The History Of Casino Salzburg - European City And Gambling History.

Those of you who have ever been to Las Vegas will know that most casinos are based on some sort of theme, be it the canals of Venice, the sands of the Sahara or luxury of Caesar's Roman Empire, but not many casinos have quite as much history as that of the Casino Salzburg in Austria.

Salzburg is of course, Mozart's birthplace, and gambling in these glorious surroundings is sure to be music to your ears. The combination of fine baroque art and a modern casino give the Salzburg a truly unique look and feel.

Today Casino Salzburg presents a host of cultural highlights, selected events, exhibitions, fashion shows, comedy shows and musical concerts. Salzburg is certainly not as renowned as a casino destination as Las Vegas, Atlantic City or Macau, but it certainly has an interesting story to tell as far as casino gambling is concerned.

Before you even begin to think about gambling, you may remember hearing about a casino in the Austrian city before, especially if you have an interest in football. That's because Red Bull Salzburg, the current Austrian football champions, were actually known as ‘Casino Salzburg' between 1978 and 1997.

But we're not here to talk about football. We're here to talk about casino gaming.

Salzburg only has one casino of note, but what this central European city lacks in quantity it certainly makes up for in quality. Set in the beautiful Schloss Klessheim palace, some 4 km west of the city centre, the Casino Salzburg one of the most elegant casinos on the planet, with 18 gaming tables and 110 slot machines sitting amongst some of the most opulent surroundings that you could ever wish to find.

But unlike many modern purpose-built casinos that you find in some of the more popular casino resorts, the Casino Salzburg also has a rich and fascinating history.

It was way back in 1690 when the small house that then stood on the land was bought by Bishop Johann Ernst Graf Thun and despite various plans to convert the house, it wasn't until 1723 when it was developed into the palace that still stands today. Later, the vast parkland, known as the "English Garden", was added to complete the impressive place grounds.

But it was actually the role that the Schloss Klessheim played during World War II that intrigues historians and tourists alike. Adolf Hitler was a regular resident of the palace, often using the venue to host guests and conferences as during the war, the palace was out of the reach of the allied forces.

But it was also here on July 7th 1944 that Hitler's reign was almost brought to an end.

German officer Helmuth Stieff was part of a plan to assassinate Hitler in a suicide bombing at Schloss Klessheim but failed to trigger the bomb. Stieff was also part of another failed assassination attempt just 13 days later.

Today, limestone eagles situated by the entrance remind visitors of the Third Reich.

In the palaces more recent history, film fanatics may recognise the famous façade from the 1965 film The Great Race featuring Jack Lemmon, Peter Falk and Tony Curtis.

The Casino Salzburg, much like the city of Salzburg itself, certainly has a rich history and whilst a trip to Salzburg doesn't have the convenience (or the relaxed dress code) of an online casino game in your own home, the Casino Salzburg is well worth a visit for any high stakes casino enthusiast.