culture
SALZBURG
City of culture
It is hard to believe that Salzburg is such a small and intimate city, when you consider the phenomenal extent of its cultural importance. It is famous as the birthplace of Mozart and it has created one of Europe’s most important arts festivals that is of global significance for opera, classical music, drama and much more. The baroque grandeur of the Residenzplatz is now complemented by some of the finest and most radical of modern architecture. As you wander the cobbled streets of the medieval old town you can suddenly be confronted by demanding, right-up-to-date public sculptures. No wonder that this is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Here is a guide to some of the cultural experiences you can’t afford to miss…
Shopping with style There’s some gorgeous shopping to be had in Salzburg (the perfect preChristmas trip), the artfully created window displays beautifully set off by the often very grand buildings that house them, in particular in the famous shopping streets of Getreidegasse and Judengasse in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site of the Altstadt or Old City. Salzburg also has the modern and award-winning Europark shopping centre with its 130 stores. Many of the deeply rooted traditions behind the small shops and manufacturers reflect the passion of the owners for continuing quality and include leather goods, custom-made shoes, porcelain, metalwork, chocolate shops, goldsmiths, even the Doll Doctor with antique and reproduction dolls for sale and hospital for sick toys. And here are some of the highest-quality clothing shops you’ll find anywhere in the world. One of the very best is Gössl, selling high-end traditional clothing which Austrians still wear on a daily basis – for women in particular, wearing the pretty dirndl skirt and white blouse has become very on-trend in recent years. Today the company is run by Gerhard Gössl (pictured above),the son of its 1947 founders, from a beautiful saffron-coloured building which today also houses a stylish museum, shop and restaurant, all open to the public. There are also 35 Gössl shops, new collections twice a year, and fans around the world include the renowned designer Vivienne Westwood, singing star Tina Turner, King Juan Carlos of Spain and Arnold Schwarzenegger. ■ Gössl Gwandhaus, Morzger Strasse 31, 5020 Salzburg, www.gwandhaus.com
44 | SalzburgerLand
Salzburg Residenz Palace
This baroque masterpiece was the centre of power for the province, first for the ruling archbishops and later as the secular seat of government. The lower floors are still used for administration. The upper floors are occupied by opulent state rooms and public galleries. You can see the rather splendid room where Mozart gave his first public performance at the age of six. The art gallery features a very good collection of Dutch and Flemish works including masterpieces by Rembrandt and Rubens. The audio guide takes about 45 minutes. ■ Residenzplatz 1, 5020 Salzburg Contact: +43 (0) 662 8042-2690, www.salzburg-burgen.at Open 10am to 5pm daily, January to December. Final admissions 4.30pm Adults €8.50, children (6-14 years) € 2.70. Free with Salzburg Card.
