Altstadt (Old Town), Salzburg (must see)

Salzburg's Old Town, also known as Altstadt or the Historic Centre of the City of Salzburg, is a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site that covers a vast area featuring numerous landmarks. It encompasses the left and right banks of the Salzach river, the inner Nonntal area, the Festungsberg hill, the Kapuzinerberg hill, and the Mönchsberg Mountain. To ensure the preservation of the ancient buildings, the area is highly regulated, and most of Salzburg's tourist attractions are found within the Old Town.

UNESCO recognized the Old Town as a cultural heritage site in 1996, emphasizing its significance as the residence of Prince Archbishops and as a spiritual center of Central Europe dating back to the earliest days of Western-Christian culture. The skyline of the Old Town is defined by the spires and cupolas of numerous churches, and the colorful Baroque facades of burgher houses line the narrow lanes and small squares of the Old Town on both sides of the Salzach river. The Old Town has a Baroque appearance due to the work of Italian architects Vincenzo Scamozzi and Santino Solari. Furthermore, it is a unique Old Town that embodies the spirit of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, music traditions, and the Salzburg Festival.

The historic center is home to several landmarks, including the recognizable Fortress Hohensalzburg, the magnificent Baroque Salzburg Cathedral (Salzburger Dom) dedicated to Saint Rupert and Saint Virgil, the vast Residence Square (Residenzplatz) surrounded by beautiful Baroque buildings, the 17th-century Mirabell Palace and Gardens, one of the most exquisite gardens in Salzburg, the 7th-century St. Peter's Abbey, one of the oldest Benedictine monasteries in Austria, and Mozart's Birthplace, the house where the famous composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born and spent his early years, now converted into a museum displaying many of Mozart's personal belongings, including his childhood violin.

The Old Town of Salzburg is home to many stunning historic sites and monuments, each providing a unique insight into the rich history and culture of this beautiful city, and it is worth a visit.