Getreidegasse

Geschichte

'' is a busy shopping street in the historic Altstadt section of Salzburg, Austria, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996. It is known for the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart on No. 9, where he lived until the age of 17. The narrow street is characterised by numerous high town houses side by side with its wrought iron guild signs.OverviewGetreidegasse runs parallel to the Salzach river and today is part of a large pedestrian zone in the Old Town quarter. First mentioned as (derived from traben "to trot") about 1150, when it led from the historic Salzburg trade centre to the northwestern suburb of Mülln, its name was changed several times before it became the Grain Lane. The citizens received staple rights by the prince-archbishops in the 14th century, whereafter several large trading houses began to display their goods along the road. Subsequently, Getreidegasse became a favoured residential area for Salzburg patricians and public officials. Many buildings contain picturesque passageways and courtyards.A large number of the historic residential house has been turned into commercial premises in recent decades. While Getreidegasse is one of the city's most popular tourist attractions, several attempts have been made by the Salzburg city administration to retain the street's authentic character.