Nonntal District: Forgotten Side of the Altstadt
The Nonntal is a small district within the city of Salzburg and can be divided into two parts: The Inneres Nonntal (Inner Nonntal Area) and the Äußeres Nonntal (Outer Nonntal Area). The former is part of the Salzburger Altstadt (Old Town) and thus of the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site. This means, that particularly strict building regulations apply to this part.
The Nonntal is very scenic and has several attractions as well as administrative buildings (schools and university buildings) and hotels; however, it is generally not a touristy area and it is interesting to see how the locals take over whilst the tourists accumulate only a few hundred metres further north. Historically, most of the Nonntal belonged to the nunnery of the same name. Today, only some 4,000 people live in the Nonntal, but especially the area around the Nonntaler Hauptstraße is busy and commercial.
Outlay & Attractions of Nonntal
There are three main alleys with trees that were arranged around the ancient palace Schloss Freisaal: The Fürstenallee, the Hellbrunner Allee and the Hofhaymer Allee. The Inner Nonntal is a densely populated, residential area with mostly Medieval houses. Note the Erhardkirche at the heart of the inner Nonntal. Following the lanes along the Festungsberg (Fortress Hill), you will get to various Medieval and modern houses, the latter ones usually in the villa category.
The Nonntal is a very exclusive area and poor people tend to live elsewhere. Didi Mateschitz, the founder of Red Bull and owner of the Hangar-7, is one of the inhabitants of the Nonntal. Note also the Hofbrunnhaus, once the pump house that supported the water supply of parts of the Altstadt - including the Residenzbrunnen Fountain. It was in operation from the 17th century until 1969.
Other noteworthy sights are the Landesgericht and Kajetanerplatz; the Bertholdvilla; the Künstlerhaus; the Petersbrunnhof (Schauspielhaus Salzburg), the ARGE Kultur, the Science Faculty or NAWI, and Schloss Neudegg, which is still property of descendents of the Habsburg family.
The local studios of the National Broadcasting ORF is in the Nonntal, too, and you will find various small houses with medieval or Baroque cores if you decide to go through the Nonntal for a walk. Note that the palatial Städtische Altersheim Nonntal is only a late-19th century building and not of particular interest. Don′t confuse it with any important buildings; it does serve as a good landmark on the way to Schloss Leopoldskron, though.
Hidden Treasures of Salzburg
Links
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nonntal
German Wikipedia on Nonntal
http://www.stadt-salzburg.at/
City of Salzburg, Official Website
