Sound of Music

Another huge attraction, at least for American tourists, is The Sound of Music, the 1965 Rodgers and Hammerstein film shot on location in Salzburg and neighboring areas. Reportedly, the Austrians didn't know about the film for a long time and were puzzled at the interest of tourists. They know now and reminders are everywhere. In my hotel room, one channel is devoted to round-the-clock showings of the movie. It's fun to watch for locations you have visited during the day.

You can pick up a list of film location shots at the city's tourist information office on Mozartplatz, complete with the bus routes you need to reach some of them. Commercial sightseeing tours are also available.

This is Residenzplatz, just west of Mozartplatz, filled with booths for the Christmas Market. The Residenz building in the center is the one used in the film to hang the Nazi flag and show a parade of Nazis marching on the diagonal across the square, taking over control of the city.

The fountain in the center of Residenzplatz is covered for protection in the winter and Christmas trees are for sale here. Maria splashed in this fountain in the film on her way out to the Captain’s villa for the first time.

This is the Horse Pond, built at the end of the 17th century to provide a watering place for the Archbishop’s riding stables. Maria and the children dance in front of this in the scene singing "My Favorite Things." This is in the northern area of the city west of the river.

The gardens at Mirabell Palace, on the east side of the river, were the location of some of the "Do-Re-Mi" scenes. Of course, the film was shot in the summer.

At the far western end of the Mirabell Gardens are statues the children mimicked in that scene.

The final concert was shot at Festival Hall, carved out of the side of the mountain below the Fortress. I could not see the inside, as there was a private party when I visited. This is the south side of the Hall where the Nazi commander races up in his car to make sure the Von Trapps do not escape.

You then see the Nazi car stop at this set of stone steps leading into the Hall.

The film has many beautiful aerial shots of the city. I climbed an outdoor flight of steps behind Festival Hall to take this, looking to the south at a view familiar from the film. The Cathedral is in the center, with the Franciscan Church to the left.

Even though this city seems to have a church, cathedral, or abbey on every block, the church used to film the wedding scene is in the little town of Mondsee, which I was not able to visit. Leopoldskron Castle, which was used as the back of the Von Trapp villa, is a bus ride south of the city. The gazebo in several important scenes used to be located there, but it was moved to a park south of the city by Hellbrunn Palace.

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Salzburg

I am visiting Salzburg, Austria, for a few days. I had originally thought this would make an interesting visit during Christmas week, but the hotel rates soar then, so I’m here early. The place is jammed with holiday shoppers, but I didn't hear many English-speakers, so perhaps these are locals and visitors from nearby places.

This is the Salzach River that cuts through town, with plenty to see on both sides. It’s cold here (in the 20s). Snow is on the ground and visible on all the mountains that surround the city, but it’s clear and sunny, and the scenery is quite beautiful.

Salzburg has two world-famous attractions. It was the home of Mozart and the city extolls him at every opportunity year-round, not just at the famous summer festival. The other big attraction, at least for Americans, is the classic Rogers and Hammerstein film The Sound of Music, which was shot on location here and in neighboring areas. I'll do separate entries on those.

This city celebrates Christmas -- no PC here, no "Season's Greetings," no "Happy Holidays." Bill O'Reilly and Mike Huckabee would love it. The city is filled with stores like this one, "Christmas in Salzburg."

The outdoor Christmas markets popular in central Europe are jammed into every square available. Austrians take their dogs everywhere. I saw some in the subway passageways in Vienna. A woman with her dog walked into a restaurant where I was having lunch, although they didn't stay. But I also noticed that they are conscientious in cleaning up after them.

A performance artist, dressed in green as the Statue of Liberty, was in one of the Christmas market areas. He would slowly bow whenever someone gave him a donation.

A skating rink is in constant use outside the Salzburg Museum by Mozartplatz. It was brisk for outdoor skating, but this is a country that produces an inordinate number of world-class skiers, so I suppose they are used to the cold.

Salzburg is as bicycle-friendly as Vienna. Separate lanes for pedestrians and bicycles are marked throughout the city, and bike racks are in use all over town, even in this cold. Here, bike racks outside Mirabell Palace are covered for protection from the elements.

Philosopher Friederich Schiller is honored here, as he is in Vienna. This statue is by one of the buildings of the University of Salzburg.

The University has several buildings in the middle of town. This one is across from Festival Hall where the Mozart concerts are held. The University traces its origins to 1622, but it was closed down for centuries. It re-opened in 1964.

Salzburg is an easy train ride from Bratislava. First I took the one-hour shuttle from Bratislava to Vienna. It’s then a picturesque three-hour ride west to Salzburg through snow-covered villages and mountains, with trains leaving almost every hour. The round-trip first-class fare was only $96, far less than half what RailEurope charges. I have never bothered with seat reservations, although I suppose they might be useful during the busiest holiday season.

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