Salzberg

After we checked into our, let's call it "quaint", bed and breakfast in the early evening, we realized, it's a couple hours till bedtime and we have nothing to do.  So we hopped back in the car and drove 15 minutes to Salzberg.  It's such a pretty city, and so very old.  We walked around for a couple hours, had a light dinner and took some pictures, and  determined to come back the next morning.

I am marking where we parked the car on the GPS, a habit that has become invaluable.  We want to look up more info on this tunnel.  It's big and obviously very old.  Matt could only read part of the plaque because cars kept racing through.  We know it is old, and was enlarged in the early 1900's to allow tanks to pass through.  

We started taking pictures of names of things we wanted to look up when we got home.  "Homework assignments." 

This is just to the side of that big tunnel.  It is a pool with a ramp going down into it from one side. It was for incoming horses to wash their feet so the city could stay clean. 

This was amazing.  This water well/fountain has been serving the city since 1137!  We had a drink. Taste's great.  

Above is the building where Mozart was born, below is where he lived.  They weren't open at night and we didn't get a chance to go in the next day because we spent so long touring the castle.  

Every few steps you saw a marker or plaque noting an historical event or a person.  Amazingly well preserved city and obviously very important through the ages.  

And music is such an important part of the city, you even see it in their baking. 

Here we are the next morning beginning our uphill trek to the castle.  Looking at the rooftops of the houses built into the mountain was incredible.  

This was just an especially pretty yard we passed by.

Look at those houses smack up against the church.  Some of those windows have a really horrible view.  

We couldn't figure out how they get our to water those plants.  

How many churches per square kilometer?  It makes the skyline just beautiful.  

I got them to pause for a moment for this picture.  It doesn't show enough, but this is a seriously steep incline.  Going down we all took a turn sliding a bit.  The loose gravel on top makes it extra treacherous on the return trip.  

Can you picture lords and ladies on horseback coming and going through the tunnel?  

The blacksmith's workshop was near the first main gate. 

Jess is taking a break on the cannonball pyramid. 

This is in the main courtyard.  We are deciding which way to head first.  

Views from one side.  There is another castle within view, but we don't know a thing about it.  

The main well for the castle. 

One of many cannons pointed out the windows along one side.  

Matt, Jess, Makenna and a couple strangers head upstairs. 

A few years ago ruins were discovered in the castle.  It was built on old Roman ruins, or maybe they used the old Roman structure as the backbone and simply added to it.  Decorated Roman wall art and arches were found inside the fortress walls and an old pagan chapel was discovered under the floor and behind the main wall of the more recently built Catholic one.  

Furniture belonging to one of the Popes that lived here.  If this was his full sizes bed, he was a very short man. 

They used real weapons and parts of armor to create a rather Bed Knobs and Broomsticks kind of scene.    As you walk in this room you see dozens of arrows zooming towards you, but frozen in midair along with cannons, archers, pike men, and plenty of infantry.

Sweet doorway.  That is an authentic outlet from the 1650's to the left of the door.

We wondered what this Dr. Seuss horn sounds like. 

The less successful predecessor to the bayonet, the pistol-axe.  

Shots of the kitchen.  I couldn't get a good one of the fire, where the real action really happens because the glare off the glass was horrible.  

I should start a page of "Makenna in doorways".  The first ones date back to our first time in Germany, visiting castles wearing princess attire. 

Looking out on the castle grounds from an upstairs window. 

There was also a display of memorability from more modern wars including both World Wars.  This is a telegraph station from #1.

Stuff that might be found in a field officers kit.  

Isaac took the camera at this point and snapped a bunch of shots of bullets and guns.  I'll let him narrate them later.  

In the pope's fancy room, they currently hold concerts.  Salzberg is still a very musical city.  We saw people all dressed up coming from a concert the night before and it looks like this is set up for another in the evening.  Pretty amazing setting for some classical chamber music, eh?

His holiness' room warmer, the most expensive and impressive item in the castle.  

His door.

His loo.

I loved this ceiling, but it's more interesting with cute girls in the picture. 

The royal chapel.  There was another for the more common folk--which is where the old Roman church was found.  

Obligatory ice cream break as we head back down.  

The steps, below, really helped reduce slipping and sliding.  

Looking up at the natural stone wall upon which the castle is built.