Exploring Austria: Touring The Sound Of Music

Fans of the iconic musical and movie, The Sound of Music, can rejoice as there are several tours in Austria that visit the memorable filming locations. The original movie was filmed across various locations in Salzburg, Austria, including the Mirabell Gardens, Mondsee Cathedral, Lake Wolfgang, and Hellbrunn Castle. The original Sound of Music Tour® in Salzburg is one of the most popular choices, with 92% of travellers recommending it. This tour covers all the major filming spots and even plays the movie's soundtrack on the tour bus for passengers to sing along to. The tour costs around $72 and can be booked online.

The Benedictine Convent on Nonnberg

The abbey is situated beneath the Festungsberg hill and the ruins of the ancient Roman city of Juvavum. It was established by Saint Rupert, who later handed over control to his niece or sister, Saint Erentrudis of Salzburg. The abbey's endowment was provided by the Agilolfing duke Theodo of Bavaria and his successor, Theodbert. The nuns of the abbey, all of noble birth, held extended estates along the Salzach River south of the city.

Nonnberg Abbey is renowned for its stunning churches and chapels. The late-Gothic basilica features a Romanesque crypt with frescoes from around 1150. The church of Maria Himmelfahrt, or the Assumption of Mary, is the oldest church in Salzburg dedicated to the Virgin Mary. It was built in the late Gothic style between 1464 and 1506 after a fire destroyed parts of the original building in 1423. The church boasts a Romanesque tower from the 12th century, adorned with Baroque elements and a 19th-century rooftop. The Romanesque original is still visible in parts of the main gate and the choir frescoes.

The convent's complex includes the cloisters, a pillared hall, the convent itself, a kitchen court, a refectory (dining hall), the old abbey, the St. John's Chapel, the Pieta Chapel, and smaller buildings. The St. John's Chapel, with its altar in the style of Veit Stoss (1458), is particularly noteworthy.

Nonnberg Abbey is also famous for its connection to Maria von Trapp, whose life inspired the musical "The Sound of Music." Maria was a novice at the abbey, although the movie was not entirely accurate in its portrayal of this. The abbey was featured extensively in the film, and some scenes were even shot on location there. The story of Maria von Trapp began at Nonnberg, and the abbess during her time there was Virgilia Lütz (1869-1949).

Mirabell Gardens and Mirabell Palace

The Mirabell Palace and Gardens are among Salzburg's most popular attractions. The complex is a listed cultural heritage monument and part of the Historic Centre of the City of Salzburg UNESCO World Heritage Site. The palace was built in 1606 by Prince-Archbishop Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau for his mistress Salome Alt and their 15 children. The palace was originally called Schloss Altenau. When Raitenau was deposed and arrested in 1612, his successor, Markus Sittikus, banished Salome and her family from the palace and renamed it Schloss Mirabell, from the Italian 'mirabile' ('wonderful') and 'bella' ('beautiful').

The Mirabell Gardens were arranged in 1690 under Archbishop Johann Ernst von Thun. The basic geometrical form characteristic of the Baroque age is still recognisable. The gardens feature a large parterre with a central fountain and four groups of figures by Ottavio Mosto, symbolising the four elements: fire, air, earth and water. There is also a small parterre with the Pegasus fountain, made of copper and forged in 1661 by Caspar Gras. The gardens also include the Heckentheater, one of the oldest hedge theatres north of the Alps, and the Zwergerlgarten, the oldest dwarf garden in Europe.

The palace and gardens are a famous film location, particularly for the Hollywood musical 'The Sound of Music'. In the film, Maria and the children dance around the Pegasus fountain behind the palace while singing 'Do-Re-Mi'. The unique view through the Mirabell Garden to the Palace has become world-famous.

Residenz Square and Residenz Fountain

Residenz Square

Located in the heart of Salzburg's Old City, Residenz Square is a magnificent and stately public square surrounded by striking buildings, including the New Residence with its carillon, the Cathedral, the Old Residence, and a continuous row of townhouses. It is one of the largest squares in the city and was designed by the Italian architect Vincenzo Scamozzi. The square is often used as a venue for large sporting or music events, as well as markets and fairs.

Residenz Fountain

The Residenz Fountain, located in the centre of Residenz Square, is considered the most beautiful fountain in Salzburg and one of the most significant baroque monuments in Europe. Made of Untersberg marble, it was created between 1656 and 1661 and is attributed to the Italian sculptor Tommaso di Garone. The fountain features a lower basin with baroque decorations, surrounded by the coats of arms of Archbishop Guidobald von Thun. In the middle, there is a rock surrounded by four water-spouting sea horses and four Atlases carrying a shallow water bowl, on top of which three dolphins support another basin. The top of the fountain depicts Triton blowing water into the air from a shell.

Felsenreitschule

The Felsenreitschule, or "rock riding school" in Salzburg, Austria, is a theatre and a venue of the annual Salzburg Festival.

History

The Felsenreitschule was first built as a Baroque theatre in 1693-94 by Archbishop Johann Ernst von Thun, who repurposed a former quarry that had provided rocks for the construction of Salzburg Cathedral. The theatre was used as a summer riding school and for animal hunts. The audience was seated in 96 arcades carved into the Mönchsberg rock, across three floors.

After the secularisation of the prince-archbishopric, the site was used by cavalry forces. From 1926, it was used as an open-air theatre for performances of the Salzburg Festival, with the former audience arcades now serving as a natural stage setting.

The Sound of Music

The Felsenreitschule features in the 1965 film version of The Sound of Music as the site of the Salzburg music festival where Captain von Trapp sings "Edelweiss" before the von Trapp family makes their escape. The "real" Trapp family also sang here at a choir competition.

Recent Renovations

Between 1968 and 1970, the Felsenreitschule was remodelled according to plans by Clemens Holzmeister. A light-tight, rain tarp was added to dampen noise and protect the stage, and this roof can be opened. The theatre now holds 1,412 seats and 25 standing places.

Between 2010 and 2011, the roof was renewed, adding 700 square metres of floor space for equipment and rehearsal rooms. The new pitched roof consists of three mobile segment surfaces and is on five telescopic arms, allowing it to be extended and retracted in six minutes.

St. Peter's Cemetery

The cemetery was an inspiration for the filmmakers of The Sound of Music. It was rebuilt in Hollywood studios for the scene in which the von Trapp family hides from the Nazis behind tombstones. St. Peter's Church can be seen in the movie's opening scene.

The Original Sound of Music Tour in Salzburg takes visitors to various filming locations, including the Pegasus fountain in Mirabell Garden, Nonnberg Abbey, Schloss Leopoldskron, and Mondsee Cathedral. The tour is available by bus, on foot, or by bicycle.

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