Salzburg

Salzburg, city in western Austria, capital of Salzburg Province, on the Salzach River. Salzburg is a cultural and tourist centre whose industries include brewing and the manufacture of metals, chemicals, and textiles. Salzburg was the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and is the venue of internationally famous annual music and drama festivals. It is the seat of Salzburg University (1622) and the University of Music and Dramatic Art in Salzburg (1914). At Salzburg the Salzach River passes between two lofty masses of rock, one of which, the Mönchsberg (523 m/1,716 ft high), bears an 11th-century fort. The mining of salt has historically been important to the city, which takes its name from the German words salz (salt) and burg (castle or fort).

Originally a Celtic settlement and later a Roman trading centre called Juvavum, Salzburg has been an archbishopric since about 800; a 17th-century cathedral in the Italian Renaissance style is in the city. Salzburg was incorporated into Austria in 1814. Salzburg’s Historic Centre was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. Population 148,473 (2006 estimate).