Kapuzinerberg, Salzburg

Situated on the eastern bank of the Salzach River in Salzburg, the Kapuzinerberg is a hill that rises to an elevation of 640 meters. It is also the site of a Capuchin Monastery that was built between 1599 and 1605 on the remains of a medieval fortress known as the Trompeterschlössl. The eastern slope of the mountain has been inhabited by humans since the neolithic period, with significant prehistoric settlements dating back to 1100 B.C.

Thirteen oratories with the way of the cross line the path from the Linzergasse to the monastery, and were constructed between 1736 and 1744. Other notable landmarks include a memorial for Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the old Paschinger Schlössl (formerly owned by Stefan Zweig), and various artillery bastions from 1629 that were built during the Thirty Years' War. On the mountain's summit, accessible by the drawbridge, stands the Franziskischlössl, now a small restaurant. Despite Adolf Hitler's desire to construct a massive fortress, stadium, and festival hall on the mountain, intensive land development has been prevented by the forested areas that make up the Kapuzinerberg.

The Capuchin Monastery was established by Bishop Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau as a stronghold against the Reformation. The friars consecrated their first church in 1602, built on the foundation of a medieval tower, and inherited a set of 15th-century wooden reliefs. Over time, the cloister expanded to its present form around 1690. Despite being independent of the local archbishop for centuries, the cloister was occupied and desecrated by French and Bavarian troops in 1800, 1809-10, and 1813. The monks were evicted again in 1938 to make way for a Nazi forum, but the project did not come to fruition. The friars returned in 1942, initially sharing the premises with refugees and prisoners.

With its wooded areas, the Kapuzinerberg serves as the green lung of Salzburg and provides visitors with delightful walking opportunities along its many hiking trails. The Basteiweg, which runs along the fortification walls in the south and east of the mountain, is particularly noteworthy, as are the various views of Salzburg's historic Altstadt.