Salzburg: History, Former Names & Timeline
City on the Salzach ruled for a thousand years by prince-archbishops; the birthplace of Mozart.
SalzburgExplore Salzburg in the interactive map
Former names of Salzburg
| From | Name | Note |
|---|---|---|
| AD 45 | Iuvavum | Roman town |
| AD 700 | Salzburg | ‘salt fortress’ |
Timeline of Salzburg
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| AD 696 | St Rupert founds St Peter’s Abbey (about this date) |
| AD 798 | Becomes an archbishopric |
| 1077 | Work begins on the Hohensalzburg Fortress |
| 1756 | Mozart is born |
| 1803 | The prince-archbishopric is secularised |
| 1816 | Salzburg passes to Austria |
| 1920 | The Salzburg Festival is founded |
Who ruled Salzburg
Derived from the border maps; each row runs until the next recorded border change.
| Period | State |
|---|---|
| 500 BC–401 BC | Unclaimed / no data |
| 400 BC–324 BC | Hallstatt culture |
| 323 BC–2 BC | Unclaimed / no data |
| 1 BC–299 | Roman Empire |
| 300–399 | Rome (Maximian) |
| 400–499 | Western Roman Empire |
| 500–699 | Ostrogoths |
| 700–799 | Avars |
| 800–899 | Carolingian Empire |
| 900–999 | East Francia |
| 1000–1782 | Holy Roman Empire |
| 1783–1879 | Austrian Empire |
| 1880–1913 | Austria Hungary |
| 1914–1919 | Austro-Hungarian Empire |
| 1920–1937 | Austria |
| 1938–1944 | Germany |
| 1945–today | Austria |
Famous people of Salzburg
| Lived | Person | |
|---|---|---|
| 1756 – 1791 | Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Composer |
Nearby cities
Further reading
Questions about Salzburg
What was Salzburg called in the past?
Salzburg has been known as Iuvavum (from AD 45, Roman town). Its present name dates from AD 700.
Which states have ruled Salzburg?
On the historical border maps from 500 BC to today, Salzburg lies within 14 different states: Hallstatt culture, Roman Empire, Rome (Maximian), Western Roman Empire, Ostrogoths, Avars, Carolingian Empire, East Francia, Holy Roman Empire, Austrian Empire and others.
What are the key dates in the history of Salzburg?
AD 696: St Rupert founds St Peter’s Abbey (about this date). AD 798: Becomes an archbishopric. 1077: Work begins on the Hohensalzburg Fortress. 1756: Mozart is born. 1803: The prince-archbishopric is secularised.
Which famous people are connected with Salzburg?
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (composer, 1756 – 1791).
Last updated 9 November 2026. Sources: border data from historical-basemaps, land and rivers from Natural Earth; texts written for Chronica Maps from standard reference works. How we make the maps.