Salzburg

Alternate use: Salzburg (state)

Salzburg (population 145,000 in 2003) is a city in western Austria and the capital of the federal state of Salzburg (population 520,000 in 2003). The geographic coordinates of Salzburg are 47.81 degrees north, 13.04 degrees east.

Salzburg was the home for about 15 years of the writer Stefan Zweig until he left in 1934.

The Europrix multimedia award takes place in Salzburg.

Salzburg was also a candidate city for the Olympic Winter Games but was eliminated in the first round of voting.

Salzburg is the birthplace of:

• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - composer
• Christian Doppler - scientist

Salzburg is also the birthplace of Hans Makart, a 19th century Austrian painter-decorator and national celebrity; Makart Square, or Makartplatz, is named after him.

On December 11, 1792, Joseph Mohr was born in Salzburg. He became a priest and in his young years wrote the lyrics to a song that has made it all around the world - Silent Night. He wrote the words to it in 1816 and in 1818 it was performed for the first time under F.X. Mohr in Oberndorf, a small village just outside of Salzburg city.

see also The Sound of Music, Salzburg Festival