Volume 2, Issue 2 Originally published by Vienna Online - used by permission September 1999

Historical Monuments: Austrian Castles I grew up in Salzburg. One of the most impressive sights of the city is the castle called "Festung Hohensalzburg" which thrones majestically above the old town. I don't know about you, but a castle is a most memorable thing for me when I visit places. Why? Because it is a landmark nobody can miss. A castle shapes the appearance and the history of a town. Let us take a closer look at three of those Austrian monuments. An archbishop named Gebhard started the building process in the late 11th century. Another archbishop finally gave the castle its famous silhouette in the early 16th century. Just in time, because only a few years later the only threatening war took place, the Bauernkrieg. And the Festung won! If you're wondering: after bombs were invented, the castles provided no more real protection and lost their military purpose. In 1997 Salzburg's old town was added to UNESCO's list of World Heritage sites (see link below for more info). The castle is huge. There are many living quarters, used today mainly by artists. It took 450 years to give the Festung Hohensalzburg the look of today (more pics). All year long you can listen to concerts and take part in many different classes and seminars. I simply like getting my exercise walking up the steep path and taking in the breathtaking view of the city of Salzburg, the surrounding mountains and landscapes. By far my most memorable experience was being part of the castle's 900th anniversary celebration. I played timpani with a small brass ensemble for a TV feature. We were positioned on top of the trumpeter tower (see picture: highest tower on the left). Hear the fanfare: The Burg Falkenstein is located in the province of Carinthia near the city of Obervellach in the Mˆll valley. It also originates in the 11th century. Today it is divided into two castles situated on the same mountain, one 600 feet above the other one. The higher castle is a ruin with a chapel that is still in use. The other castle is renovated and still inhabited. It was designed to be entered only from the east for defense purposes. The castle changed owners often throughout the centuries. At the turn of this century a new owner started a big renovation project. The picture is a woodcut by the late Austrian artist Fritz Rindler, used by permission of his daughter, Angelika, who presently lives in Carinthia. The Riegersburg you can't miss when you pass through the southeast part of the province of Styria. Do you agree? The castle is on top of a rock face. It is a basalt rock (you gotta use your Webster's once in a while). The main part of the castle was built in the 12th century. In the second half of that century the relationship with the Hungarian neighbors got worse and the castle became a big factor in the Austrian military power. Throughout the centuries the upper part of the castle was constantly changed and expanded. That the castle is in such great shape today is due to the fact that the same family has owned and maintained it since 1822. In October you can read about The Make-up of a Musician (pun intended) as I will dig deep into my life long experiences as a professional musician. Please check back!

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