Country Information - Teaching in Austria
Thursday, 29 January 2009 18:02
Education in Austria | Salzburg Education in Austria
There are a number of International schools which cater for children aged 3 to 18 and are mainly found in the larger towns and cities. Many of these schools follow the International Baccalaureate. A typical school day will start at around 8 in the morning and finish at around 4 in the afternoon.
A lunch break of an hour usually takes place from noon till 1pm. As with all International schools extra curricular activities play an important role. The school year is from the beginning of September to the end of June with schools usually closing for two months at the height of the summer.
So just imagine beautiful surroundings, attentive students, supportive parents, small classes and tremendous resources.
Living in Salzburg
The quality of life in Austria is generally quite high and Salzburg is no exception. The country’s thriving economy combined with its stable government, beautiful scenery and cultural diversity contributes to a high quality life-style.
Generally speaking you will find the Austrian people very approachable, friendly and willing to help. They do believe in good manners though and it is expected that when you enter a small shop you say good day, if you are invited out to some ones home for dinner then ensure you take with you a gift such as flowers or a bottle of wine.
As a car loving nation you will find the road network in Austria to be excellent however parking spaces are at a premium in all of the major cities and Salzburg is no exception to this. However getting around without a car is no problem because the public transport systems in Salzburg are also first class.
The climate in Salzburg is a typical central European climate with very warm summers, sometimes as high as 40Deg C and very cold winters which can see temperatures drop to below minus 20Deg C. The average rainfall for the city is 1350mm per year. The Province of Salzburg is surrounded by agricultural land and many of the people here are deeply rooted in customs and traditions dating back through the centuries.You will find that a variety of these traditions and customs are celebrated each month of the year, so there is always plenty to do and see.
When shopping in Salzburg you will find a variety of types of shops selling everything you will want plus plenty more to tempt you to part with your hard earned cash. The types of shops range from large shopping centres to small shops in historic, narrow lanes. Whether it is fine Jewellery, antiques, books, music or up to the minute fashion, Salzburg has it all.
Places of Interest
However you intend to spend your leisure hours in Salzburg you can be assured that there is always plenty to do. The best place to start is in the magnificent baroque town centre which has been rated as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site.
The town is best explored on foot where you can appreciate the charming alleyways and visit shops which are often hidden gems. Of great interest to music lovers will be the music festival which is held to honour the city’s most famous son - Mozart. A visit to Mozart’s Birthplace, Salzburg’s most popular museum, is a must.
Here you will find many interesting relics which include the violin that Mozart played as a child, portraits, letters and other memorabilia. Also of interest to music enthusiasts is the connection of the surrounding area with the musical “The Sound of Music”.
From aficionados of music to shopaholics, Getreidegasse Lane is Salzburg’s busiest lane. This beautiful medieval alley is the most fashionable shopping mile in the city with one super-expensive boutique after another.
For those of you with an interest in the great outdoors, who could resist a visit to the Alps and a hiking expedition through some of the most breathtaking scenery in the world?
The Salzkammergut is a very popular region just a short bus ride away from Salzburg. Here you will be able to enjoy the natural beauty of picturesque towns, lakes and mountains. From St. Gilgen you can take one of the very popular cruises to the famous Spa town of St Wolfgang. It is here that you will find the start of a railway with a steam engine dating back to the 19th Century (as featured in The Sound of Music).
The city itself is full of Cathedrals, Monasteries and Castles all of which are well worth a visit. The Salzburger Dom, the city’s cathedral with its baroque style is well worth a visit as is the castle, one of the largest in Europe; here you will enjoy fantastic panoramic views over the countryside. St Peter’s Monastery, founded in the late 600’s is considered to be the oldest in the region.
History of Salzburg
Salzburg’s history can be traced back to the Stone Age but the earliest mention of a city here us in 15BC which was founded by the Romans. After the fall of the Roman Empire the city fell into decay and did not improve until 699 AD when the Duke of Bavaria handed over the ruins of the city to St Rupert. It was then that the city’s fortunes took an upward turn. It is not until the 17th and 18th Century that Salzburg reached its prime.
The wealth from the salt trade was used to transform the city into one of the world’s most outstanding baroque cities with palaces, churches and gardens that rivaled their European counterparts. The 19th Century saw further unrest and during the Napoleonic wars Salzburg became part of different provinces until eventually becoming part of the Austrian Empire. It is towards the end of this century that the city begins to move forward both culturally and economically.
New districts begin to grow up in the neo-classical style and many of the older fortifications are razed. With the founding of the Salzburg festival in 1920, the city became a fashionable place to visit for holidays.
In 1938 Austria was swallowed up by Nazi Germany and public book burnings were held and the persecution of the Jews began. During the war many of the city’s buildings were destroyed by air strikes Following the end of the war, Salzburg was occupied by allied troops. Due to the determination of the local populace and support from the Marshall Plan the city underwent a period of rapid recovery.
The city continues to grow economically and culturally to this day.
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