03Cities and regions

The first mountain wall

Salzburg and its fortress

Salzburg is Austria’s fourth city. In 2026 its population was 157,994. It stands on the Salzach near the German border, at the foot of the Alps. Above it rises Hohensalzburg Fortress, from the eleventh century, at 506 metres elevation. The fortress is 250 metres long and 150 wide, and ranks among Europe’s largest medieval castles. The historic centre has been World Heritage since 1996, on both riverbanks, with a fabric that stretches from the Middle Ages into the nineteenth century and a strong baroque character. Mirabell Palace and gardens form part of that site. The city airport is the country’s second, about three kilometres west-southwest of the centre, and a gateway to ski regions. Mozart was born here, and that is enough to note: the city is not a museum for a single name. Walk from the river to the fortress in one day, and leave the garden for morning. The fortress is the first thing you see from the train, so begin there before you drop to the bank. Give the old streets time between climbs; the river keeps the centre readable.

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Population

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Fortress elevation (m)

1996

Centre heritage since