winter. As I reflect I am beyond grateful to have had the opportunity to visit such a magical place.
Here’s to the year ahead. May the whole year provide an abundance of love, respect, liberation, and joy. Happy New Year.
Salzburg – a fairy story setting, surrounded by lakes and mountains, and straddling the banks of the Salzach River. Discover the highest sights of town right here.
Salzburg – a fairy tale setting, surrounded by lakes and mountains, and straddling the banks of the Salzach River. Explore the top sights of the city here.
Austria – Salzburg – UNESCO World Heritage Site – P8
Austria – Salzburg – UNESCO World Heritage Site – P8
Hellbrunn Palace & Trick Fountains –
Hellbrunn Palaceh is a historic building located in Salzburg, Austria. The palace was built in the early 17th century by Prince-Archbishop Markus Sittikus. It is now a museum and a popular tourist destination. The trick fountains at Hellbrunn are one of the main attractions in the palace. The Hellbrunn Palace and the Trick Fountains are two of Salzburg’s main…
Le caviar blanc, trésor inattendu au cœur des Alpes
Une entreprise autrichienne élève plusieurs centaines d'esturgeons blancs dont les œufs s'arrachent à prix d'or, surtout en ces périodes de fêtes. Stefan Astner inspecte en cuissardes au pied d'un magnifique décor alpin des esturgeons albinos rarissimes, dont le caviar au coût astronomique est expédié dans le monde entier pour le réveillon de la Saint-Sylvestre. «Les poissons sont déjà passés à l'échographie pour qu'on voit s'ils sont pleins et ils entreront en phase de production bientôt», explique bonnet vissé sur la tête cet employé. Il travaille à Grödig, un village situé près de Salzbourg, en Autriche, où grandissent en pisciculture des femelles aux œufs qui valent de l'or. À l'atelier, le patron Walter Grüll incise délicatement la chair de l'une d'entre elles, âgée de 16 ans, pour en extraire un caviar à la couleur crème surprenante. «Il est encore plus doux, encore plus fondant que celui qui est traditionnellement noir», explique-t-il en lavant sa récolte.
Ces oeufs sont parmi les aliments les plus onéreux au monde ~1300€ les 100g. Cette dernière ne pèse que 600 grammes et vaut... 8 000 euros. C'est trois fois plus que le caviar noir, déjà considéré comme un produit de luxe. «Ces œufs sont parmi les aliments les plus onéreux au monde. Ils représentent seulement 1% de notre production totale de caviar», énonce Walter Grüll.
Dans une pièce à côté, sa fille Alexandra prépare une quarantaine de colis réfrigérés. «Ça part pour l'Allemagne, l'Italie, l'Espagne», détaille-t-elle, le nez sur les bons de commande. La crise du coronavirus a certes eu un effet sur la demande: les tables étoilées attendent des jours meilleurs, les palaces sont fermés. Mais la vente au détail explose. Quitte à rester chez soi, autant ressortir l'argenterie et les mets qui vont avec... «Les gens veulent savourer l'instant présent», lance l'éleveur en répondant aux incessants coups de fil qui ponctuent ses journées. Les fêtes de fin d'année représentent près de 40% de son chiffre d'affaires annuel.
Les noms des clients ne seront pas révélés, la discrétion est gage de succès dans ce secteur. Beaucoup d'entre eux se situent en Asie, en Russie et au Moyen-Orient. Une célèbre marque de voitures haut de gamme vient d'appeler et récemment, la maison a reçu la proposition d'une compagnie aérienne désirant offrir à ses clients premium du caviar «Made in Austria».
Walter Grüll, qui a humblement démarré en 1981 avec l'omble et la truite, a voulu se démarquer de l'offre mondiale en faisant se reproduire en captivité ces esturgeons immaculés, caractérisés par une absence totale de pigmentation. Il dispose désormais de plusieurs centaines de poissons protégés par des caméras et des grilles cadenassées dans un parc arboré proche du château de Hellbrunn, un joyau Renaissance. Car cette précieuse denrée attire les convoitises: plusieurs vols ont eu lieu ces dernières années dans d'autres exploitations. La qualité de leurs œufs, eux aussi sans mélanine, doit beaucoup aux bassins cristallins dans lesquels ils évoluent. La pureté de l'eau venue des cimes convient par exemple à merveille à l'esturgeon du Danube, l'un des plus petits de l'espèce. Cette démarche «d'exotisme du terroir» s'inscrit dans l'air du temps, les changements climatiques incitant des consommateurs plus regardants à rapprocher les produits de leur assiette. Plus largement, l'élevage d'esturgeon noir ou blanc, qui s'est développé depuis un quart de siècle principalement en Chine, en Italie et en France à la suite de l'interdiction de la pêche, s'inscrit également dans une volonté de conservation. Cette espèce pouvant vivre jusqu'à 120 ans, présente sur terre au temps des dinosaures, est au bord de l'extinction dans son milieu naturel en Russie ou en Iran. La production mondiale issue de l'esturgeon sauvage s'est effondrée dans les années 1980, en raison de la surpêche et de la pollution.
