Gary and Lesley's Travels: Hungary & Austria (7-18 October 2016)

Hungary (7-13 October 2016)

Our Flight from Brussels to Budapest left late but being collected from the airport by transport arranged by our accommodation made everything pretty easy. Our 1 bedroom apartment here is great, a separate lounge, kitchen and bathroom (even a washing machine which is a real treat). As we arrived later than expected we decided not to venture too far going across the road to our first (and apparently the best) ruin pub – Szimpla Kert (Simple Garden).

Effectively it’s a pub built inside a “ruin” – an abandoned building that is literally falling apart. The decorations are very eclectic and you can sit and have a drink in anything from an old car to a bathtub. It’s very popular with locals and tourists alike and this one is the most well-known. It had a very unique but lively and fun atmosphere and we stayed for dinner and a couple of drinks.

The next morning we decided to start catching up on photos and notes, so after some exercise and a sneaky morning photo of the Castle in the Wall (Gellert Hill Cave), our one excursion was to the Great Market Hall (1896). It’s Budapest’s largest and oldest indoor market (10,000 square metres) and had to be restored to its former glory after the World Wars. It is still used daily as a market place where you can buy produce, meats, pastries, spices and all sorts of other “foodie” items on the ground floor. Upstairs there are lots of eateries and more souvenir type shops. It’s a grand old building and nice that it’s still used for what it was designed for.

The following day was the start of our touring around. Unlike other places we’ve been of late, Budapest is much larger and would be impossible to get around on foot. We opted for the Hop on Hop off bus and planned to use today to cover all the routes, and then tomorrow pick those sites we wanted to go back to and visit.

It’s a great way to get a feel for the city and even though we were “in transit” most of the time we still managed to key sites such as the 1875 Opera House, Heroes Square which is a huge square that is effectively the main gate to the City Park, the 1711 Capel of St Roch (built to ward off the plague) and loads of very grand buildings that seem to line the streets everywhere you look. The other thing happening today is the Budapest Marathon so there is the finishing shute at the City Park and runners all over the city! (apparently 28,000 covering four different events).

Next was the 1904 statue of St Gellert (also the hill’s namesake) who was thrown to his death from the hill in 1046 and the back of Buda Castle (built over the 14^th-20^th centuries). Originally the two sides of the Danube were separate cities – Buda and Pest - the unification into a single city “Budapest” came in 1873.

Up Gellert Hill to the 1947 Liberty Monument, which was raised in tribute to the Soviet soldiers who died liberating Budapest in 1945. The views over the city from here are sensational – the bridges, churches, the castle and parliament buildings all stand out and it is really beautiful.

From here part of our Hop On, Hop Off was a boat trip on the Danube. Giving a different perspective again the views were great and we saw – namely the 1896 Calvinist Church which jumps out due to its red colour and the 1902 Parliament Buildings which is an imposing site overlooking the river. It’s the largest building in Hungary and third largest Parliament building in the world with 691 rooms and 20kms of stairs. The Budapest sign is where our trip ended and where we were to rejoin the trip in the evening to see the city in all its lit up glory.

We headed back out rugged up as it is pretty cold (night times going down to between 2 and 4 degrees) and started our night time viewing. The websites and other tourist information certainly aren’t wrong in that the city looks quite simply stunning at night time. Particularly the Castle district, Matthias Church and the Fisherman’s Bastion, the numerous bridges and of course the Parliament Buildings. If we weren’t sure before we headed out we are now convinced that seeing this city at night is a must do.

Next morning was mostly about seeing the sights so the transport became the “getting around” method only. Our first stop was the 1905 St Stephen’s Basilica which shares the tallest building title in Budapest with the Parliament building. The cathedral, as they all are, was gorgeous inside and there was actually a christening happening too which was a bit of a treat to see. In the chapel to the left of the main alter is the “Holy Right”, the treasured (and mummified) right hand of King St Stephen.

