"Der Reiszug" Festung Hohensalzburg Salzburg, Austria The oldest funicular still in use!!! ...since 1504...may be 1495...!!!

Text and photos by Michel Az�ma


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Part 1 - Presentation

Arms of Archbishop Leonhard von Keutschach (1495-1519)

Unbelievable but true! The oldest railway in the world is a funicular! The oldest railway in the world is still in use! The oldest railway was built in 1504 (or 1495)!

Where do you think is located the oldest railway?

The "Reiszug" (the Trip) at the Festung Hohensalzburg fortress (Austria).
Salzburg, the Mozart's city, is also famous for its old fortress from where you get a view of the whole town. Each visitor knows that it is possible to get up the fortress by using a funicular. This public funicular is only 105 years old (!) and is located on the north side of the fortress. I am not speaking about the Public Funicular.
No, the oldest funicular still in use is located on the east side and it is a private one.

On this engraving of Georg Christoph (1650) the "Reiszug" is visible (letter F)

The same view today. (photo Clemens M. Hutter)

The "Reiszug" today from the Nonnberg (photo Michel Az�ma)

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Copyright 1997 by Michel Azéma, Paris (France)

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