Selon les dernières statistiques disponibles de la World Sturgeon Conservation Society en date de 2018, 2 480 fermes dans 55 pays produisent 415 tonnes de caviar par an. Seuls 30 à 40 d'entre elles, dont deux ou trois en Autriche, en proposent du blanc, estime l'universitaire Thomas Friedrich, qui coordonne à Vienne un programme de renforcement des populations d'esturgeon du Danube. Quand par miracle un albinos arrivait à l'âge adulte à l'état sauvage et finissait pêché en mer Caspienne, raconte-t-il, ses œufs blancs étaient réservés exclusivement au Shah d'Iran.
marionettes at Hohensalzburg by S.M. Tham
Via Flickr:
In the little museum of marionettes or puppets at the Hohensalzburg fortress. This is a scene at the gardens of Hellbrunn Palace
还记得你去阿姆斯特丹的儿童之旅吧?事实上,阿姆斯特丹远不止是成人咖啡馆和消遣地带,久远记忆中令人愉悦的更是孩子们视它为心中的乐园。乘船或骑自行车游览城市,梵高博物馆(Van Gogh Museum)是不容错过的景点(避免排队可提前买票)。对于中小学生或偏大的孩子,安妮·弗兰克之家(Anne Frank House)提供了令人难忘的战争恐怖的经历,可阅读这个勇敢女孩的日记为家庭旅行参观做准备。荷兰食物甚至可以满足最挑剔的食客(不食用煎饼和薯条)。事实上,阿姆斯特丹可能是欧洲最著名的的家庭观光友好城市。如果你有闲暇时间,欢迎游览荷兰最受欢迎的主题公园——艾夫特琳(Efteling)。
3.哥本哈根(Copenhagen)
迪士尼多愁善感的快乐结局在哥本哈根没有立足之地。在这里,童话故事呈现出更凄惨、更迷人的转折。从海港里悲伤的美人鱼到带马术楼梯的魔法圆塔(magical Round Tower),都会引起人们无限的遐思。哥本哈根著名的游乐园蒂沃利(Tivoli)自汉斯·克里斯蒂安·安徒生(Hans Christian Andersen)时代就开放了,除了几处惊险刺激的游乐场和摊亭外,周边花园,湖泊、餐厅也营造着和谐浪漫氛围。庆幸是,哥本哈根的旅游景点密集,适于孩子们观光,一些壮观的城堡离这里只有半小时的火车车程。
4. 萨尔斯堡(Salzberg)
比起庄严的维也纳,去萨尔茨堡会感到轻松,在那里你可以全身心投入到《音乐之声》的欣赏中去。怀着崇敬的心情,前往主教宫广场(Residenzplatz),在那里,可享受25分钟的马车之旅穿过老城区的中心,一路唱着《哆来咪》(Do Re Mi),重温影片《音乐之声》场景。如果还想给孩子意外惊喜,那就搭上巴士到萨尔茨堡郊外去参观海尔布伦宫 (Hellbrunn Palace)吧,这是一座17世纪的别墅,拥有由萨尔茨堡大主教马库斯·西提库斯·冯·霍纳姆斯( Markus Sittikus von Honenems) 设计的美丽花园。这个以水上游戏闻名的夏日著名胜地,展示了幽默设计师带给参观者惊喜的恶作剧。随时随处都有可能被机关喷水淋湿。
被列为联合国教科文组织世界遗产(Unesco World Heritage Site)的杜布罗夫尼克是地球上最宏伟的城墙城市之一。它俯瞰亚得里亚海(the Adriatic)碧绿的海水,是一个将历史与观光活动完美结合的家庭城市旅游胜地。我们为什么不享受一下早上爬上城墙后,下午舒舒服服地坐在皮艇上欣赏海岸线的乐趣呢?