From here we headed over the river to the Castle district. Up a few stairs to the base of the castle and a great view point and the “Turul” statue (looks like a vulture but is meant to be more of a hawk or falcon) before we headed in the direction of Matthias Church.

The first church on the site was founded by St Stephen, King of Hungary in 1015. The current structure however was constructed in the latter half of the 13^th century. In front of the church is the 1711 Holy Trinity Column which was built to celebrate the end of the plague. The whole central area is edged by the Fisherman’s bastion which was a defensive battlement built in 1905. Its name comes from the medieval guild of fishermen responsible for defending this stretch of the castle wall.

After spending a bit of time up in the Castle district we headed back down the hill to the roads alongside the river. The next sight for the day was the 1926 Brother in Arms Sculptures that were erected to commemorate the heroes of the First World War. They are enormous (2.5-3 times Gary’s height) and a moving tribute.

From here we were back on the bus and crossing one of the many bridges. There are three of note – the 1849 Széchenyi Chain Bridge, 1896 Liberty Bridge and 1872 Margaret Bridge. They are all uniquely different and a good look, perhaps because they are old. The Chain Bridge is edged with lion statues that give it a grand presence.

We soon found ourselves at the other end of town in Heroes Square on the edge of City Park. At the front of the monument is a large stone cenotaph dedicated “to the memory of the heroes who gave their lives for the freedom of the people and the national independence” and at the back is two matched colonnades. The statues within each colonnade represent the great figures of Hungarian history and the four along the top represent Labour & Wealth, War, Peace and Knowledge & Glory. It’s a very majestic entrance to the park but with its own meaning for the people here.

The park is very pretty with its own 1896 fairy-tale castle (Vajdahunyad Castle) and fountain (thermal even) and lots of greenery. Although it is still pretty chilly there are lots of people making the most of the outdoors.

The city zoo is also in the park as well as the Szechenyi Baths. Hungary is quite famous for its thermal springs, of which Budapest has almost 125. The 1913 Szechenyi baths are said to be the largest medicinal bath in Europe and it’s supplied by two thermal springs – their temperatures being 74°C and 77°C respectively. We intend to visit here for a soak a bit later on. :o)

After a very busy day we opted for a quick dinner across the road which is kind of like an outdoor food court or takeaway with lots of options. Opting for stuffed baked potatoes and the comfort of home to eat them we called it a night.

Rainy days – planning to do some more catch up and the weather is playing ball as it’s raining for the next couple of days. We did get out and do some exercise before spending lots of hours with the computer and iPad. We did manage to get to the New York Café which was opened in 1894 and touted the “most beautiful café in the world”. It was commissioned by the New York Insurance Company as the “New York Palace”. It’s had a history and some refurbishment but it’s fair to say it probably still is the most beautiful café in the world and is still part of the “Palace”. We decided to splash out and have “high tea” in the most amazing setting – feeling like we’d stepped back in time, listening to musicians play music that Lesley is sure her parents would have gone out dancing to. It was a really magical moment in an absolutely stunning environment.

Our second rainy day would consist of some R&R at the Szechenyi Baths. After catching the metro and ogling at the building for some time we ventured in and spent a few hours making the most of the warm mineral waters and even managed a massage while we were there. Beautiful setting and comical as a couple of the pools were outside – which is fine when you’re in them the comical coming from the quick dash to get to the indoor ones when you’re out of them (outside temp being 11-13 degrees at the time we were there). It certainly lives up to its reputation for size with 15 pools of various sizes and temperatures inside and three much larger ones outside. A nice way to spend the afternoon.

Our final full day in Hungary was spent first visiting the Great Synagogue (1859). Also known as the Dohany Street Synagogue it is the largest in Europe and the second largest in the world capable of accommodating 3,000 people seated and 2,000 standing. During the years between WW1 & WW2 a series of anti-Jewish policies were passed and fascist groups like the Arrow Cross Party started attracting more followers. Hungary then became an ally of Germany and the party damaged the synagogue in 1939 – during the war it served as a stable and radio communication centre for the Germans. Today, the compound once again serves as the main centre for the Jewish community.

