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Before we start our tour, I would like to give you some basic information about Salzburg. Salzburg is the capital of the province of Salzburg and has approximately 148. 000 inhabitants. Geographically it is located in the Centre of Austria, on the northernside of the east Alps, 425 meters above sea level. Salzburg is the 4th largest city of Austria after Vienna, Graz and Linz.
The first settlers came to this area about 1800 b. C. 500 b. C. the Celts settled here, they were the first ones who exploited our white gold – the salt. The Roman dominion began 15 b. C. when Emperor Claudius raised the city of “Juvavum” (that was the name of Salzburg at that time). With the end of the Roman Empire, Juvavum fell into decay and disappeared form the scene for a couple of hundred years.
In the year 696, Duke Theodor II sent Bishop Rupert to Salzburg as a missionary from Worms. On the ruins of Juvavum he founded the monastery of St. Peter and the Benedictine Abbey on the Nonnberg. For more than 1000 years Salzburg was an independent principality under the rule of the Prince-Archbishops. The Prince Archbishops held the authority of the Pope north of the Alps for the “Holy Roman Empire of German Nations”. Some important Archbishops were:
Archbishop Gebhard, he was the founder of the fortress “Hohensalzburg”
Markus Sittikus, continued planning and building the cathedral and was responsible for the world famous Hellbrunn palace with its trick water fountains.
Paris Baron of Lodron who founded the university of Salzburg and built the city walls during the 30-year war.
Wolf Dietrich von Reitenau, for example under his power the Capuchin Monastery and the Mirabell Palace were built.