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Visit the locations of the film

The Sound of Music Tour was born when first visitors came to Salzburg in 1965, shortly after the release of the film, trying to find locations like the lakeside castle or the gazebo. The Panorama drivers had been involved with the filming of The Sound of Music for months, so they were able to arrange a sightseeing tour. They also knew a lot of gossip about the filming, so the tour soon became popular.


Over the last couple of years it has matured to an extensive Salzburg city and lake district tour which not only takes its guests to the settings of the movie but also leads to the main cultural attractions of the region. To see the Salzkammergut lake district is a "must" for every visitor, so take the tour to not miss out!


Mirabell Palace & Gardens

Its characteristic, large, symmetrical flower-beds make the Mirabell Gardens a good example of a typical baroque park. It was built in the 18th century following the plans of the famous architect Fischer von Erlach. Countless statues inspired by Greek myths can be seen throughout the park which is centered by a big fountain. In the film, Maria and the children danced around the Fountain singing "Do-Re-Mi". The Pegasus fountain next to the 17th century palace can also be spotted in the movie. The stairs leading up to the rose hill were part of the choreography as well.

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Nonnberg Abbey

Nonnberg Abbey is the oldest female convent north of the Alps. It has been in continual existence since it was founded in the year 714 A.D. In the course of its history, the abbey was destroyed by fire several times, but it was always rebuilt by the rulers of the city and the church. Today's building was erected in the early 16th century. The wooden gothic altar by the sculptor Veit Stoss is especially worth seeing . It is located in the St. John's Chapel near the gate. The Abbey on the Nonnberg is significant both for the real Trapp story as well as for the movie. After graduating from college, Maria Augusta von Kutschera took a train to Salzburg to present herself as a candidate for the novitiate of the Benedictine sisterhood. After serving as a governess outside the abbey she and Baron von Trapp married in the Abbey Church in 1927. The sound of Music scenes shot here include the opening part where nuns go to mass and Maria returns too late. The performance for the song "Maria" was staged in the courtyard of the abbey. The children came to the abbey's gate to ask Maria to return to their home. The escape scene, with the cars parked outside the Abbey gate, was also shot in the original spot.

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Rock Riding School

For the construction of the cathedral rocks were cut out from the Moenchsberg. In 1693, Archbishop Johann Ernst von Thun decided to use this cavity in the mountain and had a riding school built in which tournaments were held. Today the Rock Riding School is a theater and one of the venues situated in the Festival District. The "real" Trapp family sang here at a choir competition. In the motion picture, Christopher Plummer sang "Edelweiss" in the Rock Riding School while their escape was organized behind the curtain. The Horse Pond next to the Festival Building is another sight a lot of people associate with The Sound of Music. It was built in 1695 by Austrian architect Fischer von Erlach. Before being part of the Sound of Music scenery, it served as a watering place for the Archbishop's riding stables.

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Archbishop's Residence

The Residence Square is the heart of the old city center. In the film, Maria crossed this square singing "I have confidence in me" while on here way to the Trapp family home for the first time. The Glockenspiel with its 35-bell chime overlooks the square. It was cast in 1689 in Antwerp by Melchior de Haze. The Residence buildings were used by the prince archbishops from the 17th century onwards. Apart from being archbishops, they also held absolute power over Salzburg.

Residence Fountain

The Residence Fountain is 15 meters high and the largest baroque fountain outside Italy. It was built between 1658 and 1661, possibly by Italian artist Tommaso di Garona, and is made of marble from the Untersberg, a mountain near Salzburg. Its waterspouting horses reached world fame thanks to their appearance in the Sound of Music. Maria stopped at the fountain to splash water at the horses while singing "I have confidence".

St. Peter's District

St. Peter's District is really the oldest part of Salzburg. The first monks, headed by Saint Rupert, settled here. The rest of the city started to spread out slowly around the monastery. Today you can still see catacombs cut in the rock of the Moechsberg and originating form 215 A.D. St. Peter's cemetery is the oldest one in Austria still in use. Only priests and monks were buried here up to the year 1454. The arcades around the cemetery are family vaults from the 17th century with various examples of wrought iron work. Obviously, St. Peter's Cemetery was a good inspiration for the movie makers: It was rebuilt in the Hollywood studios for the scene when the Nazis were searching for the von Trapps and the family was hiding behind the tombstones. St. Peter's Church can also be seen in the opening scene.

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Frohnburg Castle

The baroque Frohnburg Castle was built in the 17th century as a country house for the prince archbishops. Its facade, courtyard and front gate were used for the Trapp Villa in the film. Maria arrived here, after dancing along the Hellbrunn Alley, to meet the von Trapps for the first time. The baron tore the flag down from above the castle's doorway when they returned form their honeymoon and heard about the German occupation of Austria. They pushed their car noiselessly out of the castle's gate when they tried to escape. Today, the castle houses music students from the Mozarteum Music Academy.