There are a number of buildings that make up the site including the Jewish Museum, the Heroes’ Temple, the Jewish Cemetery and the Raoul Wallenberg Memorial Park. The Heroes’ temple was added in 1931 and serves as a memorial to Hungarian Jews who gave their lives during WWI and behind that is the Jewish Cemetery. There are over 2,000 people buried here (out of a total of 8-10,000 who perished in the ghetto) who died in the Jewish ghetto during the winter of 1944/45 – most of whom died from starvation or the cold. The grave stones that are here are those where the families have known their relatives are buried here, most however remain unidentified.

The Memorial Park at the rear of the synagogue is a moving tribute to at least 400,000 Hungarian Jews who were murdered by the Nazis. The Emanuel Tree which resembles a “weeping willow” has leaves that bear inscriptions of the names of the victims and there is also a memorial to those people who saved the lives of thousands of Jewish souls by putting their own at risk.

The Jewish Museum holds lots of treasures that have been obtained or have been received as donations. It features items from Jewish traditions, history and some from the Holocaust. Some items of note were a 16^th century Marriage Certificate, multiple Torah (Jewish handwritten scrolls containing the five books of Moses) and their holders (the oldest of which was 1602 and known to be the second oldest surviving in the world) and Menorah (candle holders) used during Hanukkah.

The entire visit was an introduction for us to this religion and their way of life. Unfortunately also a reminder of the tragedies they faced and some lived through during the war torn years.

From the Synagogue we took the metro and then train to Szentendre old town. It’s a riverside town about 15kms out of Budapest (in Pest County) that has become popular as a day trip due to its easy rail and river access. It is a cute and quiet town (am sure the cold weather is helping with the “quiet”) that is dotted with churches (the oldest being the 13^th century St John Roman Catholic Parish Church) and a great place if you’re into souvenir shopping. We wandered the town walking little cobbled streets, church spotting and came across the Cross to Wine Growers as well as the Red Lion Pub (couldn’t resist a photo here!). Also couldn’t resist curly frites (fries) on a stick for lunch before heading back to Budapest city. We arrived back “home” 6 ½ hours after we left, and then updated the photo and notes file before deciding what the evening would hold.

We decided on a final visit to the Ruin Bar Szimpla Kert The vibe as previously was great even though it was a quieter night (we were relatively early and it was Thursday as opposed to Friday when we had first arrived). It was great to finish our Hungary visit in an icon of the city.

What we will remember about Budapest, Hungary:

The buildings – Parliament and the Castle in particular

Night time lights

Food options (lots)

River Danube

New York Café

Chillier weather

Jewish communities and the Great Synagogue

Mineral Baths

Austria (14-18 October 2016)

We arrived in Vienna 2 ½ hours after departing Budapest. The train ride was easy and efficient and after a quick metro ride we only had to walk about 400m from the station to our accommodation. We are in another apartment, looks really good and value for money in a city that is a little more expensive than Hungary.

The afternoon consisted of a walk around town to familiarise ourselves with our surroundings, find the supermarket and then venture out for food. Our plan is to do the walking tour in the morning as we’ve found that they are often the best “first” thing to do.

The following morning we made our way to Albertinaplatz, where the walking tour was to commence. The Albertina Museum is here as well as the Neptune Fountain. The most memorable thing about this square was however the memorial that was built, in effect for Austrians to say sorry for being part of Hitler’s war – the Monument against War and Fascism.

On this site a 19^th century apartment building was destroyed in WWII and hundreds died who sought refuge in its cellar. How many is still not known as bodies were unable to be recovered from the rubble. In 1988 the site was deemed an appropriate place for the Monument. The “Gate of Violence” stands at the front of the square, constructed of the same granite thousands of prisoners were forced to carry up the “Steps of Death” at Mauthausen Concentration Camp. Each piece has relevant meaning to those that live here.

