Our mind’s eye often conjures up an immediate image when we hear the name of a European city: London and Tower Bridge; Paris and the Eiffel Tower; Berlin and the Brandenburg Gate. When it comes to Salzburg, one thinks straightaway of the Festung Hohensalzburg - Salzburg Fortress.
Built in the eleventh century, the Fortress is one of the continent’s largest fully-preserved castles; home to Salzburg’s archbishops, it never suffered serious attack. But what truly sets Salzburg Fortress apart from Europe’s other citadels is its location: it stands atop the Festungsberg (Castle Mount), 542 metres above sea-level, offering breathtaking views of the city below it.
Salzburg is not just synonymous with its fortress, but with the inimitable creative genius of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Salzburg was of course Mozart’s birthplace, not in the castle, but in the rather more humble location of Getreidegasse, a small lane in the city’s Old Town. While time spent in Salzburg simply must include a visit to the Festung, better still to attend a concert in the castle to celebrate and enjoy Mozart’s wondrous music.
The Salzburg Fortress Concerts are performed by the Salzburg Mozart Ensemble and the Mozart Chamber Orchestra Salzburg, offering two different programmes that combine Mozart with the best-loved music of some of Europe’s other great composers: Joseph Haydn, Antonín Dvořák, Franz Schubert, Johann Sebastian Bach and last, but certainly not least, The Waltz King, Johann Strauss.
The Fortress’ magnificent Arms Hall and Golden Hall provide the venues for the Ensemble’s and the Orchestra’s performances. Audiences can enjoy the Salzburg Mozart Ensemble throughout the year, but on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays between 1 May and 31 October, the Ensemble passes the baton to the Mozart Chamber Orchestra Salzburg.
Featuring the artistry of internationally-acclaimed musicians, these concerts are truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
