Trains, Tors and Towers

Now here's somewhere I've been before. In October 2008, I spent a couple of days in Munich when I was inter-railing. Then, I had come direct from the hustle and bustle of Berlin, and Munich seemed quaint and sleepy.  This time, coming from quiet little Salzburg, Munich feels like a metropolis, huge, crowded and noisy.  Nonetheless, it's a city I really like, and one I have been itching to get back to for some time.

Our train delivers us into Munich station spot on time, having taken us through idyllic Bavarian scenes, little churches poking out of snowy villages.  Munich itself is free from the white stuff, so the novelty of walking on pavement without the fear of slipping over is really very pleasant.

Karlstor, Karlsplatz

In the city centre square, Marienplatz, the Christmas market is in full swing.  It's a lovely situation in the shadow of the seriously imposing Neues Rathaus - the new town hall - which dominates the square.  The markets continue in the rathaus courtyard, and in other courtyards around the city centre, and we wind up perching at one stall with a sausage and some chips, whilst a giant Christmas windmill turns in the far corner.

The Neues Rathaus

Christmas markets in Munich

I tell Lizzie that, as we are in Munich, we must pay a visit to the Englischer Garten, one of the world's great green urban spaces, a mere ten-minute walk from the city centre.  When I was last here, the park was bedecked in the reds and golds of autumn, but on a cold winter's day, the English Garden is toned significantly down.  There are still things to see here though, not least a gaggle of geese crossing the footpath in efficient formation.

Geese in the Englischer Garten

Lizzie in the Englischer Garten

Back in the town, we visit the church of St. Peter.  Known locally as Altes Peter ("Old Peter"), this is the oldest church in Munich, the current structure dating back to 1368.  For a couple of euros one can climb the bell tower for a magnificent view, and as the rain has held off, we decide to try our luck.  The ticket man - a student - enjoys my attempt to get the tickets in German, but we are soon on our way up the 306 wooden steps, held together with beams so that you can see back down the tower again.  It's quite a sobering thought to think you are climbing up the middle of an ancient tower, with only some old brickwork separating you from an unfortunate collision with Marienplatz, and the whole experience makes my head spin.  Reaching the top is a curious mix of euphoria and terror - we are caged in, but that familiar feeling to vertigo sufferers the world over kicks in, and I find myself instinctively clinging to the inner wall, and passing people on the inside.  Lizzie, meanwhile, appears to be enjoying the experience a lot more, and so she might - the view is phenomenal.  To the north is the Allianz Arena, built for the 2006 World Cup and home to both Bayern Munich and 1860 Munich football clubs.  Depending on who's playing, the entire stadium will glow red or blue at night.  Far closer is the city's cathedral, the Frauenkirche, and the lovely rooftop of the old town hall, whilst stretching off into the distance is the Free State of Bavaria.  It really is an unmissable experience, yet one that I am delighted to get out the way.

St Peter's Church

The New Town Hall and Frauenkirche, Munich'c cathedral, from Old Peter

Back on terra firma, we pay a quick visit to the church itself, and then go in search of the River Isar, which lies to the east, just beyond the city gate known as the Isartor.  If we had a day or two here, the Deutsche Museum, on the east bank of the river, would be the place to go - the largest museum of science and technology in the world, it gets rave reviews from every circle.  Instead, we content ourselves with a view of another European river, whilst Lizzie polishes off a bag of roasted chestnuts bought from a local street vendor.

The River Isar

It's dusk already, and after a stop for mulled wine and a weissbier, in a very traditional tavern where the women wear lederhosen, we enter the Frauenkirche, whose high ceiling and narrow nave has a somewhat special feel to it.  Perhaps it's because it is Christmas, or maybe it's the simplicity of the interior, but I find it a sanctuary of peace and tranquility in what has been a manic day.  Outside, the shoppers are still charging around the streets in search of their Christmas presents, but inside is like another world - calm, relaxed, a perfect place to stop.