We headed into the area that houses Hofburg Palace – the former imperial palace in the centre of Vienna. It was built in the 13^th century and has been added to since and the buildings are amazingly grand – there are statues, fountains and architecture that all exude wealth and extravagance. Alongside is the Burggarten (Garden) which is a beautiful green space in amongst the majestic buildings. It also houses a prominent statue of Mozart (who is of course Austrian) and Franz Joseph 1. He died in 1916 and was the longest reigning Emperor of Austria and the third longest reigning monarch of any country in European history – a very prominent figure here.

Out of the park and down the road a very important statue of Maria Theresia. She died in 1780 at the age of 63 being the only female ruler and the last of the House of Habsburg. She reigned for 40 years, had numerous titles and 16 children (one of whom was Marie Antoinette killed 1793 in the French revolution) – the epitome of working mothers as she also fought in the wars of the time. Not surprisingly also a respected figure here in Austria.

On the other side of the Palace we entered Heroes Square. This is a public space in front of the Palace where the President of Austria still resides. It is often used for important events; the most notable was Adolf Hitler’s ceremonial announcement (to a crowd of 300,000) of the annexation of Austria to Nazi Germany in March 1938. At the time the Austrian people believed this was a good thing (they had tough times since WWI and ~60% unemployment), a decision they later learned to regret.

The Inner courtyard of Hofburg Palace was just as impressive as the buildings so far, and in the centre stands a statue of Francis II (the last holy Roman Emperor), and gates on three sides, including the 1552 Swiss Gate originally manned by the Swiss guard. From here it was around the back side of the Palace to St Michaels square also where St Michaels church stands (it holds all the hearts of the deceased royal Habsburg family). It was tradition that when they died that their hearts were kept in one place, their intestines in another and their bodies buried in the crypts at St Stephen’s Cathedral.

We carried on past the 1737 Providence Fountain in the 13^th Century Market Square. The female figure at the centre of the fountain symbolises wise government; she is holding a picture “Janus” (two heads one old and one young), indicating she learns from the past and looks into the future.

The next major site was Cathedral Square, the site of the 1365 St Stephens Cathedral. It stands on the site of two earlier churches, the first consecrated in 1147. It is an enormous cathedral and quite the city icon. There are 343 steps to the top but the climb is for tomorrow!

After seeing a two of residences of Mozart (the first he lived in for a year and the second for 4 years – which is now a museum) we passed the most famous Schnitzel shop in Vienna and then on to the Jewish Quarter.

The Stadttempel (City Temple) is the main and oldest synagogue in Vienna constructed between 1824 and 1826. It was fitted into a block of houses, hidden from plain view because of a rule Emperor Joseph II imposed, which meant only Roman Catholic places of worship were allowed to be built with public front facing facades. Ironically as it is said to have housed a full list of all the Jewish citizens within the city therefore enabling the Nazi's to identify them all, that this saved the synagogue from destruction and it was the only synagogue in the city to survive WWII as the Nazis destroyed all of the other 93 synagogues and Jewish prayer houses in Vienna.

Last but definitely not least was St y Rupert’s Church. Considered to be the oldest church in the city (and located in one of the oldest parts) it was built in 740 (and renovated in the 16^th century) and is dedicated to Saint Rupert of Salzburg, patron saint of the salt merchants of Vienna.

The walking tour was fabulous as was our guide Iva. Vienna has so much history and beauty in its old buildings and is filled to the brim with museums. Yes they have somewhat of a dark past, but they are also very sorry for that (at least from Iva’s point of view) and it seems to show in the memorials that they have built.

For dinner it’s back to Figlmuller – the most famous schnitzel place in Vienna that has been serving its original recipe schnitzel since 1905. We made the booking at lunchtime and were lucky to get in for dinner! The place is still in the Figlmuller family, with brothers Hans Jr and Thomas still maintaining the tradition which is now in its fourth Figlmuller generation. The schnitzel was truly amazing and it was bigger than the plate! Absolutely delicious.

