How International Migration Affects the Urban Landscape
Salzburg has around 20 000 immigrants. Every year new immigrants come to Austria to seek economic opportunities. Their adaptation to the new surroundings changes and affects the urban landscape. It is mostly visible in the part of the city were immigrants live together. They often choose to live together to preserve their culture and to find in those areas cheaper apartments. The immigrants set up there shops with food and clothes, restaurants, clubs, and other services that are often based on their culture and have goods imported from their countries. This activity is an example of cultural diffusion.
The first place that we observed was a
Turkish Consulate. It is located on Strubergasse. It serves as a representation of Turkey in Austria. It helps turkish immigrants solve their problems, secure their rights in a foreign country, and it also provides safety.
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| Turkish Consulate on Google Maps |
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| Turkish Consulate |
The other facilities were located on Ignaz-Harrer Straße. There was an Indian restaurant, shop with clothes, and an Islamic Center with mosque.
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| Satellite image of Ignaz-Harrer Straße |
The immigrants coming from India often choose to go to an Indian restaurant like this because they are accustomed to eating this kind of food in their country. Sometimes they can't buy all the food products in Salzburg from India and cook their traditional food, so they go to this restaurant to eat it. Some of the people also can't or don't want to adapt completely to the Austrian food and this restaurant is their alternative. They also simply might prefer to eat their traditional food.
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| Indian restaurant |
The
clothing shop sells shawls and clothing which, for most of the muslim immigrants, are an important part of their culture. They are also associated with their laws and religion. These clothes are an example of basic needs acquired by the immigrants.
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| Shop with clothes |
The Islamic Center contains mosque which is an important place of worship for the muslims. It's where the people can meet and pray and in this way preserve some of their traditions.
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| Islamic Center |
The last place we observed was an
internet cafe located next to Hauptbahnhof. Not all of the immigrants have access to internet because of for example economic problems. It is also a place where they can meet and talk. They can also connect with their home country and learn what's happening there.
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| Entrance to the internet cafe |
Other places we saw were:
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| kebab restaurant |
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| grocery shop with food from around the world |
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| Afro shop |