Enjoying a weissbier

Munich is more-or-less as I remember it, only busier and with less street entertainment than my previous visit.  On this occasion, it has completely worn us out, and it is with quiet relief that we watch the city slide slowly past the window of the 19:19 back to Salzburg.  I still love the place, though, and who knows - maybe we'll be back here in another four years.

Max Joseph Platz

Rhinos, Reptiles and Reindeer

Out early and well wrapped-up in another frozen Austrian morning.  There hasn't been any fresh snow, but what had previously laid has not melted, the pavement slush of the previous evening now hard, shiny ice.  It makes for trecherous walking conditions (excluding the local Salzburg population, who seem to continue life like it was a warm spring day), but the two of us eventually make it to the bus stop, for the Number 25 to Untersberg.

Half an hour later, just outside the city and in suroundings that look and feel particularly Alpine, we step out.  The bus departs and we are left alone, as if abandoned at the side of a country road.  Beyond the fields, the singular, enormous mountain - The Untersberg - rises off the flat land, snow-capped, mesmerisingly beautiful.  Regional folklore is all based around this location; Emperor Frederick Barbarossa is said to be sleeping inside the mountain, attended to by dwarf-like creatures called the Untersberg Mandln.  Every hundred years he awakes, but on checking that ravens are still flying around the mountain, he falls back to sleep.  Myth has it that his long beard has grown twice around a table, and when it reaches its third loop, the world will come to an end.  At this time, Frederick will leave the mountain to commence the final battle of humankind.

The Untersberg

On the other side of the road, one of the best little zoos we have ever been to is open for business, although practically deserted in the pre-Christmas run-up.  Lizzie buys a bag of sheep food that costs almost as much as the ticket, and is quickly set upon by a variety of woolly creatures.  One sheep leads to two, and eventually she has nine or ten clamoring for pellets.

Lizzie and her sheep

The zoo runs along a narrow strip of land around a rocky formation, that forms a stunning natural backdrop.  Within the spacious enclosures are the usual animals - lions, camels, zebra, rhinos - as well as some of the more wintery variety; there are big-horned mountain sheep, snow leopards and, aptly, beautiful reindeer.  Perhaps the most popular exhibit, however, is the reptile house, where a few other stragglers have gathered for warmth.  In what is now freezing rain, the lives of tropical frogs, tortoises and iguanas become even more fascinating. 

At Salzburg Zoo

Rhinoceros

Salzburg Zoo lies in the grounds of Hellbrunn, a palace which would have made an excellent visit, if only it was open out-of-season.  Instead, we board the Number 25 back into the city, where the afternoon calls for some indoor activity, courtesy of the Natural History Museum.  There are various interactive exhibits in the human biology section, galleries of taxidermy from bygone days, fossils, minerals, and a space room with a life-size diorama of Neil Armstrong's first steps on the Moon.  On the lower floors, a sizable section is given over to snakes and reptiles, including an enclosure for inquisitive crocodiles, whilst on the ground level, a 36-tank aquarium completes the natural history experience beautifully.

Ammonite

Fabulous aquarium

Darkness has set in by the time we leave the museum, and cross the Salzach back into the New Town.  We have an early start in the morning, so the evening is a quiet affair spent at a little Italian pizzeria.  It is quite a place mind you - a seemingly one-man operation by a genuine Italian himself, who takes the orders, serves the drinks, cooks the food, and delivers it to the table with a big smile on his face.  It's not bad tasting either - onion soup for starters, followed by a chargrilled vegetable pizza, finished off with an ice cream crepe, and all washed down with a tall glass of Salzburg beer.  Delicious!

History, Hockey and Habakuk

Salzburg, Austria, home of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, setting to the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical classic, The Sound of Music, capital of the Salzburg region, and arguably Austria's cultural centre, a perfect winter wonderland for Lizzie and I to do some pre-Christmas exploration.

