Celsissimus: Salzburger Roman

In the bustling streets of 1588 Salzburg, the city prepares for a grand carnival in honor of the extravagant Archbishop Wolf Dietrich. Mayor Ludwig Alt and the council pour every resource into a spectacle of food, wine, music and gaudy décor, hoping to match the prince’s taste for splendor while showcasing the civic pride of merchants and craftsmen alike. Among the organizers, the shrewd trader Wilhelm Alt shoulders the feast’s logistics, aided by his radiant daughter Salome, whose beauty has already become the talk of the town.

As noble guests arrive in elaborate carriages, the tavern-turned banquet hall buzzes with anticipation, its walls lined with imported silverware, exotic Italian wines and sturdy local brews. Musicians are summoned, dancers rehearse, and a strict dress code divides the male citizens from the freely adorned women. Within this whirlwind of preparation, simmering rivalries and hidden ambitions begin to surface, promising a carnival that will echo through Salzburg’s history.