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A brief interlude in Salzburg

You can still feel the great Mozart's presence in the picturesque alpine town of Salzburg in Austria. His enduring legacy is everywhere

PICTURE POSTCARD PRETTY Salzburg in Austria has taken great pains to preserve its heritage PHOTO: REUTERS, AP

This summer, I reached Salzburg on a gliding train. Outside the railway station itself, Salzburg's most dominating structure, a hilltop castle called Festung Hohensalzburg, caught my eye. It is built atop the steep Monchberg mountain.

Early next morning, we made a beeline for this beckoning, imposing and white fortress. It sure makes a pretty picture by sprawling over the whole of the hillock... well, not so pretty is its Torture Tower, the only aberration in the wonderful mood Salzburg evokes.

Thankfully, the museums inside the castle house more pleasant artefacts, musical instruments and oh yes! marionettes, their distinctive puppet craft. Within the fortification is the unforgettable statue of a bull. Legend goes that during a war, the castle dwellers kept painting the only bull they had in a different colour each day. So the attackers thought that Salzburgers were richly stacked in supplies and they left. Then the people washed the animal in the Salzach river!

The river itself runs diagonally across the town, dividing the northern modern Salzburg and the more beautiful, southern old town where we were standing. From this high vantage point you can only gasp at the panoramic view. The greenery gets thicker as the town thins out in all directions, undulating into faraway peaks that hold promise.

Life-size chessboard

Later, we took our funicular back to the plains to Festungasse. Down a few steps from it, is a sprawling square, Kapitelplatz. Souvenir stalls, live musicians, open-air restaurants, a life-size chessboard — all give a carnival-like feel to it. You can simply walk into the game of chess (literally), play, and walk out of the chequered floor.

Only when you down beer and the typical chocolate marzipan candy ball called Mozart Kugel do you get the real essence of this Austrian hill station. There are now lots of variations but earlier there was a traditional recipe to make them. The only reminders of time passing by, in this infectious laziness, are the Black Forest cuckoo clocks displayed in the memorabilia sheds around. The stalls have the usual souvenirs — cowbells, marionettes, Austrian hats, and mugs displaying Salzburg's unique skyline.

Further north is Domplatz where the famous green-roofed Dom (or cathedral) stands. The four appealing statues flanking three high, curved entrances make it so poetically attractive. The horse carriages parked in front and their fancy uniformed riders lend a nostalgic air to the entire square. At the far end of the square, a statue was under repair; therefore it was plastered from public view. Yet they had managed to put a large photograph of the real statue of Mother Mary in front of the covered one.

More artistry is visible at Residenzplatz, just ahead. It has an extraordinary baroque fountain, comprising horses and tiers of musclemen. This square is called the `Residenz'platz because the ruling archbishops had moved residence from the hill to the palace adjacent to it. Young Amadeus Mozart used to perform in this palace for visiting dignitaries. In fact, there is a bit of Mozart in almost every street and corner of Salzburg. Exclusive Mozart tours take you there.

However, the beautiful St. Peter's cemetery, where his sister is buried, prohibits guided tours. The quietude here is in sharp contrast to the touristy activities taking place just outside in the three Platz. This is one graveyard that is scenic and elegant, complete with flowering plants and wrought iron crosses, gates and grilles.

If you want to go to a scarier, more mournful resting place you just need to climb up the catacombs carved inside the Monchsberg mountain. It forms one boundary of St. Peter's cemetery. Imagine a dimly lit tunnel leading to dingy, lonely chapels. Well, an experience to remember all the same.

We then had a dekko at Mozart's statue at Mozartplatz, and then strolled on to the most enthralling shopping district, Getreidegasse. The mountain castle, forming the backdrop, affords pedestrians only and narrow passageways. Rows of wrought iron guild signs at the facades of shops that sell anything from the most fashionable brands, antiques, jewellery and perfumes.

Mozart cutouts

Cobbled courtyards with Mozart cutouts, souvenir stalls in the centre, covered with huge, striped umbrellas make Getreidegasse all the more picturesque. We headed for our hotel just as the artistically crafted street lamps glowed.

The next day, at the Mirabell Gardens across the Salzach, we noticed that even the statues at the well-tended gardens were in keeping with the ambience — unicorns, winged horses and dwarfs. Just two days at Salzburg soothed me no end. There is so much of beauty and aesthetics all around. Cycling is encouraged and there are separate cycle paths. I need to explore the numerous operas and the musical nightlife the next time. After all, the town reverberates with the sound of music.

UTTARA ASTHANA

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