Inner City, Salzburg

The very heart of the Salzburg old town on the left bank of the Salzach is the Residenzplatz, with the Residenzbrunnen of Untersberg marble, the largest and finest Baroque fountain this side of the Alps, the work of an Italian sculptor (1656-61). It stands 15m/50ft high, with figures of bold horses, Atlas figures bearing dishes, dolphins and, crowning the whole, a Triton with a conch shell.

Opposite the Salzburg Residenz is the Neugebäude (New Building), erected in 1592-1602 as the Archbishop's guest-house and enlarged about 1670, which now contains provincial government offices and the Head Post Office (southern end). The tower houses a carillon (Glockenspiel) of 35 bells (1702), which plays Mozart tunes three times daily (at 7 a.m., 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.; conducted tours begin at 10.45 a.m. and 5.45 p.m.), when the Hornwerk organ (the "Salzburg Bull") in the Hohensalzburg responds with a chorale.

Salzburg's St Peter's Church (Stiftskirche St Peter) was built in 1130-43, altered in 1605-25 and decorated in Roccoco style between 1757 and 1783. The helm tower also dates from the latter period. Inside the porch under the tower is the Romanesque west doorway (c. 1240), with sculpture in the tympanum; the Roccoco door dates from 1765. The interior, in which the plan of the Romanesque basilica can still be detected, contains many monuments of great interest. In the third chapel behind the altar is the rock-hewn tomb of St Rupert, with an epitaph of 1444, and in the fourth chapel will be found the monuments of Mozart's sister Marianne ("Nannerl"), who died in 1829 as Baroness Berchtold zu Sonnenburg, and of J. M. Haydn, the brother of Joseph. By the choir screen stand two bronze candelabra of 1609. All but two of the altarpieces on the 16 marble altars were painted by Martin Johann Schmidt of Krems, known as "Kremser Schmidt" (1718-1801). The Lady Chapel (Marienkapelle; not open to the public) of 1319 on the northern side of the church contains a stone figure of the Virgin dating from the same period as the chapel, Early Gothic frescos and later frescos of 1755.

To the north of St Peter's Church in Salzburg's Inner City stands the Franciscan Church (Franziskanerkirche), which was the town's parish church (dedicated to the Virgin) until 1635. Notable features of the exterior are the high roof of the choir and the tower on the southern side (1468-98) with its Neo-Gothic helm roof of 1867. The dark Romanesque nave (13th C.) contrasts with the high, light Gothic choir (by Hans Stettheimer, 1408 to after 1450). In front of a ring of Baroque chapels (1606-1704) stands the high altar (1709; probably by J. B. Fischer von Erlach), with a carved Madonna by Michael Pacher (1498; the Child is 19th C.). In the central chapel behind the altar is a winged marble altar (1561) from the old Cathedral. Opposite the church, to the south, lies the Franciscan Friary.

In Salzburg's Max-Reinhardt-Platz can be seen the Fish Fountain (1610), and on the far side of the square the Furtwänglerpark, with the oldest monument to Schiller in Austria (1859). On the northern side of the little park stands the Kollegienkirche (College Church), built by J. B. Fischer von Erlach (1694-1707) for the University: a cruciform church on a centralized plan in mature Baroque style, it has an exciting facade and a high central dome.

A short distance north of Sigmundsplatz in Salzburg lies the little triangular Bürgerspitalplatz, on the western side of which, leaning against the rock wall of the Mönchsberg, is the three-story arcade of the Hospital (Spital), closed in 1898, which now houses the study collections of the Museum Carolino Augusteum and the Toy Museum.

The Salzburg Palace houses the city's finest concert Halls, including the Mirabell Palace Marble Hall and the Prince Archbishop's Residence, where even Mozart himself performed.The Palace was first open for public concerts in 1954, and has since hosted over 10,000 performances.Over 200 concerts are scheduled on average every year, including special events such as Christmas and New Year's performances and various competitions.