Salzburg may be a city of international magnitude, but there’s still so much nature and manmade beauty to see.
Today’s walk leads us from the Leopoldskroner Weiher through Nonntal to the Moenchsberg with the Festung Hohensalzburg and down to the old town.The approximately 650 m long and up to 220 m wide body of water is home to many animals, such as ducks, swans, greylag geese, carp, pike and frogs.The St. Nepomuk statue on the southern banks of the lake was designed in 1736 and manufactured from Untersberg marble, it’s part of the overall ensemble of Leopoldskron Palace and Gardens.The walking path follows the contour of the water edge until it almost touches the Almkanal.Existing documents and records of the ecclesiastical builders document the fascinating history of the origin of the water system of the Almkanal from the 12th century, which, with its water pipe tunnel cut through the mountain, is to be regarded as unique in early medieval Central Europe.After a detour along the Leopoldskron road the path returns to the lake once more. From this angle, the Weiherwirt stands out against Untersberg.In 1736 Prince Archbishop of Salzburg Leopold Anton Freiherr von Firmian built Leopoldskron Castle as a family residence. Located directly in front of the beautiful Leopoldskroner Weiher, it impresses with its panoramic view of the surrounding mountains. Due to his special connection to the castle, the Prince Archbishop had his heart buried in the castle’s chapel.Nonntal is stretching out right in front of the fortress.Where the Hans-Sedlmayr-Weg meets the Fürstenallee there is an old wayside shrine. It is carved from Nagelfluh and consists of three parts (stone made base, overhanging roof and a green tin container that is used to hold flowers and lights) framing an image of Mary with the child painted on tin. In the backdrop the Church of Our Lady of Sorrows with an altarpiece by Josef Gold is in the center of a retirement center.First mention of the then chapel St Erhard was 1404 as a part of a nearby hospital, since then it has come a long way and is now part of the UNESCO World Heritage Historic Center of the City of Salzburg.But just looking at the famous buildings is not enough, inspect every little road, the old letters on the street plaques and small shops, some still with a tinkling bell on the entrance.Behind the houses, the red onion tower of the Nonntaler Stiftskirche is standing out. Nonnberg Abbey, a benedictine monastery, was founded in 712 by Saint Rupert of Salzburg, it is the oldest continuously existing nunnery in the German-speaking world.St Erhard from above. Slowly we make our way up the hill.The fortress must have been an awe inspiring structure in the olden days, still is.Gently sloping up the hill we push our pram, underneath, Nonntal and Riedenburg districts lie in the muffled silcence of a Sunday Morning.Since 1892, the fortress railway has been taking you to the city’s distinctive landmark in both summer and winter. It runs every 10 minutes. The valley station is located in the heart of the old town and after a one-minute ride you can enjoy a fabulous view over the city of Salzburg and the surrounding mountains. The cable car is 198,5 m long, starting at the valley station at 437 m and ending at 536 m above sea level.This might as well be the most sought after resting point in all of Salzburg. Stunning views!Collegiate Church of Nonnberg – The three-aisled part of the church is supported by four powerful, free-standing clusters of pillars, which are connected to one another at the sides by high pointed arches.Above this is a walkway closed with a late Gothic tracery parapet and behind it in the nave pointed arched clerestory windows with butt glass panes.The central stained glass window of the main apse, largely hidden behind the main altar, is the only surviving Gothic stained glass window in the church.There’s not a lot of light in this partly romanic church. Some features were added later though and bring gothic grace to the sturdy architecture.A small monastery cemetery surrounds the church to the south and east.Overlooking the city to the Kapuzinerberg. The fine line you can see on the other hill side is the Basteiweg, a historical path which leads along the Lodronsche defensive wall in the south and in the east of the mountain to the Franziski-Schlössl.But that needs to wait for another day. We’re descending into the old town that lies beneath Moenchsberg.Doorway somewhere down the Festungsgasse.Sphaera, the golden ball by Stefan Balkenhol. The work of art consists of a gold-plated sphere weighing two tons and five meters in diameter. The ball is made of glass fiber reinforced plastic and rests on a wrought iron frame weighing 3,5 tons. A bronze male figure weighing 300 kilograms, wearing black trousers and a white shirt, stands nine meters high on the sphere. The sculpture is sometimes jokingly referred to locally as the “Mozartkugel”.Next logical stop: The Salzburg Cathedral is the main church of the Roman Catholic archdiocese of Salzburg, it’s dedicated to Rupert and Virgil, the patron saint is observed on Rupert Day, September 24th.We light some prayer candles and stroll through the baroque church.The romanesque building was completed in 774 and since then was partly or completely destroyed 5 times over the ages.Small but with much love decorated side chapels bordering the nave.Not one of the artworks is the same, they all tell different stories that connect to the chapel they bow over.The longhouse. Need to return for an hour of midday music!In 1944 heavy bomb hits destroyed the houses along Pfeifergasse and also down Sebastian-Stief-Gasse. In the post-war period, some of the destroyed houses were not rebuilt or rebuilt in a different place or in a different form, so that the two streets were widened and the square was created. The square is named after Papageno, a well-known and popular character from the opera “Die Zauberfloete” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.Preparing for our walk back via Nonntaler Hauptstrasse.Doesn’t look like a “Hauptstrasse” but still has some flair. In the distance, we can already see St Erhard. Well, heading back quickly, lunch is waiting!
