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Tourism: Salzburg is one of the smaller Austrian lands but it is one of the most important for the tourism industry. Hundreds and thousands of visitors from all over the world visit the "Small Paradise" of Salzburg throughout the year. Unspoilt countryside with unique natural attractions such as the Hohe Tauern National Park, the beauty of the "Baroque Jewel" of the old town centre of Salzburg and in the surrounding communities offer an enchanting variety. Successful efforts are being made in Salzburg to preserve nature as the basis for an existence. Salzburg as a holiday destination is equally popular in winter and summer. |
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Arts and culture: Salzburg is a land with an intensive cultural tradition that extends far into the past. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the city’s most famous son, represents the high point of the classical musical tradition. This tradition is still fostered nowadays - on the one hand in the Mozarteum University and on the other in the equally world-renowned Salzburg Festival, which, since it was founded in 1920, annually attracts thousands of art and culture lovers from all over the world to Salzburg. Music especially but also major theatrical events form the basis for the world reputation of the Festival. One of the most important annual attractions is of course the performance on the Cathedral Square of the mystery play "Jedermann" (Everyman) against the overwhelming background of Salzburg Cathedral. |
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Political system: At present the regional constitution law of 1999 is valid in Salzburg. This constitution allows a clear role division between the government and opposition. Government is formed according to a free majority system. Thus the parties which have a majority in the regional assembly work together and aim to develop a common programme of government. The government is faced with an opposition which has strong minority rights in the regional assembly. The new regional constitution in Salzburg is regarded as the most modern in Austria. |
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History: Salzburg can be regarded as the oldest and most important cultural and spiritual centre in present-day Austria. Although it had already been elevated to the rank of archdiocese in 798 and from the late Middle Ages onwards had formed a spiritual principality in the Holy Roman Empire, Salzburg is one of Austria's youngest lands. The development of the land and its ultimate separation from Bavaria, its mother country, was agreed in the fourteenth century but it was not until 1816 that Salzburg was incorporated into Austria. Of Austria's present-day lands, Salzburg is the only one to have been ruled as an independent state by a prince-archbishop and it is the only one of the many spiritual principalities of the Holy Roman Empire still to exist as an independent land. |
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Salzburg in the EU: In a united Europe the lands have clearly assumed increasing importance, particularly over the past few years. Nation-states had to cede a number of competencies to "Brussels". Smaller regional units create identity more intensively than previously. Local and regional politics take as their direct starting-point the interests of the citizens. This was not a new development for Salzburg when Austria became a member of the European Union in January 1995. The strong economic orientation towards European markets, a dense network of inter-regional contacts, and Salzburg's previous role as an international meeting-place in the heart of Europe presented the best prerequisites for a continuation of the active participation in shaping the "Europe of the lands". |
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Economy: For many years Salzburg’s economy has occupied a leading position in Austria. On a European scale the land is one of the most dynamic regions. In a recent survey of European lands Salzburg is listed as one of the top locations for investments. The above-average level of economic performance is reflected in the data on economic performance. From 1995 to 2002 the Gross Regional Product of Salzburg has risen on an average of 3.5 per cent as opposed to the overall Austrian GNP of 3.3 per cent. In 2002 the Gross Regional Product of Salzburg reached 15.97 billion Euro. |
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Education: Land Salzburg is a centre of education and training. The land's capital Salzburg can look back on a centuries-old tradition as a university city. In 1622 the university was opened in a ceremony by its founder Prince-archbishop Paris Lodron, whose name it still bears nowadays. However, it was not until 1962 that it was re-opened as a university with full status after years of changeable fortunes and a struggle lasting over 150 years. The four faculties - natural sciences, the humanities, theology and law are divided into about 70 institutes. Don’t forget the Mozarteum and beginning in 2003 the Private Medical University. |
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Countryside: Historically Salzburg is one of Austria’s youngest lands and is located at a "crossroads" between east and west, north and south. All interior transport routes towards the two western lands (Tyrol and Vorarlberg) lead through Salzburg. This gives more importance to the land than its physical land area within Austria (7,154.2 square kilometres, only 8.5 per cent of the country) and population figures (2003: approx. 522,500; 6.4 per cent) would normally indicate. Despite its small dimensions, Salzburg offers a multiplicity of character and a great variety of landscapes. |
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