Our first impressions are good.  Austria is a new one on both our lists (although I've technically been before, cutting through the country on a non-stop sleeper train to Rome), and our first faltering steps through the sludge and the snow and into the city's New Town reveal a city of sobriety and taste.  Incidentally, the beautiful new town is supposed to be the uglier part of the city centre, but it is new in name only, dating as far back as the 14th century, although several houses had to be rebuilt following the great fire of 1818.  

In Salzburg's new town

Sunday morning and time for breakfast.  We pick a cafe called Habakuk, situated in the heart of the New Town, enticing passers-by with its dazzling number of window cakes.  What follows for us are two very reasonably priced breakfasts, unlike anything we've quite had before.  Orange juice and delicious hot chocolate, two fresh bread roles each, then three-tiered stands - one each! - laden with ham, cheese, cucumber and cream cheese.  By now, the table is full, but the food keeps coming - eggs next - and it is clear that we have the attention of nearly everyone in the cafe.  It is, however, the perfect set-up for a cold and busy day ahead.

Lizzie gets busy with breakfast

Salzburg's New Town is divided from the old by the Salzach River, a tributary of the River Inn that for several miles forms the Austrian border with Germany.  The most convenient crossing point is the massive Staatsbrücke - "State Bridge" - the dark history of which can be found in the slave labour of the Second World War.  On the opposite bank ones enters the historic and atmospheric way of life of Old Town Salzburg.  In its current form, this heart of the city dates back to at least the 700s, with the foundation of St. Peter's Abbey and the Nonnberg Convent.  The several squares, archways, winding streets, churches and towers are crammed in, every inch of the place a cultural hotspot.  No wonder it is recognised by the United Nations; Salzburg's historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The River Salzach from the Staatsbrücke

Our destination is the city's history museum, which gives a colourful overview of Salzburg's long life.  Human activity in the area can be traced back some 6,000 years to the Neolithic, when a settlement was established on the nearby Rainberg hill.  In the Bronze Age, the Illyrians settled here to take advantage of the surrounding copper resources, but in the following centuries the region would become better known for its salt mining industry.  The Roman army marched into the area in 15BC and built the city of Juvavum, which was awarded the status of municipium in AD45.  Juvavum became one of the Empire's most important administrative centres in the coming centuries, but was eventually laid waste by the Bavarians around AD500.

Fast forward to 696, and Bishop Rupert of Worms, who was granted an area of land including the remains of the Roman city.  Rupert founded the Monastery of St. Peter and the Nonnberg Convent, both still active today, and both the oldest surviving communities of their kind.  Salzburg became a bishopric in 739, quickly rising to become one of the principal sites outside of the Vatican.  In 996, Salzburg was awarded a town charter by Emperor Otto III, and a century later its iconic Hohensalzburg Fortress was built, to protect the town after it took the side of Pope Gregory II in a power struggle with the Holy Roman Emperor.

Otto III from the Gospels of Otto III (source: Wikipedia)

Hohensalzburg Fortress remained heavily fortified, although it was unable to prevent Frederick Barbarossa setting fire to the town in 1167.  The town was rebuilt under Archbishop Konrad III, who also started work on the first cathedral.  Salt mining, meanwhile, was providing the town with much wealth, allowing the Salzburg archbishops to wield great power in the region.  Tensions between the Bavarian and Austrian royal houses came to a head in the early 14th century, and the two powers went to war.  Salzburg, which technially belonged to the Duchy of Bavaria, sided with Austria and, although Bavaria won the decisive battle, they were forced to concede Salzburg's independence.  It was now an autonomous state, sandwiched between the two much larger neighbours.

Salzburg suffered as much as any other European city in 1348, losing one third of its population in the plague. In the centuries that followed, the town grew in importance, with the addition of many new merchants' houses and improved fortifications at the fortress.  In May 1525, the peasants of Salzburg rebelled, seized control of the city, and negotiated terms with Archbishop Matthaus.  In the aftermath, the Archbishop took a hardline approach, eventually defeating the peasants in 1526.