Hellbrunn Palace

Hellbrunn Palace, just a few kilometers south of the city, was built between 1613 and 1619 under the orders of Markus Sittikus von Hohenems. As the archbishop had spent part of his life in Italy he tried to recreate an Italian atmosphere in this castle and its gardens. Unlike many other palaces, Hellbrunn has undergone no style changes and so, even today, the visitor can enjoy the lively southern scenery of this renaissance park. The artificial water games in Hellbrunn with numerous grottoes, trick fountains and the mechanical toy theater were built to entertain the noble guests of Archbishop Markus Sittikus. The Impressive frescoes in the palace halls are masterpieces of the 17th century by Donato Mascagni From Florence.

The Gazebo at Hellbrunn

One of the main sites from the film is the glass gazebo, setting for various love scenes, like "Sixteen Going on Seventeen" and "Something Good". After a complete renovation, it was reconstructed in the park of Hellbrunn palace. This is not the original setting, which was the garden of Leopoldskron Castle, but a more accessible one for visitors.

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Leopoldskron Castle

Leopoldskron Castle is the most beautiful rococo building in the Salzburg region. It was built in 1731 by Archbishop Leopold Count Firmian as a residence for his family. After 1837, when the Firmian family sold the estate, the building changed owners many times. Leopoldskron was a gallery, then became property of a landlord, and even the King of Bavaria can be found under the list of owners. When famous writer Max Reinhardt, founder of the Salzburg Festival, bought it in 1918, it was in sad condition. Reinhardt renovated it, however, to its original beauty and used it's garden for theater performances. Since 1958, Leopoldskron Castle has been owned by the "Salzburg Seminar in American Studies", an institution that focuses on economy problems. Leopoldskron Castle was one of the most important locations for the film: The rear view was used for the Trap Family home. The family drank lemonade with the baroness on the terrace. Maria and the baron dance on the balcony during the ball scene, and the children fell into the adjacent lake. The Venetian room from the castle was copied and used as the ballroom for the interior shootings which were done in the studios.

Castle Anif

Castle Anif of neogothic style was built in the 19th century as a summer residence for the Bishops of Chiemsee, Bavaria. Today, it is the property of the Count Moy family. It is of historical interest because the last Bavarian King, Ludwig 2, abdicated here in 1918. The castle can be spotted in the beginning of the film, during the aerial view of the Salzburg.

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Untersberg

The Untersberg, a peak jutting 1853 meters out of the Salzburg basin, offers a great view across the region. Climbing it takes more then two hours and should not be attempted without proper footwear and windbreaker, as well as food and water provisions. Because there are some steep parts, you should not be afraid of heights. You can reach the station of the cable car by catching bus No. 55 from the city center. The round trip, up and down, costs less then twenty US-dollars. The Untersberg can be spotted twice in the movie: In the opening scene and in the escape scene, when the family climbs the mountain to leave the country.

Hohenwerfen Fortress

A motorway leads to the little village of Werfen which lies about 40 kilometers south from downtown Salzburg. The fortress was built under the rule of Archbishop Gebhardt von Helffenstein in the year 1077 to protect and defend the pass leading into the Salzburg basin. Werfen is also the gateway for a trip to the famous Giant Ice Caves. A guide takes you into the spectacular cave system which is said to be biggest in the world. The Hohenwerfen Fortress gives Julie Andrews and the children a perfect background for "Do-Re-Mi".

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The "Salzkammergut" Lake District

Generally speaking, the "Salzkammergut" extends over the entire area of lakes belonging to the Alps and Lower Alps. Three Austrian Provinces, Salzburg, Styria, and Upper Austria, share this unique countryside. The Salzburg part is not only an area of great beauty but was also a welcome scenery for the Sound of Music producers, such as Fuschl Castle and St.Gilgen, St.Wolfgang and Mondsee.

Fuschl Castle

The Fuschlsee is the first lake you reach when you enter the Salzkammergut form Salzburg. It is said to be te clearest and cleanest of the Salzkammergut lakes and offers great and untouched beaches. Before you reach the village of Fuschl, a popular summer resort, you pass the Fuschl Castle. It was built as a hunting palace for the archbishops of Salzburg in the 15th century and is a first-class hotel today. It was seen in a aerial view at the beginning of The Sound of Music.

The village of St. Gilgen

St. Gilgen is situated on another popular lake of the Salzkammergut, the Wolfgangsee. Mozart's mother, Anna Pertl, was born here. That is why a little Mozart museum has been set up in the city center.

Village of St. Wolfgang

St. Wolfgang is also situated on Wolfgangsee. Maybe the village is the most beautiful spot in the region, however, for sure it's the most touristy one, especially the lakeside inn "Zum Weissen Roessl".

Town and lake Mondsee

A large cathedral dominates the small town of Mondsee. It was once the heart of an important monastery. Founded in 748 on the ruins of a roman settlement, it influenced the culture of the region for more than a thousand years until it was dissolved in 1792. The wedding scene in the movie was filmed here, Maria, led by Liesl, walked down the aisle to meet the baron in front of the main altar.

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Trapp family's villa

After the Trapp family left Austria, their beautiful villa was annexed by Himmler. It became the telephone headquarters for the Third Reich. After the war, the Trapp family sold the estate to the Roman catholic church. Today, the villa houses a seminary for young missionaries from the order "Brothers of the Holy Blood". Visitors of the original Trapp home are allowed to go into the gardens, but are asked to keep quiet and not to enter the house.

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