Due to its copper deposits in Mühlbach and Bischofshofen Salzburg was
centre of east Alpine copper production during the Bronze Age (1900-900 BC).
From 800 BC onwards salt mining on the Dürnberg mountain near Hallein
formed the economic basis of the Celts who had settled in this area.
In 1 BC the settlement Iuvavum belonged to the Celtic kingdom of Noricum.
During Roman times (15 BC - 500 AD)Iuvavum (Salzburg), situated at major transit routes, was capital of a political district.
In 6 AD the Bavarians started to move into this region.
In 696 St.Rupert founded a monastery and so created the new bishopric and
city of Salzburg. Thus began the conversion to Catholizism in the Alpine region. began.
The diocese founded in 739 developped into the leading centre of art and culture
in the southeastern Alps.
Rich donations of land which Salzburg received by Bavarian dukes and nobles made the bishopric an independent political unit within the Holy Roman Empire.
In 1803 the last archbishop fled from the troops of Napoleon.
After about 100 years Salzburg was secularized.
After the Congress of Vienna in 1816 Salburg became part of Austria,
subordinated to Upper Austria. In 1850 Salzburg finally became
an independant crownland of the Austrian Empire and an economic and cultural
upturn began.
In 1920 Salzburg became a federal country of the newly founded
Republic of Austria. After the German invasion in 1938 the country became Reichsgau of the German Reich, after the war Salzburg remained ocuupied by the allied powers until 1955.