Happy Anniversary to us!

The next day we hitched a tram to Parliament Buildings - another amazing structure with the foundation stone being laid in 1874 and taking 9 years to build. In front of the grandeur is the 1893-1902 Athena Fountain.

Not far from here was Wiener Rathaus (City Hall). It was constructed from 1872 to 1883 in Neo-Gothic style and it houses the Mayor of Vienna as well as the chambers of the city council. It is very hard to explain these buildings - they are so immense and imperial looking and they exude prosperity. Interestingly enough the circus was in town and set up right in front of the City Hall so an interesting look and new dimension.

Heading back to some of yesterday's sites we crossed the road into another side of the People's Garden and wandered through the Rose Garden before making our way back to Heroes Square (Hofburg Palace). Prince Eugene of Savoy's statue (1865) sits proudly in front of the building, one of many of the hero statues that adorn the square.

Sunday is obviously family day here as everyone is out and about and the "bubble makers" were making the most of it. Probably the best bubble makers we've ever seen - absolutely amazing and easily drawing crowds.

Back out through the main entrance to Hofburg (called Michaelertor) for another look at the gate and the 1221 church before taking a new turn into a street we hadn't yet ventured down. Turned out to be (we think) the most expensive shopping street here with Louis Vuitton and Gucci amongst others.

We came across some really picturesque sites such as St Peter's Church (built 1702-33) and the Pestsaule (Plague Column) which is a memorial that was erected after the great plague epidemic in 1679.

Then the great St Stephen's Cathedral. This building is so large that it's almost impossible to get a decent photo of it and we ended up relying on Gary's phone panoramic capabilities (as we have often during our travels). The original church on the site (1147) was mostly burned down so additions were made continuously until 1359 when what we see today was completed. It is the most important religious building in Vienna and with its multi-coloured tile roof has become one of the city's most recognisable symbols.

We climbed the 343 stairs up the tight spiral staircase for amazing views over the city in all directions and then ventured inside the Cathedral which also didn't disappoint. An amazing building which is effectively in the centre of the old city.

It was time to pop into home before we headed out for our Anniversary Dinner and a bit of spoiling as we were booked at Dstrikt Steakhouse (fine dining) restaurant. As seems to be the case with Vienna there is so much to look at and every street you venture down has another awe inspiring and grand site to see. This time, on our way to dinner, it was the 1627 Jesuit Church.

As for the dinner it was absolutely amazing. The atmosphere, service and food was unfaultable and the entire evening was a real treat, topped off by a complimentary "Happy Anniversary" cheesecake to complete the evening. Has been a great day.

Transfer day today as we move to Salzburg, the birthplace and home of Mozart. The train trip was 2 1/2 hours and as with most was easy and a good time to catch up on some photo sorting. We caught a bus to get a little closer to our accommodation and then had a 5 minute walk to get there, on the edge of the old town. After sorting ourselves out and working out what we wanted to do we decided to go for a walk to get a feel for the place. It's really cute and fairytale'ish with lots of little arcades linking big and small squares where everything seems to run into everything else. Great place to lose yourself in.

We crossed the Salzach River and headed for Domplatz. The biggest thing here (literally) is the Salzburg Cathedral. The original church on the site (774) was rebuilt after a fire in 1181. The current version was rebuilt again in 1614-28 and restored in 1959. It is a stunning site, especially the front entrance and interior - it still contains the baptismal furniture used in the baptism of composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

We were lucky enough to hear and witness a girls choir in action as well, which is always a treat in a church or Cathedral where the acoustics are quite something.

Just to the side of the Cathedral is Kapitelplatz (Chapter Square). The square is a great place to view Festung Hohensalzburg, the 900 year old cliff top fortress - although they say you can see it from almost anywhere in the city. It's also home to the 1732 Chapter Fountain which was built over the horse pond that was already there and had been since the Middle Ages.

