Sitting stop Festungsberg hill, Hohensalzburg Castle is Salzburg’s most famous landmark. Built in 1077, Hohensalzburg Castle is one of the largest and best preserved fortresses today in Central Europe. The fortress is so soundly built, it has never been conquered. Once housing a military barracks and prison, the fortress today is a multi-purpose facility. With medieval rooms and courtyards open to the public, Hohensalzburg Castle also houses an International Summer Academy and concerts.

Mirabell Palace was built in 1606 by a prince-archbishop who intended it as a home for his mistress. It was later rebuilt in Baroque and Neoclassical styles, and served as the 1815 birthplace of the future King Otto of Greece. The building’s front is plain compared to other Salzburg palaces, but visitors will find lush gardens, featuring statues of mythological people, on the grounds. Maria and the Von Trapp children sang “Do Re Mi” here in Sound of Music. The palace is a popular spot for weddings, including the World War II marriage of Eva Braun’s sister to one of Adolph Hitler’s staff officers; Hitler was a witness.