In 1587, Archbishop Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau was elected, bringing with him a new vision for the city, overseeing the architecture of modern Salzburg.  Down came the 'undesirable' buildings, and in came open squares, grand residences, and the Mirabell palace, built for his mistress.  Reconstruction continued with his successor, Markus Sittikus, who laid the foundation stone for the imposing cathedral we see today.  He in turn was followed by prince Archbishop Paris Graf von Lodron, whose greatest acheivement was to keep Salzburg out of the Thirty Years' War raging between Catholics and Protestants all over Europe. 

Paris Graf von Lodron (Source: Wikipedia)

The dominance of the Archbishops came to an end in 1800, when Napoleon defeated the Austrians at the Battle of Marengo, whilst another French army captured Munich and Linz.  In the ensuing struggle, Salzburg was bounced back and fourth between its lager neighbours, eventually being incorporated into Austria when the Great Powers - Austria, Prussia, Russia and Britain - re-drew the map of Europe at the Congress of Vienna, following Napoleon's defeat.

Salzburg was left more-or-less to its own affairs for the next hundred years or so.  With the outbreak of World War I, 49,000 Salzburgers were conscripted to fight, although the city itself saw no battles.  Following the war, Austria was formally declared a Republic and twenty years later, the country was annexed by Nazi Germany.  During World War II, the city escaped the worst of the conflict again, but was bombed several times as the war reached its conclusion.  In May 1945, American troops entered the city, overseeing reconstruction for the next decade.  In 1967, a preservation order was placed on the Old Town.

We leave the history museum a little wiser as to the story of the city.  Around the next corner, standing tall and imposing, is Salzburg Cathedral, dedicated to Saint Rupert of Salzburg.  Carolers gather on the cathedral steps, carefully avoiding the sheets of ice that have melted just enough to slide from the rooftop in the weak winter sun.  In the cathedral square - Domplatz - the hustle and bustle of the famous Christmas markets is infectious, an assault on the senses of the eyes, the ears and the nose.

Domplatz and the Cathedral

The interior of Salzburg Cathedral

In the increasingly chilly afternoon, we take a brisk walk to St. Peter's Cemetery, a stone's throw from the cathedral, but a much quieter part of town.  The site dates back to 1627, making it the oldest cemetery in the city.  The sprinkling of snow over the wrough-iron grave markers is very beautiful, as is the entire setting, nestled in the shadow of the Mönchsberg, one of the mountains shaping Salzburg's townscape.  Within this mass of rock, early Christians carved out their catacombs, accessed by a narrow and precarious set of crumbly stone steps.  Inside, a few simple rooms, an alter, some murals and inscriptions belie what would have been a phenomenal achievement - a true testament to the fact that faith can, afterall, move mountains.

St. Peter's Cemetery

Catacombs built into the rock face

In the rapidly setting sunlight, we stroll along the Salzach, admiring the riverside properties and picking the ones we would most like to live in.  We're on our way to the Eisarena, home to Salzburg's championship-winning ice hockey team, the Red Bulls.  A fast-paced, ferocious contest against the Linz Black Wings ensues, with the visiting fans bringing a partizan atmosphere to the arena.  Three times Linz take the lead, three times the Red Bulls pull the game back, before a succession of Salzburg goals prove decisive in the third period, and the home team skate out 6-4 winners.

Salzburg Eisarena, home of the Red Bulls

Salzburg Red Bulls v Linz Black Wings

Later in the evening, now below freezing, we return to the Christmas markets for a browse and a pretzel.  The variety at the stalls is fabulous - candles, decorations, bath salts, glassware, wooden gifts, lace - not to mention the myriad food choices of sausages, pastries, chocolate, fruit punch and the famous Glühwein.  We opt for hot fruit punch in the end, which is both tasty and hand-warming in the bitter evening air.  It may make the walk back to the hotel a little wobbly, but its a winning winter warmer to round off a packed-out introduction to Salzburg.

Enjoying a late-night pretzel