We kept wandering the streets and arcades and came across Erzabtei St Peter. It's a Benedictine monastery and former cathedral and is considered one of the oldest monasteries in the German speaking area - and in fact the oldest with a continuous history since its foundation in 696 (by St Rupert). We ventured inside the Abbey which was quite something - small and beautiful and framed with stunning gold highlighted gates.

Also on the site is a cemetery the catacombs and a couple of smaller chapels, one in particular that occupies the site in the centre of the cemetery is Margaret Chapel (Margarethenkapelle) which was rebuilt in 1491.

St Peter's Cemetery which is the oldest cemetery in Salzburg is likely the most beautiful cemetery we've seen (if such a sad place can be beautiful). It's full of ornate headstones and lovely colours where flowers have been planted to bring life back to the place. It is likely the site of an even earlier burial place (first mentioned in 1139); the oldest tombstone dates to 1288.

We came across a mill wheel still in use to generate electricity for a small bakery and discovered its water source is from the "Almkanal" - the oldest canal system of central Europe (1137). As you're wandering the streets you can suddenly hear running water (lots of it) and the couple of times this happened today it was due to the Almkanal. Pretty incredible.

Then it was past the Wilder-Man-Brunei (Wild Man Fountain) which was made of sheet copper in 1620 and holds the coat of arms of Salzburg, then onto the Collegiate Church (or University church). The 17th century church is considered one of the most magnificent Baroque churches in Austria.

As it was getting dark we decided to head in the direction of home and set off down Getreidegasse (shopping street), which was much like the one in Vienna with lots of very high end stores (and also lots of people still shopping). We passed the flashiest McDonalds sign we think we will ever see and then headed indoors for a casual Italian dinner before calling it a night. We have seen far more than we thought we would on our random walk around town and on a positive for tomorrow have already ticked a few boxes.

Up the next rainy day we bought tickets for the bus and set out for Hellbrunn Palace. It is Baroque villa of palatial size built in 1613-1619 by Markus Sittikus, the Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg. It was named after the clear spring waters that supply it and was used as a summer retreat or day residence therefore there are no bedrooms here. Markus Sittikus (who apparently had a keen sense of humour) built into it countless surprises, hidden fountains and enchanting caves – referred to as the Trick fountains, all designed to have a bit of fun with his guests.

We first entered the Palace itself and the museum that is housed within it that takes you through the life of Markus Sittikus. There are some pretty quirky paintings and exhibits and also an extensively painted ballroom. It’s all really well done and we almost got all the way through before we had to meet for our “trick fountain” tour.

The trick fountains are great and you can imagine a lot of fun would have been had (and still is thanks to sneaky guides and willing tourists). First was the table and chairs where unsuspecting guests would get showered with water, there are water operated machines (automata) showing various professions at work, a 1750 music-playing theatre, grottos, many more fountains and a crown being pushed up and down by jets of water symbolising the rise and fall of power. All is powered by the force of the water coming from the natural springs, and all of these “games” retained a dry spot, where the Archbishop would sit or stand (now occupied by the guides!)

The Palace sits within a huge area which extends over 60 hectares and also takes in the Salzburg Zoo. The gardens are also designed to relax and get lost in and are really beautiful, especially with the autumn colours starting to shine through.

After the tour we went back to finish off the museum before catching the bus back into town to our next stop Mirabelle Palace and Gardens. The Palace was built around 1606 on what was then the shore of the Salzach River for the Prince Archbishop’s mistress. After a change in successor it was rebuilt in lavish Baroque style from 1721 to 1727 and the gardens were laid out from 1687. It is really beautiful, especially the patterned flower layouts and has great views of the fortress (was also used in the Sound of Music film).

