Mozartplatz & Mozart Monument
The Mozartplatz is located in the centre of Salzburg's Old Town, in close proximity to Residenzplatz and Salzburg Cathedral. While the buildings around the square tell many stories, the focal point is clearly the Mozart statue.
In the centre of the Mozartplatz is the Mozart statue by Ludwig Schwanthaler. The statue was to be erected in 1841 on the 50th anniversary of W. A. Mozart's death. However, the unveiling of the monument was delayed by a year because a Roman mosaic had been found in the ground, which took time to recover. On 4 September 1842, the statue was ceremoniously unveiled in the presence of Mozart's sons. The Bavarian King Ludwig I was an important sponsor of the Mozart statue and donated the marble pedestal. A copy of the Roman mosaic can still be found at the foot of the statue.
The Mozartplatz and its buildings play a significant role in the history of Salzburg. On the north side, the so-called Imhofstöckl (No. 5) houses the tourist information office. Behind it is part of the old city wall, which dates from the time of Prince Archbishop Paris Lodron. Opposite, on the south side, is the Neue Residenz, home to the Salzburg Museum since 2007. The house at Mozartplatz 8 was the home of Constanze Mozart-Nissen, Mozart's widow. On the west side, looking towards the Cathedral, are the Salzburg Christmas Museum and the famous Café Glockenspiel. Only a few steps away, the poet Georg Trakl was born in 1887.