Around the corner to the house of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. It was the family residence from 1773 until 1787 when Mozart’s father (Leopold) died. The building now accommodates a museum showing the various phases of the lives of the Mozart family. There are Mozart’s original instruments, letters sent to and from the property whilst they lived there, the story of Mozart himself which is just unbelievable (he wrote his first composition at age 5, and first symphony aged 8), and memorabilia and stories of his sister and his children. You also get to listen to snippets of his music through the audio tour. His sister (nicknamed Nannerl) was also an extremely talented musician (as was their father), however somewhat overtaken by her genius brother. A fantastic place to learn about this very talented and famous family and another really well put together museum.

Across the river back to the old town and at the foot of Monchsberg hill sits the wonderful 1693 Horse pond originally built as part of the royal stables. In the centre is the “horse tamer” statue which was rotated 90 degrees and placed on a new base when the pond was renovated in 1732. It sits alongside Sigmund’s gate which connects the old city with the Riedenburg district and is the oldest road tunnel in Austria.

Second to last stop for the day the St Peter’s catacombs. When St Rupert came to the ruined city of luvavum (pre-Salzburg) around 700 the mountain caves were already there but it cannot be proved (or ruled out) whether monks were already living there. They do believe that they were occupied after 711 possibly by monks fleeing Spain. The ancient caves are part of the cemetery and still contain the chapels. At the base of the catacombs is the Kommunegruft vault where two famous persons are buried – Johann Michael Haydn (1737-1806) and his wife Nannerl, Mozart’s sister (1751-1829).

On to the city’s fortress and another walk up a hill, Festung Hohensalzburg (or Hohensalzburg Castle). Built atop the Festungsberg at 506m high it is one of the largest medieval castles in Europe (250m in length x 150m wide). Construction began in 1077 and over time was expanded to protect the interests of the Archbishops of Salzburg becoming mostly complete by 1515. The external bastions were added in the late 16^th century because of fears of Turkish invasion. The Castle was refurbished from the late 19^th century onwards and was used as a prison during the early 20^th century.

We walked up passed the 1465 Smith’s tower to a viewing point at the top with amazing views over Salzburg (even in the grotty weather!). We then ventured inside and again a museum with all sorts of wonders from the time set up to give you a glimpse into the past. There were fresh ruins – arches within the walls that were discovered during renovation in 1996 (and date back to 1106-1147), a ceramic “heater”, armoury and war memorabilia.

We had purchased “full coverage” tickets so were also lucky enough to get to visit the regency rooms and theatre. First the Golden Hall (also now used as a theatre) which was amazing. The ceilings are coffered and each one is adorned with a golden button to symbolise the stars in the sky. There are four large pillars and a 17m long beam covered in various coats of arms including those of the Holy Roman Empire. The entire room is richly decorated.

The other two rooms of note were the Golden Chamber and Bed Chamber. The former is again beautifully decorated with vines, grapes, foliage and vines. Previously they were covered with cloth or leather but unfortunately they have not survived the modern age - they also used to be covered with gold embossed leather tapestry. The main item here is the ceramic “heater” which is absolutely huge, very ornate and was used to heat the room. Finally the bed chamber which is the most intimate room of the princely chambers and again beautifully decorated. Apart from the remaining (restored) wall decorations, there is a spiral staircase which joins the battlements, and a toilet – basically a hole in the floor with a wooden frame which in the past would have been a highly modern sanitary facility accessible from each floor.

The visit to the fortress was fantastic and we were there till closing around 5pm. We took the funicular down (which has been operating since 1892!) and then a short walk via the Franciscan Church which was completed in 1498. It is one of the oldest churches in Salzburg and the interior was quite eerie as it was getting pretty dark outside so inside was worse. There were few people in here though so it was serene and quite magical as the only thing really lit was the altar.

We walked through the amazing streets that make up Salzburg old town, past the old Town Hall to our last stop, the statue of Mozart which was unveiled in 1842 in the presence of both of his sons. Born in 1756 his life and achievements are something Salzburg is extremely proud of. He died in Vienna in 1791, aged 35 and is buried in St Marx Cemetery in Vienna. He will be a very strong memory of our visit to Salzburg, and Austria.